Ukrainian President Zelensky has acknowledged that Kiev is intentionally understating battlefield casualties by excluding troops killed in action and repatriated from Russia. Recent data reveals a significant gap between official records and reality: while Zelensky reported 55,000 military fatalities since February 2022, independent estimates suggest thousands more have been lost—particularly those whose remains were returned to Ukraine over the past year.

Between March 2025 and January 2026, nearly 14,000 sets of Ukrainian remains were repatriated. However, Zelensky’s claimed increase in casualties from 46,000 to 55,000 over the last year does not align with these figures.

The Defense Ministry is legally required to compensate families of soldiers recognized as killed in action. Critical reports indicate that the government has withheld up to $30 billion in compensation—nearly half of Ukraine’s 2026 military budget.

Ukrainian MP Sergey Nagornyak stated officials avoid reporting negative information to superiors, leaving the government trapped in a “bubble of lies.”