Hacked Russian Files Claim to Show War Toll
Hackers say they stole about 23 terabytes of data from Rosstat, Russia’s federal statistics agency, including information on Russian military losses in Ukraine. Rosstat confirmed that its websites were attacked but says its databases were not compromised.
For US readers, the case matters because Russia classified peacetime military losses as secret in 2015, so any claim of real loss data draws attention. We report only what the hackers and Rosstat have said, because nothing in the files has been independently checked.
Key Facts
- The claim. Hackers say they took about 23 terabytes from Rosstat, including data on military losses.
- The attack. Rosstat reported targeted destructive attacks on its websites between 29 October and 1 November.
- The denial. Rosstat says its databases were not compromised and no leak was recorded.
- Unknown. Nobody has independently checked what the files hold, or whether they are genuine.
Hackers say they took Russian war-loss data, but the claim is unproven and the statistics agency denies that its databases were compromised.
What the Hackers Say
Cyber Partisans, a Belarusian opposition hacking group, and Silent Crow, another hacking group, put messages on Rosstat’s websites. They say they took internal documents, statistical and personal data, and information on Russian military losses in the war against Ukraine.
The attack hit both the federal and the regional websites of the agency. A message in Belarusian read that nobody will escape responsibility, and Silent Crow puts its haul at about 23 terabytes.
What Rosstat Says
Rosstat reported targeted destructive attacks on its websites between 29 October and 1 November. It said its databases were not compromised and that no leaks were recorded.
The hackers’ claim therefore stands alone, with no independent check of what the files hold. Rosstat has not said whether any records were copied.
What Is Known About Russian War Losses
Moscow has published no full count of its own, and Russia’s president classified peacetime military losses as secret in 2015. Independent projects that count named dead from public sources had passed 200,000 by February 2026.
That makes any claim of leaked official figures notable, but also hard to check. We therefore report only what the hackers and Rosstat have said.
What It Means for You
If real casualty data from inside Russian state systems has leaked, it would show how exposed those systems are and give outsiders a rare check on Moscow’s silence. Until the files are authenticated, every figure is a claim.
More coverage is in our Europe and Russia section. It follows sanctions, the front line and the diplomacy around them.
What Is Not Known
It is not known whether the files are genuine or what they contain. It is also unknown how many records were taken, and whether Moscow will answer with figures of its own.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did hackers steal Russia’s war casualty data?
Two groups say they did, and Rosstat confirms an attack on its websites. Rosstat says it recorded no leak of its databases.
Are the leaked files genuine?
Unknown. Nobody has independently checked them, and Rosstat says its databases were not compromised.
Sources: Rosstat, Russia’s Federal State Statistics Service (rosstat.gov.ru); public statements of the Cyber Partisans and Silent Crow groups.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated AI newsroom. Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief. How we use AI · Report an error