A new video circulating online has exposed the colossal scale of Russia’s losses in its war against Ukraine. The footage, filmed by a Russian citizen, shows a Russian Defence Ministry plane delivering a batch of “cargo 200” to Yakutia – a region in Russia’s far east. “Cargo 200” is the term used to refer to the bodies of Russian soldiers killed in combat.
The video reveals three trucks lined up to transport the bodies of Russian soldiers from the plane. A voice off-camera, clearly in shock, says, “They brought the ‘two-hundredths.’ They brought the guys. They’re loading the second truck, the third truck is getting ready. There are three trucks of ‘two-hundredths’ in total.” This disturbing footage highlights the human cost of Russia’s military campaign against Ukraine, with the bodies of fallen soldiers now arriving in the remote Russian region of Yakutia.
Yakutia, one of Russia’s largest yet sparsely populated regions, has been experiencing a rapid decline in its population due to the war. With fewer than one million residents, the area has seen significant losses, with 1,000 of its citizens identified as having died in the conflict. According to the Russian opposition publication Mediazona, which tracks Russian military casualties, over 91,000 Russian soldiers have been confirmed dead as of February 2, 2025. This figure only includes verified deaths, meaning the true scale of Russia’s losses is likely much higher.
The war’s impact on Yakutia is especially stark. Located more than 6,000 kilometres away from the front lines in Ukraine, this region’s population is being devastated by Russia’s military misadventure. As a result, Yakutia is not only facing the human toll but also the long-term demographic consequences of a population rapidly depleting due to the war.
One particularly harrowing account from the front lines involves a stormtrooper from Yakutia, who described his unit’s complete destruction while attempting to breach Ukrainian defences. Of a group of 15 soldiers, he was the only survivor, returning to find his position obliterated by Ukrainian “Baba Yaga” kamikaze drones. Despite being severely wounded in the attack, he managed to escape the onslaught.
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