The NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has revealed to delegates at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland how many Russians were killed in December.
Rutte revealed during a panel discussion at the WEF that Russia lost around 1,000 troops every day in Ukraine, the NATO chief made it quite clear, they are not wounded, they have been killed in action.
Rutte said that during the Afghan war in the 1980s the Soviets lost some 20,000 soldiers over a 10 year period.
But, in December 2025 the Kremlin lost 30,000 in a month bringing the total amount killed or severely wounded to 12,308,10 and over the past 24 hours a total of 1,070 have been reported killed.
Rutte told delegates, “And yes, it is true, the Russians have lost in December 1,000 people dead—not seriously wounded, dead—a day.
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“That’s over 30,000 in the month of December. In the 1980s in Afghanistan, the Soviets lost 20,000 in 10 years.
“Now they (Russia – ed.) lose 30,000 in one month.”
The NATO chief continued, “As we speak, Russian missiles and Russian drones are attacking the energy infrastructure in Ukraine. We know that it is now minus 20 degrees in Kyiv. We know that Ukraine can only take care of 60 percent of its own electricity.”
He stressed that Ukraine is still lacking vital military equipment such as US kit and interceptors, “because it is not any longer available in Europe.
Rutte added, “So, this focus in Ukraine should be our number one priority, and then we can discuss all the issues, including Greenland. But it should be Ukraine first because it is crucial for our European and US security.”
Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi said on 31 December 2025, “We have one of the strongest and most experienced armies in the world. Nearly 420,000 neutralized Russian troops this year alone is proof of that.”
Ukraine’s new Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said this week that the Ukrainian Armed Forces (AFU) that there will be large increases in drone operating combat units with the goal to kill at least 50,000 Russians a month.
He said his main focus will be to modernise and reform the Defence Ministry with “comprehensive changes” to make the AFU more lethal.
Federov said that current military structure is “outdated for modern needs” and technology will replace this.
News platform Babel.ua reported that Federov said, “President Volodymyr Zelensky has set a clear task – to build a system that is capable of stopping the enemy in the sky, [halting its] advance on the ground, strengthening asymmetric and cyber strikes against the enemy and its economy.
“To make the price of war for Russia such that it will not be able to bear it, and thereby force peace by force.”
