A Russian blogger has lifted the lid on the grisly reality of Vladimir Putin’s war on Ukraine – by pointing out that troops are actually running out of body bags. Self-styled ‘Z-Patriot’ Maxim Klimov makes his remarks during the course of a brief shared on X by Anton Geraschenko, a former adviser to the Ukrainian interior ministry.
Referring to footage shot by Russian influencer Nastya Belka, he said: “The way we expend military personnel in the number of units is a nightmare really. It was a very difficult video to watch. She tells the story – they bought a small number of body bags, among other supplies. And she says it was a very bad situation there.”
Klimov continued: “The people at that side thought they were going to bring a lot of them. They came and gave a few bags.
“In short there is an unpleasant conversation with the servicemen there.
“She says one of them called her later and says ‘you excuse us, we just tired of washing them, we’re really tired of washing body bags’.
“They collect the body bags, take them to Rostov, bring the bags back wash them collect bodies again and so on.”
Mr Geraschenko pointed out that it was clear “the losses in the Russian army are so huge that there are no longer enough bags for the dead”.
The stark revelation is the latest evidence of the staggering losses suffered by Russian forces since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022.
According to UK Defence Intelligence, as of March 2025, Russia has sustained approximately 875,000 casualties (killed and wounded) since the invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022, with 90,000 of these occurring in 2025.
Moscow’s so-called “meatgrinder” strategy—in which vast numbers of poorly trained and ill-equipped troops are thrown into battle—has resulted in horrific attrition rates.
The Wagner mercenary group, before its disbandment, relied heavily on convicts to fill the ranks, while regular Russian forces have increasingly resorted to forced mobilisations and conscription to replenish dwindling numbers.
Despite its heavy losses, the Kremlin has refused to alter its approach, continuing relentless assaults on Ukrainian positions while attempting to push fresh recruits into the fight.
However, reports indicate that morale among Russian troops is crumbling, with many surrendering or deserting rather than face near-certain death.
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s military, bolstered by Western-supplied long-range missiles and precision-guided artillery, has inflicted severe damage on Russian logistics hubs and command structures.
Military analysts suggest that Moscow’s ability to sustain such high casualty rates indefinitely is in question, with signs that recruitment efforts are faltering and war fatigue spreading among the Russian population.
As the war grinds on, Ukraine remains determined to reclaim occupied territory while Russia’s leadership appears increasingly willing to sacrifice lives in a desperate bid to achieve strategic gains.