The Russian military's heavy losses from Ukraine in charts

For Jeffrey Edmonds, a former US Army tanker and CIA military analyst, the US intelligence estimate of 7,000 losses seems too high. But he said even more conservative guesses – like 4,000 or 5,000 – remain staggering.

Edmonds contributes the high casualty rate to a poorly trained Russian army, many of whom were not aware they would be in active combat. He said the army has carried out poor operational and tactical maneuvers, for example, believing that they could easily drive into Kyiv and take the city.

Another reason for these extreme casualties, Edmonds said, is that the Ukrainian army has put up a stronger resistance than anyone anticipated. CIA Director Bill Burns has said that Putin believed he would be able to take Kyiv in two days, while US intelligence also estimated the capitol would fall shortly after the invasion Ukraine still holds it thanks to heavy fighting on the approaches into the city.

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