Fact-check · Oct 19, 2026 · Donald Trump
“You're losing tremendous numbers of mostly young military men, and that means 25,000 to 35,000 a month.”
UNCONFIRMEDSaid in 7 broadcasts
What the record shows
Polish PM Tusk cited Ukrainian sources reporting 27,000 Ukrainian casualties/month as of September 2026. NATO estimated 5,000 in September alone, but this figure is unverified and likely incomplete. CSIS data (Feb-June 2026) suggests 20,000-25,000/month average.
Claim of 25,000-35,000/month aligns with Tusk's 27,000 figure from Ukrainian sources, but Ukraine does not publish official monthly casualty data. Range is plausible but not independently confirmed.
Sources
- Russia suffers over 300,000 military losses in Ukraine since start of 2026, General Staff says
- The Russia-Ukraine War Report Card, Oct. 7, 2026
- Russia lost over 50,000 soldiers in September, Bloomberg reports
- Over 42,000 Russian losses recorded in July, marking 2026 high, General Staff reports
- Map shows Ukraine's major September gains as Russian casualties hit 2026 high - Newsweek
- Russian troop losses soared 46% since January, hit 2026 high in September, Ukraine says
Every time it was said
7 times, Sep 2, 2026 to Nov 5, 2026 · 2 true · 3 misleading · 2 unconfirmed
TrueMisleadingUnconfirmed
The verdicts differ. Differences come from changes in the wording or in what each check found. Each check is linked below.
Vote Unbiased checks what officials say against government data — BLS, BEA, Census, Treasury, the Fed — with sources cited. Every speaker, every party, same standard. See the data →