Ukraine is going through the third year of the war, which shocks the world every day with its scale and terrible numbers. Each of them is not only statistics, but also human lives and destinies that have already been lost, destroyed cities and villages, broken hopes and huge losses everywhere.
During these three years of hostilities, hundreds of thousands of civilians and soldiers were killed, millions were forced to leave their homes, the economy suffered unimaginably, and cities and villages were reduced to ruins. Every news story of shelling, wounded and dead is shocking, reminding us of the relentlessness of war that continues far beyond the headlines.
IA “FAKT” conducted a study of open sources of information and shows the main figures on how Ukraine is going through the third year of the war. Much of this may also indicate the direction in which events may develop in the future.
- Dead soldiers
Ukrainian military personnel bear the most difficult trials of war, their actions, selflessness and courage are the main things thanks to which we preserve our nation and state. According to the statement of the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi at the press conference, the official number of dead Ukrainian soldiers exceeded 31,000 people:
«31 thousand Ukrainian soldiers died in this war. Not 300,000 and not 150,000, no matter what Putin and his gang say. However, these numbers are not just statistics, but each individual soldier, each victim, each pain and a huge loss for their relatives and loved ones– said Zelensky.
However, the real numbers remain unknown and quite a lot of soldiers are considered missing, and analyzing the words of witnesses and participants in the hostilities indicate that the real number of dead Ukrainian soldiers may exceed 300,000 people.
Infographics of AI “FACT”
- Dead civilians
Not only war erupts in the heart of Ukraine, but also boundless longing for dead civilians, among whom are children. These are hundreds of thousands of tears, painful memories, untold stories that filled the souls and hearts of Ukrainians. These were someone’s children, parents, brothers, sisters, friends, who now only remain in memory and prayers.
“For two years of Russian military aggression in Ukraine, more than 10,000 civilians died, and more than 20,000 were injured,” according to the UN human rights report, which was presented on February 22 in Geneva. The document also notes that the real number of civilian casualties in Ukraine is likely to be much higher, and the consequences of the war will be understood and felt for many generations to come. Officially, 587 children were among the dead.
After analyzing other sources of information, the number of dead is hundreds of times higher than the official data, because only Mariupil, in which about 87 thousand people died, reminds us of the endless losses unfolding before our eyes. And this is just one city, not counting hundreds of other settlements that were in the war zone, hostilities or occupation: Bucha, Irpin, Bakhmut, Gostomel, Soledar, Avdiivka, Kupyansk and many others. But even these figures do not take into account the fact that a huge number of bodies of the dead still remain under the rubble and have not been found, are missing or have not been discovered since the explosions. Unofficial figures only indicate that the death toll may be over 400,000.
Infographics of AI “FACT”
Such staggering numbers and statistics are a reflection of the immeasurable tragedy that is happening in our country. Let the victims of this war not be a useless loss, but become a symbol of determination to preserve the country of peace, dignity and prosperity. Let their memory be our great call to action, devotion and dreams of a bright future where there will be no more war and pain.
- Dead animals during the war
War causes victims that often remain out of sight, among them defenseless animals. During the military conflict in Ukraine, victims were not only people, but also numerous animals that found themselves in the war zone. Many of them got into the war zone, were left without help, forgotten on the battlefield and killed. The death of animals due to war is not limited to the direct consequences of shelling or bombing. It also includes other dire consequences, such as hunger, disease and injury, that stand in the way of their movement in war zones.
It is impossible to count the real number of dead animals. Hundreds of burned households, hundreds of destroyed farms and enterprises, many burned stables, tens of thousands of pets left unattended in the war zone. In addition to domestic animals, a huge number of wild animals suffer, as forests are constantly bombarded, and active warfare takes place even in water areas.
Horses, cats, dogs, cows, goats, pigs, birds, wild animals, marine life – this is simply an incredible number of deaths. And again – only approximate.
Infographics of AI “FACT”
However, even in the darkness of war, a ray of hope shines through. Volunteers, volunteers and animal protection organizations work tirelessly around the clock to help rescue and treat animals in difficult situations.
- Ukrainian refugees
According to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, as of 2024, there are 6.479 million refugees outside Ukraine, and these are not just numbers, but thousands of lives that were forced to leave everything they had in search of salvation and safety.
