Russian pensioners are being killed on the front lines of Ukraine after signing up to collect generous financial rewards for joining their country’s invasion force.

More than 70,000 people fighting in Russia’s military have now died in Ukraine, according to data analysed by the BBC. And for the first time, volunteers - civilians who joined the armed forces after the start of the war - now make up the highest number of people killed on the battlefield since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in 2022.

The BBC and Mediazona have documented around 70,000 Russian soldier deaths since the invasion of Ukraine began. This figure is based on public information, but the actual number could be higher. Mediazona and Meduza estimate the toll might be 120,

This was stated to journalists on September 20 at a briefing in Moscow by the press secretary of the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Peskov, answering the relevant question. He promised that this situation will be corrected in a timely manner.

The Ukrainian Armed Forces captured a large group of Russian soldiers. This is an important addition to the exchange fund, given that Russia is holding many Ukrainians captive, captured at the beginning of the full-scale invasion.