Russia is fighting high losses in the Ukraine war - Putin is running out of drones

Created: 2023-01-09 14:26

By: Christian Stör

Russia suffers heavy casualties in the Ukraine war.

Now the armed forces are also running out of Iranian-made Shahed-136 drones.

The news ticker.

• Russian losses:

  Ukrainian General Staff gives numbers

• Drones from Iran:

  is the Russian arsenal running out?

• Editor's note: 

  Read the latest developments from the Ukraine conflict in our new ticker.

  The information on the Ukraine war processed here comes partly from the warring parties in Russia and Ukraine.

  They can therefore not be independently checked in part.

Moscow - The Ukraine war is still not going too well for Russia.

Above all, the high losses make it difficult for the armed forces.

Above all, the once-vaunted tank fleet has proved to be a weak point over the past ten months.

In any case, the numbers that the Ukrainian General Staff quotes every day are downright devastating.

The data at a glance (as of January 9th):

Numbers of Russian losses in the Ukraine War

• Soldiers:

  111,760 (+590)

• Aircraft:

  285

• Helicopters:

  275 (+3)

• Tanks:

  3080 (+11)

• Armored fighting vehicles: 

  6147 (+17) 

• Artillery systems:

  2069 (+4)

• Air defense systems:

   217

• Multiple Rocket Launchers:

   434 (+3)

• Cars and other vehicles:

   4809 (+8)

• Ships:

   16

• Unmanned Combat Drones:

   1856 (+7) 

• (Source: Report of the Ukrainian General Staff of January 9)

Is Russia running out of drones too?

Due to the high losses on the ground, Russia has recently changed its strategy in the war against Ukraine.

Since the fall, the attacker has primarily relied on rockets and drones, which repeatedly hit Ukraine's energy infrastructure.

Russia is benefiting from aid from Iran, which reportedly sent Shahed 136 drones to Russia back in August, causing extensive damage in Ukraine.

Kamikaze drone from Iran?

This photo is supposed to show a "Shahed 136" just before the impact in Kyiv.

© Yasuyoshi Chiba/AFP

However, it is unclear how many drones Russia currently has.

For example, Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Resnikov claimed on Friday (January 6) that the Russian armed forces had already used up 88 percent of their stockpile of Shahed drones.

According to this calculation, Russia would only have about 90 drones made in Iran at its disposal.

In addition, the US government has now imposed new sanctions on Tehran.

All means available will be used to deny Vladimir Putin the weapons "with which he is waging his barbaric and unprovoked war against Ukraine," US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said on Friday.

The fact that the Kremlin is using suppliers like Iran shows desperation at the brave Ukrainian resistance.

(cs)