Former Ukrainian commander says Russia’s ability to advance is broken

Oleksandr Syrskyi, Ukraine’s former commander‑in‑chief, told the BBC that Russian casualties far exceed Ukrainian ones, crippling Moscow’s offensive capacity.

By Felo News Desk · Published Tue, 13 Oct 2026 22:34:23 GMT

Ukraine’s former commander‑in‑chief Oleksandr Syrskyi told the BBC that Russia’s ability to advance has been broken by heavy losses, saying Moscow’s overall war casualties are six times higher than Ukraine’s and that the dead‑to‑dead ratio could be as high as 11 to 1.

What happened

Syrskyi, speaking in an exclusive interview with the BBC on 13 October 2026, said the front line has stabilised and Russian advances have largely stalled. He claimed that Moscow has lost around half a million men since the invasion began in 2022, a figure echoed by British intelligence estimates.

What the reports add

The BBC report notes that Syrskyi disputed critics who called him “old school” and refuted allegations from former subordinates that he ordered troops to hold positions despite being nearly surrounded. The Independent adds that a Russian outlet, Mediazona, identified 258,989 Russian personnel killed, and that the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) estimates Russian deaths between 400,000 and 450,000, while Ukrainian deaths are placed between 125,000 and 150,000 as of June 2026.

What was said

"If you count only dead, then it’s up to 11 times," Syrskyi told the BBC, as reported by both outlets.
"Russia’s overall war losses were six times higher than Ukraine’s," he added.
The BBC also recorded Syrskyi’s comment that he was forced from his post in the summer and that he disagreed with critics who called his style outdated.

How it came about

Syrskyi served as Ukraine’s commander‑in‑chief from 2024 until his removal in the summer of 2026, according to the Ukrainian presidential press service. His interview follows a series of intense Russian attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure, including the large‑scale air strike on the power grid on 1 October 2026 and the strike on Kyiv’s Northern Bridge on 3 October 2026, both covered by Felo News (Putin orders generals to drop war rules, Russia launches large‑scale air strike on Ukraine’s power grid).

Key facts

Oleksandr Syrskyi said Russia’s overall war losses are six times higher than Ukraine’s. (bbc.co.uk)
Syrskyi added that the dead‑to‑dead ratio could be up to 11 to 1. (bbc.co.uk)
UK intelligence estimates Russia has lost around half a million men since 2022. (bbc.co.uk)
Mediazona identified 258,989 Russian personnel killed, according to the Independent. (independent.co.uk)
CSIS estimates Russian deaths between 400,000‑450,000 and Ukrainian deaths between 125,000‑150,000 as of June 2026. (independent.co.uk)