More than 20 Russian generals have died since the invasion of Ukraine began, the Nikkei newspaper writes , citing Japanese intelligence data. These calculations are based on information collected by the Japanese in cooperation with the US and the EU.
Former Chief of Staff of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, retired General Kiyofumi Iwata called the number "incredibly high." According to him, in the US Army, for example, officers of such a high rank almost never die.
Iwata explains the unusually high number of generals killed by the fact that the Ukrainian army is noticeably superior to the Russian one in terms of technology and successfully calculates the whereabouts of high-ranking officers. The death of generals is also facilitated by the practice of sending them to the battle zone.
A senior Japanese intelligence official suggested in an interview with the Nikkei that informants from the Luhansk and Donetsk regions could help the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
In August 2022, British intelligence reported that at least 10 Russian generals had died in combat in Ukraine. As the statement said, "the poor performance of the Russian military during the invasion of Ukraine cost the Russian military leadership dearly." In early February, The New York Times reported , citing estimates from Western officials, that the Russian army had lost a total of 200,000 men killed and wounded.