NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said Russia is suffering massive battlefield losses in its war against Ukraine during the July 2026 summit.
These figures highlight the escalating human cost of the conflict and serve as a justification for continued NATO military support for Kyiv. By quantifying the attrition of Russian forces, the alliance aims to underscore the sustainability of Ukraine's defense strategy.
Speaking at the summit, Rutte said that up to 25,000 Russian soldiers are being killed in Ukraine each month [1]. The Secretary-General described the situation as a severe drain on Russian military capabilities, a trend that continues to impact the frontline dynamics.
"Putin is bleeding troops," Rutte said [2].
The statement comes as NATO members coordinate their long-term security commitments. Rutte said that the scale of these losses demonstrates the high price Russia is paying for its invasion. The alliance remains focused on ensuring Ukraine has the resources necessary to withstand ongoing Russian aggression.
Throughout the summit, the Secretary-General focused on the necessity of a unified Western front. He said that the military cost to the Kremlin is substantial, though he did not specify the total cumulative casualties since the start of the war. The focus remained on the current monthly rate of attrition [1].
NATO's public disclosure of these numbers is intended to reaffirm the commitment of member states to support Ukraine. Rutte said the goal is to ensure that the international community understands the reality of the battlefield as the conflict enters another phase.
“"Up to 25,000 Russian soldiers are being killed in Ukraine each month."”
The disclosure of high monthly casualty rates by the NATO Secretary-General is a strategic communication effort to maintain political will among alliance members. By framing the conflict as a war of attrition that Russia is losing in terms of manpower, NATO seeks to counter narratives of Ukrainian exhaustion and justify the continued flow of high-end weaponry and financial aid.
