Up to 40,000 Russian troops have been killed, wounded, or taken prisoner since the start of the invasion of Ukraine, according to NATO. 

The alliance said between 7,000 to 15,000 Russian soldiers had lost their lives in the last four weeks of fighting.

By way of comparison, Russia lost about 15,000 soldiers in Afghanistan over 10 years.

But in an estimate that is perhaps even more striking, NATO suggested a total of up to 40,000 Russian troops had been killed, wounded or taken prisoner – crucially, meaning they were no longer able to contribute to the country’s efforts to achieve its military aims.

A senior NATO military official said the estimates were based on information from Ukrainian officials, what Russia has released — intentionally or not — and intelligence gathered from open sources.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity under ground rules set by NATO.