Russia's territorial advance in Ukraine accelerated during 2024, but by the beginning of 2025, it slowed down, according to the British Ministry of Defence, citing intelligence data.
The report highlights that Russia's attempts to create modern, professional forces capable of conducting complex operations were undermined by significant losses during the full-scale war. Currently, Russia prioritizes "quantity over quality" in its operations against Ukraine.
"Losses in Russian personnel, exceeding 860,000 killed and wounded, have undermined the quality of Russia's armed forces. Most soldiers currently serving have undergone minimal training, and Russian commanders are using basic tactics to achieve success, despite the associated high casualty rates," the report states.
Intelligence also revealed that Russia has lost at least 3,750 main battle tanks and 8,400 armored vehicles. It notes that the large stockpiles of tanks and armored vehicles left over from the Soviet Union were the only means by which Russia could replenish these significant losses.
