245 Russian Soldiers Aged 18 Killed in Ukraine War Right After High School Graduation

Surge in 18-Year-Old Casualties After Contract Soldier Rules Eased
Contradicts Putin's Statement That "18-Year-Old Conscripts Are Not Deployed"

Although Russia has declared that it would not send 18-year-old youths to the front lines after invading Ukraine, it has been revealed that at least 245 soldiers aged 18 have lost their lives on the battlefield.

The BBC Russian Service reported, after analyzing published obituaries, death records, and court documents related to the war in Ukraine from April 2023 to July 2025, that the number of young people who had just graduated from high school heading to the battlefield increased significantly after regulations were relaxed.

According to data jointly analyzed by the BBC and the independent media outlet Mediazona, at least 245 of the Russian soldiers killed were 18 years old. This investigation draws particular attention as it directly contradicts repeated statements by President Vladimir Putin that "18-year-old conscripts are not deployed in combat."

Russian soldiers conducting an operation in battle. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

The investigation found that most of these individuals enlisted in the military as contract soldiers and were then sent to the front lines. In April 2023, Russia changed its regulations to allow 18-year-olds with no prior military service to enlist immediately as contract soldiers. Previously, contracts could only be signed after completing at least three months of mandatory service. According to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Russian contract soldiers are typically volunteers who apply for three years of paid service in the military.

By early this year, the number of Russian military fatalities with confirmed identities had surpassed 200,000. As the war drags on, casualties among younger Russian soldiers are rising rapidly. Tracking by BBC and Mediazona shows that, since the start of the war in Ukraine, at least 2,812 Russian soldiers killed were between the ages of 18 and 20.

Another joint investigation found that more than 207,500 Russian military fatalities with confirmed identities have occurred since the invasion of Ukraine, with about 19,583 of them being under the age of 25. The youngest confirmed fatality identified by the investigation team was 18 years and 31 days old.

BBC and Mediazona explained, "The current figures reflect only the minimum number of cases that can be publicly verified." Experts believe that the actual number of deaths is likely far higher than what has been confirmed through public records.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.