Russia publishes its military losses for the last 5 years
The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation has prepared statistics on deaths of military servicemen from 2012 - 2016 for those participating in the tender for servicemen insurance, Vedomosti writes.
According to the data, in 2012, 630 Defense Ministry personnel died, in 2013 there were 596, 790 in 2014, 626 in 2015, and 393 in 2016. Overall, in five years, 3,035 servicemen died, the causes of death were not indicated in the documents.
The publication notes that the Ministry of Defense of Russia has ceased to publish statistics on the causes (illnesses, murders, suicides, accidents, including during military exercises, military losses) since 2010. At the same time, according to official statements, in 2008 471 people died, and in 2009 and 2010, according to the prosecutor's office, 470 and 478 people died, respectively.
A former officer of the Russian Defense Ministry told the newspaper that all servicemen are insured - both draftees and contract servicemen, including officers, so the figures specified in the tender documents should apply to all categories of servicemen.
Vedomosti drew attention to the fact that the peak of deaths among Russian military was in 2014, when Ukraine announced the invasion of Russian troops in their country.
The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation commented on the publication of the tender data in the media. The agency stressed that over 80% of insurance cases occur outside service hours and the location of military units, and are often the result of accidents and domestic injuries.