Russia's military capabilities outnumbered those of Ukraine for most indicators as of 2024. For example, the number of aircraft at the disposal of the Russian Army exceeded 4,200, while the Ukrainian Armed Forces possessed 321 aircraft. Russia's naval fleet was 7.5 times larger than Ukraine's. Moreover, Russia was one of the nine countries that possessed nuclear weapons. As of early 2023, Russia held the world's largest inventory of nuclear warheads.
How many soldiers does Ukraine have?
Ukraine's Army counted approximately 2.2 million military personnel as of 2024. Of them, 900,000 were active military staff. Furthermore, 1.2 million soldiers were part of the country's reserve forces. To compare, Russia had approximately 1.32 million active military personnel and two million of reserve military personnel. Russia's active soldier count was the fourth-largest worldwide, while Ukraine's ranked sixth.
Ukraine's tank strength
Ukraine's Armed Forces possessed less than 1,800 tanks as of 2024, which was more than eight times less than Russia's. To support Ukraine during the Russian invasion, several Western countries made commitments to deliver tanks to Ukraine, including Leopard 2, Challenger 2, and M1 Abrams. Furthermore, Ukraine received other types of armored vehicles from Western countries, such as M133 armored personnel carriers from the United States and Mastiff (6x6) protected patrol vehicles from the United Kingdom.
Comparison of the military capabilities of Russia and Ukraine as of 2024
The statistic has been compiled from two sources. Figures on personnel, air force, land power, and naval force were obtained from Global Firepower.
The data on nuclear weapons were obtained from a press release from SIPRI (as of January 2023). The figure for Russia is approximate and includes stockpiled warheads as well as retired warheads that await dismantlement.
Profit from the additional features of your individual account
Currently, you are using a shared account. To use individual functions (e.g., mark statistics as favourites, set
statistic alerts) please log in with your personal account.
If you are an admin, please authenticate by logging in again.
Learn more about how Statista can support your business.
Statista. (February 23, 2024). Comparison of the military capabilities of Russia and Ukraine as of 2024 [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved October 13, 2024, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1296573/russia-ukraine-military-comparison/
Statista. "Comparison of the military capabilities of Russia and Ukraine as of 2024." Chart. February 23, 2024. Statista. Accessed October 13, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1296573/russia-ukraine-military-comparison/
Statista. (2024). Comparison of the military capabilities of Russia and Ukraine as of 2024. Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: October 13, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1296573/russia-ukraine-military-comparison/
Statista. "Comparison of The Military Capabilities of Russia and Ukraine as of 2024." Statista, Statista Inc., 23 Feb 2024, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1296573/russia-ukraine-military-comparison/
Statista, Comparison of the military capabilities of Russia and Ukraine as of 2024 Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1296573/russia-ukraine-military-comparison/ (last visited October 13, 2024)
Comparison of the military capabilities of Russia and Ukraine as of 2024 [Graph], Statista, February 23, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1296573/russia-ukraine-military-comparison/