Russia's Costly Territorial Gains in Ukraine

Russia may have seized 4,000 square kilometers of Ukrainian territory in 2024, but those territorial

gains come with massive hidden costs. Moscow has suffered over 430,000 casualties to achieve them,

losing an average of 1,570 soldiers per day in December and hitting a shocking 2,200 casualties

in just one day on December 19th. At the same time, Ukraine has completely changed the battlefield

with an explosive rise in drone production—from near zero in 2022 to more than 1.5 million FPV drones

in 2024. These $400 drones are wiping out expensive Russian armor, helping destroy

3,689 Russian tanks this year alone. Experts warn Russia could deplete its Soviet-era tank

reserves by 2026 at the current burn rate. So while Russia pushes forward and