Forty-eight thousand relatives of Russian soldiers have provided DNA samples, as reported by a government minister during a sensitive discussion aimed at identifying deceased servicemen through their remains. This figure was shared by Deputy Defence Minister Anna Tsivilyova during a round-table meeting on November 26, which led a senior lawmaker to caution against the public disclosure of such data.

Since the early months of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Russia has not published official figures regarding its military casualties. Western nations estimate that hundreds of thousands of soldiers from both Russia and Ukraine have been killed or injured in the intense trench warfare that characterizes this conflict, the deadliest in Europe since World War II.

An independent news outlet, Astra, released a video of the recent meeting where Russian officials and lawmakers discussed support for troops engaged in what Moscow refers to as its “special military operation,” as well as assistance for their families. Tsivilyova noted that the 48,000 relatives had voluntarily submitted their DNA to an interior ministry database.

In response, Andrei Kartapolov, the head of the parliamentary defense committee, remarked, “Anna Evgenyevna (Tsivilyova) has provided some figures, including those for individuals missing in action. I strongly urge you not to disclose these numbers publicly. This information is classified and quite sensitive. We prefer that these figures do not circulate as we prepare the final documents.”

Tsivilyova clarified that she did not provide the figures for missing individuals, but rather the number of requests received. She indicated that many of those individuals will likely be located, emphasizing that the figure pertains specifically to requests rather than confirmed data.

Astra released a video of the meeting, which was streamed live on the website of the Duma, the lower house of parliament. However, by Wednesday, the video was no longer accessible on the site.

Reuters sought a comment from the Russian defense ministry, but there was no immediate response.

Independent Russian news outlet Mediazona and the BBC Russian service have verified the names of 79,819 Russian soldiers who have died in Ukraine as of November 19, during the ongoing 33-month conflict. The Wall Street Journal, referencing unnamed Western intelligence sources, reported last month that the death toll for Russian soldiers could be as high as 200,000.

The Economist estimated last month that at least 60,000 to 100,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed, with up to 400,000 sustaining injuries that prevent them from continuing to fight. Western nations believe that Russia has incurred greater casualties than Ukraine, yet it maintains a manpower advantage due to its significantly larger population.