Russian forces lose more personnel than they recruit for fifth straight month

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

Source: Unmanned Systems Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

Details: The statement cites Robert "Madyar" Brovdi, the head of the Unmanned Systems Forces: "For the fifth consecutive month, we have managed to keep this balance negative, and this is one of the most critical tasks directly affecting the combat capability and pressure of the enemy on the battlefield."

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

"In April 2026, Unmanned Systems Forces units struck 10,581 enemy personnel, accounting for 31.15% of the total personnel losses inflicted by drones of Ukraine's defence forces. In fact, every third confirmed hit was carried out by Unmanned Systems Forces units," the statement said.

Background:

• The Unmanned Systems Forces regularly report strikes on targets far from the battlefield.
• 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.
• Additionally, in late April, operators of the 413th Raid Separate Regiment of the Unmanned Systems Forces struck facilities of the Russian BARS-Sarmat centre, one of the key developers of drones for the Russian army, in the temporarily occupied territory of Zaporizhzhia Oblast.

Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!