Ineffective tactics, a lack of leadership, and poorly trained soldiers are driving devastating losses for Russian forces in the war against Ukraine, according to retired four-star U.S. Army General Jack Keane.
Keane, speaking on Fox Business, identified these systemic issues as primary contributors to the high casualty rates observed since the start of the full-scale invasion.
The Russian approach to the current conflict mirrors historical patterns of attrition. During World War II, the Soviet Union lost between 22 and 23 million people, a figure that includes both military and civilian casualties.
“Always it has been that way—you know, they lose between 22 and 23 million people in the battles against the Germans,” Keane stated. “And those losses are so significant precisely because of that reason. Although this figure includes civilians, the losses among the military were just as large, which is largely explained by the way they chose to conduct combat operations.”
Keane observed that current Russian operations rely on repetitive maneuvers that leave troops vulnerable to Ukrainian defenses. By repeatedly utilizing the same attack routes, Russian forces are sustaining even greater losses.
“They use certain routes for advancing to Ukrainian positions, and while they are moving along these roads, their soldiers die,” Keane explained.
He attributed these outcomes to a “lack of imagination” within the Russian command.
The general characterized the ongoing conflict as a “classic strategic mistake” by Vladimir Putin. Putin initially believed the campaign would be easy and conclude within a matter of weeks, but the fighting has now extended toward the end of its fifth year.
Russia has now lost more than 52,000 artillery systems and 600,000 tactical UAVs since the start of the full-scale invasion. Both milestones were crossed over the weekend. By ArmyInform's estimate, that is about $144 billion in equipment: $83.4 billion in artillery and $60.2…
Why are Russian casualty rates consistently high?
According to General Keane, the losses stem from a combination of poor leadership, inadequate soldier training, and a lack of imagination. These factors result in the repeated use of the same routes toward Ukrainian positions.
How does the current conflict compare to historical Soviet losses?
Keane noted that the current approach to combat mirrors the approach used during World War II.
In that conflict, the Soviet Union sustained 22 to 23 million casualties, which Keane links to the specific methods of warfare chosen.
What was the original expectation for the duration of the war?
General Keane stated that Vladimir Putin initially believed the invasion would be easy and conclude within a matter of weeks. The conflict has instead continued toward the end of its fifth year.
Total combat losses of the enemy since the start of the full-scale invasion as of 10 November 2026 Personnel: ˙ approximately 1 611 600 (+2 220) Weapons and military equipment: ˙ Tanks: 12 465 (+3) ˙ Armored combat vehicles: 25 696 (+13) ˙ Artillery systems: 52 158 (+46) ˙… pic.twitter.com/mD5kIrpWCr
Every 29 seconds – minus one occupier Over the past day, russian invasion units lost 2 980 troops killed and seriously wounded. That is more than the combined personnel of six crews of the cruiser Moskva, and the highest daily losses russia has suffered since the start of the… pic.twitter.com/z8SseCPWzZ
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