Ukraine’s new defense minister, Mykhailo Fedorov, vowed to kill 50,000 Russian troops each month, saying sustained losses could strain Moscow’s manpower and push it to the negotiating table.

He claimed 35,000 Russians were killed last month, with losses verified by video.

“If we reach the 50,000 mark, we will see what happens to the enemy. They perceive people as a resource, and the problems with this are already obvious,” Fedorov said.

Fedorov said achieving this target requires major Defense Ministry reforms, expanding drone operations, and intensifying cyber and asymmetric attacks on Russian forces and infrastructure. 

“The president has set a clear task: to build a system capable of stopping the enemy in the sky and on the ground, and to intensify asymmetric and cyber attacks on the enemy and its economy. To make the price of war for Russia so high that it cannot bear it. Thus, to force peace by force. Diplomats are pursuing their own track, but at the same time, we must do our part,” he said. 

As of Jan. 17, Ukraine’s General Staff estimates that Russia has suffered 1,225,590 troop losses in Ukraine since the war began on Feb. 24, 2022, including personnel who are killed, injured, or missing.

Ukraine has also suffered significant losses. In February 2025, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported 46,000 battlefield deaths and 380,000 wounded, with tens of thousands more either missing in action or held captive. According to a BBC report, the total number of Ukrainians killed as of December 2025 could be as high as 140,000.

Kyiv’s front-line infantry units are struggling to replace heavy losses. Fedorov said beyond battlefield deaths, 2 million Ukrainians are wanted for evading mobilization, while another 200,000 are absent without official leave.

Fedorov emphasized that manpower shortages make technological advances even more critical. “More robots means fewer losses, more technology means fewer deaths. The lives of Ukrainian heroes are of the highest value,” he said.

Zelenskyy earlier said that strengthening the army’s technological capabilities will be one of Fedorov’s top priorities in his new role.