In the latest twist to the ongoing cyber warfare between Russia and Ukraine, Russian hacker groups are claiming they’ve pulled off one of their most significant operations yet.
According to these groups, they’ve managed to break into Ukraine’s military systems, uncovering what they allege is a staggering number of casualties—over 1.7 million troops killed or missing since the start of the war.
While the figures remain unverified, the claims have drawn attention because of the scale of the alleged leak and the sensitive data said to be involved.
Hacker Groups Step Forward with Bold Claims
The groups Killnet, Palach Pro, User Sec, and Beregini say they successfully infiltrated Ukraine’s General Staff databases by exploiting the personal computers and local networks of military personnel.
From there, they allege, they were able to access troves of files that documented wartime losses.
According to their claims, Ukraine’s troop losses spiked year after year:
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2022: around 118,500 troops
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2023: around 405,400 troops
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2024: around 595,000 troops
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2025 so far: around 621,000 troops
In total, the hackers insist the number of dead or missing has reached nearly 1.72 million—a figure far higher than official Ukrainian or Western estimates.
A Massive Haul of Personal and Military Records
Beyond casualty figures, the hackers claim to have accessed more than 1.7 million files, packed with names, personal data, and even photos of those reported dead or missing.
The archive allegedly also contained contact information for soldiers’ families.
The breach, they say, was carried out using a newly developed virus known as Nuance.
This malware supposedly targets systems only within Ukraine, steals data, and then permanently disables the compromised device.
Reports suggest the hackers may also have taken classified information about Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces and military intelligence leadership.
Lists of foreign weapons suppliers and detailed inventories of transferred equipment were also allegedly obtained.
Breaching Ukraine’s “Digital Brain”
This isn’t the first time these hacker groups have claimed success.
Back in July, they reportedly infiltrated Delta—a high-tech software system dubbed the “digital brain” of Ukraine’s armed forces.
Delta is used to coordinate troop movements, track Russian positions in real time, and integrate intelligence from drones, satellites, and artillery systems.
The hackers claim they managed to download the entire platform, potentially exposing critical data about battlefield strategies and targeting systems such as HIMARS.
Following those reports, Ukraine’s military intelligence is believed to have conducted a full-scale audit of its cyber defenses.
Cyber Warfare as the New Battlefield
While these claims from Russian hacker groups cannot be independently verified, they highlight the increasingly blurred lines between traditional warfare and cyber operations.
In a conflict where information, intelligence, and public perception are as vital as weapons, hacking attempts like these represent a powerful form of pressure.
If true, the scale of the alleged breach would mark one of the most damaging cyberattacks on Ukraine’s military since the war began—raising urgent questions about how secure even the most protected systems really are.
