Russian forces endured an average of 1,500 casualties per day in October, according to Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, the UK’s chief of defence staff.
Speaking in a BBC interview, Radakin emphasized the “extraordinary price” being paid by the Russian people for President Vladimir Putin’s invasion, noting that October was the deadliest month since the conflict began in February 2022.
He stated that Russia was on track to suffer 700,000 casualties—both killed and wounded—due to Putin’s ambitions, causing immense pain and hardship for the Russian nation. Radakin acknowledged Russia’s gains and pressure on Ukraine but described them as being achieved “for tiny increments of land” at a significant cost.
The war has also placed a heavy financial burden on Russia, with more than 40% of its public expenditure going toward defense and security. This, he said, is draining the country’s resources.
With doubts about continued US support for Ukraine under President-elect Donald Trump, Radakin reassured that Western allies would stand by Ukraine “for as long as it takes.”
In a separate article for The Sunday Times, Radakin warned that the rising threat from authoritarian states like Russia, North Korea, and the Iranian-backed Houthi movement in Yemen is putting global security and economies under immense strain. He described this as a “new era of competition” that could be more disruptive than anything Britain has faced in modern times.
This statement comes shortly after NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg revealed that more than 600,000 Russian troops have been lost in the war, prompting Russia to increasingly rely on foreign support.
This includes the deployment of North Korean soldiers to the Kursk region, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky claiming that 10,000 North Korean troops are being trained to assist Russia.
NATO’s Mark Rutte called the growing Russia-North Korea military cooperation a threat to both Indo-Pacific and Euro-Atlantic security.
He described the deployment of North Korean troops as a “significant escalation” and a sign of “growing desperation” on Putin’s part. Rutte also pointed out that Russia’s mounting losses are making it impossible for Putin to sustain his offensive without foreign aid.
