What is Mediazona?: An independent Russian investigative outlet founded in 2014 that maintains the most rigorous open-source database of confirmed Russian military deaths in Ukraine, operated jointly with BBC Russian.
Who founded Mediazona?: Mediazona was co-founded in 2014 by Pussy Riot members Maria Alyokhina and Nadya Tolokonnikova. It originally covered Russia's prison system before expanding to war casualty documentation.
How does Mediazona count Russian military deaths?: Mediazona individually verifies each death using obituaries, social media posts, court records and regional press. BBC Russian co-maintains the database and the Conflict Intelligence Team has independently validated the methodology.
Why is Mediazona's casualty count lower than Ukraine's official figure?: Mediazona counts only individually confirmed deaths from open sources. The Ukrainian General Staff estimates total casualties including wounded and missing, producing a much higher cumulative figure.Source: Ukrainian General Staff
Is Mediazona banned in Russia?: Yes. The site is blocked inside Russia and accessible only via VPNs and mirrors. Several journalists have been formally listed as foreign agents by Russian authorities.

Background

Mediazona is a Russian independent investigative media organisation founded in 2014, co-founded by Pussy Riot members Maria Alyokhina and Nadya Tolokonnikova. Originally focused on Russia's prison system and criminal justice, it expanded after February 2022 into systematic documentation of Russian military deaths in Ukraine. The outlet operates in exile; its website is blocked inside Russia, and several journalists have been formally listed as foreign agents by Russian authorities.

Mediazona's casualty methodology is built on open-source verification: obituaries published by families and local media, graveyard visit reports, social media announcements, regional court records, and conscription documents. Each death is individually confirmed before it enters the count. The outlet maintains the database jointly with BBC Russian, which contributes additional verification capacity and editorial independence. As of mid-April 2026, Mediazona has verified approximately 209,000 Russian military deaths, including 7,003 confirmed officer deaths by 10 April. Because it counts only confirmed deaths rather than estimates, Mediazona consistently acknowledges its total represents a floor; internal Russian assessments and the outlet's own projections suggest the true figure is two to three times higher.

Mediazona's count is treated as the benchmark open-source figure for verified Russian military deaths by Western defence ministries, international press, and academic researchers. Russia's government does not acknowledge the database and state media does not report its figures. The weekly verification rate through April 2026 ran at approximately 1,200 deaths per week, providing a stable lower-bound time series against which the Ukrainian General Staff's broader figures can be cross-checked.

How the World Sees Them

Russia

Moscow treats Mediazona as a hostile foreign-agent organisation; the site is blocked and staff face prosecution. State media does not acknowledge its casualty figures.

Ukraine

Kyiv cites Mediazona as the most credible independent corroboration of its own estimates, supporting its case for continued Western military assistance.

Western governments

Defence ministries treat the Mediazona database as the benchmark open-source count, providing a defensible verified lower bound for public and parliamentary discourse.