Most of them – about 5.809 million Ukrainians received temporary protection in European countries. These people build their lives from scratch, many of them are left without families.
When studying unofficial sources, it can also be assumed that the number of those who left Ukraine is much more important. This is influenced by a large number of illegal border crossings, the lack of registration of every newly arrived Ukrainian to Europe, the USA or another country, a large number of people who were abroad on vacation or on a business trip even before the war, as well as the global mass exodus at the beginning of the war, when due to such emergency circumstances, the border services would physically not be able to count and account for everyone.
It is also important to take into account the fact that many people left for Russia and Belarus, and their specific number remains unknown and only approximate. Therefore, taking into account a number of these factors, it can be predicted that the number of Ukrainians who left the country may actually exceed even 10 million people.
Infographics of AI “FACT”
- Destroyed cities and settlements
The reality of the brutality of the war that broke out on Ukrainian lands exceeded all forecasts. The full-scale invasion of Russia into Ukraine became a huge tragedy, because before our eyes, Ukrainian cities and villages turned into ruins, under each of which remains the shadow of immeasurable grief and suffering.
Battles in Ukrainian spaces become the scene of terrible bloodshed, because rockets, MLRS and drones spare nothing, they target residential areas and peaceful objects, leaving behind only burnt ruins and death. Such cities as Avdiivka, Bakhmut, Soledar, Maryinka are now only names that flicker on the map, because there is not a single untouched house or a single living street left there.
In this abyss of pain and despair, those whose home has become a place of broken dreams feel the hardest. According to the Kyiv University of Economics (KSE), which tracks Ukraine’s economic losses since the beginning of the Russian occupation, as of 2024 the total amount of direct damage to Ukrainian infrastructure has reached $155 billion. But this is only an approximate number of undeveloped ghost towns. Donetsk, Kyiv, Luhansk, Kharkiv, Mykolaiv, Chernihiv, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions became the most significant witnesses of the abuses of the war, which took away not only the buildings, but also the souls of their inhabitants.
More than 250,000 homes in Ukraine were destroyed or damaged as a result of the large-scale Russian invasion. This was announced by Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal at the government meeting on Friday, May 3.
«During the total war, the enemy destroyed or damaged more than 250,000 houses, about 4,000 schools, more than 1,000 hospitals and many other facilities“, said Prime Minister Shmyhal.
Therefore, according to the RDNA-3 assessment conducted jointly with the World Bank, recovery needs have reached more than US$486 billion.
Infographics of AI “FACT”
- Destroyed cars in Ukraine
In war, not only hearts suffer, but also family loyal friends on four wheels. Each destroyed car is not only a pile of steel, but also a story of travel, memories of first kisses, heartbeats of joy during trips. They have witnessed many moments of life, but now they lie broken in the streets, their shiny bodies wrinkled from the wreckage and remain only inexplicable silhouettes of the past.
An estimated 105,000 cars were damaged or destroyed as a result of the war, according to the Kyiv School of Economics, and the total damage was $968 million, but this estimate does not take into account the number and value of cars with Euro plates, so the real damage is much higher.
According to unofficial reports, as a result of the hostilities in Ukraine, approximately 500,000 cars were completely destroyed or lost beyond recovery. About 300,000 more cars left the territory of the country, so in the end, about a million cars left the active car fleet of Ukraine as a result of the war.
Infographics of AI “FACT”
However, car owners continue to dream of the time when they will again hear the sounds of tires on the asphalt, and again feel the freedom that every trip in their own car gives. Even in war, one must find strength and hope that improvement will come, and with it – new cars that will fill the cities with life.
Having studied global figures and the huge difference between official and unofficial data, one can conclude about the complexity of the situation in Ukraine, which is forced to fight against numerous internal and external challenges. Official figures may reflect only a small part of what is happening in reality, but the real feelings of pain in the hearts of the people are many families who have lost their relatives, property and housing. Every Ukrainian has a fear of the unknown that permeates every thought, but such an analysis of the real situation can give an approximate idea of the future of our country.
Ukraine needs not only the support and sympathy of its citizens, but also real efforts from the international community to rise from the ashes, heal the wounds of war, and build a peaceful and prosperous future for its people. Let every day of Ukrainians be a step towards revival, and let each of their hearts be filled with faith in a better tomorrow!
