Ukraine’s kill rate just overtook Russia’s troop replacement, Syrskyi says

Ukraine's Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi reported that Russia's January losses exceeded the number of troops Moscow managed to recruit in the same period. Almost 32,000 killed and seriously wounded "significantly reduced" Russia's offensive capabilities, the top general stated. He outlined a training overhaul designed to keep the attrition gap growing.

January losses outpace Russian recruitment

After a video conference with training center and brigade commanders, Syrskyi wrote on Facebook that Russia lost over 31,700 troops killed and seriously wounded in January alone. That figure surpassed Russia's troop replenishment for the same month.

"This is a result of combat work that significantly reduced the enemy's offensive capabilities," Syrskyi wrote. He called it "a result being forged in our training centers."

Training overhaul behind the numbers, commander says

Syrskyi tied the results directly to improvements in Ukraine's military training system. He heard reports from training center commanders on recruit adaptation programs, air defense coverage of training sites, and construction and equipping of shelters at training grounds. The Commander-in-Chief said the military needs to raise standards for instructors and their attitude toward work, as well as improve equipment at training centers and ranges, security, and social-living conditions.

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He also ordered tighter oversight of training quality—both at dedicated training centers and inside combat brigades. An audit of basic general military training, launched last autumn, will continue.

Syrskyi noted earlier this year that the modernized program—extended to 1.5 months with a mandatory adaptation period—had already reduced Ukrainian battlefield losses.

Training improvements

Syrskyi also announced a new automated system for collecting and analyzing feedback from training units. The system enables responding to changes in social-living conditions at training units. Ukraine's Airborne Assault Forces are piloting an electronic feedback tool through the Delta information and communication system. 

Syrskyi highlighted what he called perhaps the most valuable part of such video conferences: frontline unit representatives sharing their training experience directly. He heard from commanders and training directors of the 59th Assault Brigade of Unmanned Systems, the 3rd Assault Brigade, the 79th Airborne Assault Brigade, and the 425th Assault Regiment Skelia.

Their instructors return straight from combat to teach recruits. 

"The role of their instructors, who, having just returned from battles, train newcomers, is hard to overestimate," Syrskyi wrote.

This veteran-to-instructor pipeline is a key reason Ukraine's best brigades consistently outperform newly formed units. Syrskyi said the military is working on "further improving the quality of training."