One Soldier Every 48 Seconds: A Record 54,000 Russian Casualties

In October 2026, the Russian army suffered record losses for the entire duration of the full-scale war, with more than 54,000 service members killed or wounded. On average, the aggressor state lost one soldier every 48 seconds.This was stated by Andriy Melnyk, Ukraine’s Permanent Representative to the UN, during a UN Security Council meeting in New York, according to Dengi.ua.

Record Casualties Among Occupiers and Harsh Words for the Russian Representative

The Ukrainian diplomat presented devastating statistics on enemy losses directly in the Security Council chamber:

• Casualty figures: According to the diplomat, in October, the total number of Russian troops killed and wounded on Ukrainian territory exceeded 54,000;
• Developments during the meeting: Andriy Melnyk estimated that during the current UN Security Council session alone, the Russian army has lost more than 180 soldiers killed or wounded;
• Criticism of the Russian Permanent Representative: The Ukrainian diplomat responded sharply to the rhetoric of Russian Permanent Representative Vasily Nebenzia, suggesting that he direct his “humanitarian enthusiasm” toward his own fellow citizens and explain to the mothers and widows in Russia why their husbands and sons died.

Debunking Fake News About Torture and the Real State of Human Rights in Russia

During his speech, Andriy Melnyk countered the Kremlin’s traditional propaganda rhetoric:

• He categorically rejected the Russian side’s accusations of the alleged existence of “torture chambers in Ukraine,” recalling the hundreds of documented video evidences of abuse by Russian occupiers;
• The diplomat called on the representative from Moscow to familiarize himself with the official report by the UN Special Rapporteur on the critical human rights situation in Russia itself;
• The Ukrainian side emphasized that Russia has absolutely no moral right to lecture others on human rights compliance on the international stage.