Russian forces lose more personnel than they recruit for fifth month in a row

A negative ratio between recruitment and personnel losses in the Russian Armed Forces has been maintained for the fifth consecutive month, starting from December 2025.

Source: Unmanned Systems Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

Details: Robert "Magyar" Brovdi, head of the Unmanned Systems Forces, was cited in a statement as saying: "For the fifth month in a row we've managed to keep this balance negative, and this is one of the defence forces' most critical tasks, directly affecting the enemy's combat capability and pressure on the battlefield."

The Unmanned Systems Forces said that between December 2025 and April 2026, Russia mobilised and recruited 148,400 personnel, while there were 156,735 confirmed Russian losses from drone strikes, with the highest figures recorded in March and April (nearly 34,000 each month).

Quote: "In April 2026, Unmanned Systems Forces units struck 10,581 enemy personnel, accounting for 31.15% of the total personnel losses inflicted by drones from Ukraine's defence forces. In fact, one in three confirmed hits was carried out by Unmanned Systems Forces units."

Background:

• The Unmanned Systems Forces regularly report strikes on targets far from the front line.
• On 25 April, Unmanned Systems Forces drones hit several Su-57 fighter jets and a Su-34 fighter-bomber at the Shagol airfield in Russia's Chelyabinsk Oblast.
• In late April, drone operators from the 413th Raid Separate Regiment of the Unmanned Systems Forces struck facilities at Russia's BARS-Sarmat centre, a key developer of drones for the Russian army, in the temporarily occupied territory of Zaporizhzhia Oblast.

Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!