- Russian cemeteries have been massively expanding over the last few years
- Russia doesn’t publish an official number of dead soldier killed in Ukraine
- One cemetery saw the number of graves quadruple in a year and a half
New satellite images have revealed how cemeteries holding the remains of Russian troops have massively expanded since the nation invaded Ukraine.
The snaps, taken by private satellite company Maxar Technologies, show the final resting places for many of Russia’s elite military units, including the Wagner Mercenary group, have multiplied in size.
Images of just one section of Tula Cemetery in Moscow show that the number of graves dug quadrupled between October 2021 and April 2023.
Elsewhere in Moscow, the Bogorodskoye cemetery has seemingly tripled in size, with another section being added in the same time period.
The new images starkly visualise the sheer number of Russian soldiers who have died fighting Putin‘s invasion of Ukraine.
A satellite image shows an overview of Bogorodskoye cemetery, near Ryaza
A satellite image shows an overview of Blyzhnie cemetery, near Feodosiya
A satellite image shows an overview of Mikhaylovsk cemetery, near Stavropol
While the Kremlin doesn’t publish official stats on the number of troops who have been killed during the invasion of Ukraine, there have been wildly varying estimates.
The UK’s MoD believed up to 70,000 Russian soldiers have died. Independent media outlets Mediazona and Meduza, meanwhile, believe that up to 88,000 soldiers died at the end of 2023.
Their estimate was based on public obituaries and official inheritance records.
But the US believes the figure could be as high as 120,000, while Ukraine claimed last month that up to 180,000 had died.
Research by The Economist claimed that a quarter of Russian soldiers killed come from normal militart units, another quarter are from volunteer corps and the rest are convicts who have been offered a commuted sentence in exchange for a stint on the front lines.
While Russia has suffered staggering losses, Ukrainian troops and allies have also suffered hugely.
A satellite image shows an overview of Lazarus cemetery, near Alabino
A satellite image shows an overview of Bakinskaya cemetery
A satellite image shows an overview of Tula cemetery
A Briton who went to Ukraine to fight against Russian invaders after being inspired by Liz Truss killed himself after suffering PTSD, an inquest has been told.
The family of Harry Gregg, 25, whose only previous military experience was in the Army Cadets, say he was traumatised by trench warfare and seeing comrades die.
They said after the hearing Mr Gregg, from Thetford in Norfolk, opted to serve after then-Foreign Secretary Ms Truss said she ‘absolutely’ supported anyone helping Ukrainians fight for their freedom.
Her comments made soon after the Russian invasion in February 2022 were criticised at the time by Conservative colleagues, who said it would be reckless and illegal to go and fight – while Downing Street distanced itself from her remarks.
Mr Gregg’s mother Sandi Gregg told Norfolk Coroner’s Court that her son’s mental health was left ‘very rough’ on his return to the UK.
She added in a statement: ‘He was suffering badly from PTSD from having fought on the front lines in Ukraine. He couldn’t find any help for that sadly.’
Mr Gregg was due to go go-karting and clubbing with friends last December 14 to celebrate his 25th birthday but they were unable to contact him, she said.
The next day, after still not hearing from him, they asked for checks to be made and his body was seen through the letterbox of Mr Gregg’s home.
He was found hanging and paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene.
