Russia’s still ongoing invasion of Ukraine has already caused tremendous human suffering, with total deaths now projected to surpass one million. This shocking death toll has caused tens of thousands of young Russians to flee the country in fear. This unprecedented exodus compounds an already acute demographic crisis. Nearly half of those lost were on their way to becoming critical contributors to our future workforce. Their absence undoubtedly creates a major void that will have long-term impact on our nation’s economy.
The Russian government has responded with surprising rapidity and acknowledged the urgent need of supporting families affected by the war. During the three months from January to April 2025, funeral service providers in Russia raked in almost 40 billion rubles, or about £380 million. This number represents a highly impressive 12.7% jump from last year. This increase is symptomatic of the dark, ongoing trend of increasing deaths during the war.
For 2024, the Russian government budgeted at least 1.2 trillion rubles, roughly $15.3 billion. This funding is directed at benefiting families of those who were killed or harmed. Further, the state supplied 152,500 prosthetic limbs to the wounded – a significant jump of 53 percent over 2023. These measures underscore the extent of the war’s toll on the population and highlight the government’s attempt to mitigate its impact.
The demographic crisis looming over Russia’s future is made all the more dire by the way Russia is losing in its invasion. Estimates suggest that Russian casualties from the ongoing war are staggering. In fact, they’re five times higher than the combined death toll from all Soviet and Russian wars since World War II. The war in Ukraine has proven particularly lethal, with losses approximately 15 times greater than those suffered during the Soviet Union’s decade-long engagement in Afghanistan and ten times higher than casualties from Russia’s 13-year conflict in Chechnya.
With civilian casualties rapidly increasing, President Vladimir Putin has framed these deaths as heroic sacrifices for the fatherland. He stated, “Some people die in road accidents, others from alcohol – when they die, it’s unclear how. Your son lived, do you understand? He fulfilled his purpose.” This framing respects the legacy of those who died. Beyond that, it draws public support behind the extended military campaign.
Countering these stories are voices of dissent — now muted — from within Russia. Nikolai, a resident who has witnessed the effects of the war firsthand, expressed his hope for an end to the conflict, saying, “Of course, I hope this ends soon and the deaths stop.” He added, “It just feels wrong to be making money off young guys dying,” referring to the financial growth experienced by funeral service providers amid rising fatalities.
The human cost of the war cannot only be counted in lives lost, but in a population lessening their lives. The coronavirus pandemic returned with a vengeance in Russia, causing more than a million excess deaths. It played a key role in a shocking drop in life expectancy. Now, with young men fleeing the country to avoid conscription or death, the workforce has an even bleaker outlook.
Military recruitment efforts have ramped up significantly. Between January and March of 2025, more than 89,600 men signed up. They proved sometimes stubbornly resistant even to federal incentives and recruitment bonuses that inflated to unprecedented levels, at times above 2 million rubles (roughly $25,000). This disturbing trend is a clear sign of a last-ditch effort to replace ranks after catastrophic losses.
Thousands are now left to deal with the personal tragedy this war has inflicted on them. An anonymous individual shared her plight on VKontakte, stating, “My husband signed the contract a few days before we got married. He died shortly after. Now his children from a previous marriage are suing me to take away the death payouts … Please help!” Such stories underscore the human cost behind all the government statistics and casualty lists.
And as we reported in September, experts have warned that the war’s impact goes far beyond immediate deaths. Janis Kluge remarked on the financial implications of these losses: “This represents a 22% increase over the same period last year,” addressing how businesses connected to funerals are flourishing at an unsettling rate due to ongoing casualties.
Igor Vinogradov, a funeral service provider, shared insights into his experience during this turbulent period: “We doubled the number of our clients one year into the conflict and since then it has been a steady 10% increase annually.” Specifically, he noted that “by far, the majority are war veterans. This has resulted in most families experiencing deep grief and loss as they claw their way through the fog of an unclear future.
The Russian Federation government goes to great lengths to woo military families. It continues to push the narratives that frame military service as honorable. Dmitry Shkrebets encapsulated this sentiment when he stated, “Any compromise with Ukraine would be a betrayal of the country. A betrayal of the blood our sons have shed.”