The homicide rate in Russia reached 3.2 homicides per 100,000 population in 2023. The indicator has declined steadily since 2002, when it was measured at 30.7 murders per 100,000 inhabitants. Over the years observed, the highest rate was recorded at 32.6 homicides per 100,000 persons in 1994. Homicide in Russia The significant decrease in intentional homicides characterizes the general reduction in crime in Russia since the 1990s. However, murder remains one of the major causes of death in the country. In total, over 7,600 homicides and attempted homicides were recorded in Russia in 2022. Victims of homicide The number of male victims of homicide per 100,000 inhabitants in Russia was approximately three times higher than the murder rate of women. A United Nations study showed that while most people who were killed around the globe were men, women were most likely to be murdered by their partners, ex-partners, and family members.

The plague epidemic of 1771 in Russia saw the deaths of approximately 60,000 in the capital city, and as many as 300,000 to the south and west of the city. The epidemic started in the region of Moldova during the Russian-Turkish War of 1768 to 1774, before making its way to the capital in January, 1771. By summer, the death toll rose above one thousand deaths per month, and at its peak in September there were over 20,000 deaths in that month alone. The death toll fell below one thousand again by December, but it would be another full year before Moscow was declared officially free of plague. Moscow plague riot 1771 The plague had reached epidemic level by the spring of 1771, and the government introduced strict measures to try and contain the outbreak. These measures included forced quarantine, destruction of infected properties(without compensation) and the closure of businesses and public services; this was followed by a collapse in the local economy and eventually food shortages. By August, the public became frustrated and disillusioned (as many of the wealthier inhabitants had evacuated the city) and anger swept across the city.

Regular mass protests began at the end of August, and when authorities tried to enforce stricter quarantine laws to prevent these protests, a three-day riot broke out on September 15. This riot saw a mob destroy several quarantine zones, take over the Red Square, storm the Kremlin, and on the 16th they executed the Archbishop who had tried to impose the quarantine measures. When the mob tried to re-enter the Kremlin on the second day, they were met by military personnel who then opened fire and dispersed the crowd. Another attempt was made on the following day, but with similar results. Eventually four people were executed for their role in the riots and almost two hundred were prosecuted. Provisions were made by the government to bring food and work back to the city, but the plague continued tot take heavy tolls until December.

Estimates for the total death count of the Second World War generally range somewhere between 70 and 85 million people. The Soviet Union suffered the highest number of fatalities of any single nation, with estimates mostly falling between 22 and 27 million deaths. China then suffered the second greatest, at around 20 million, although these figures are less certain and often overlap with the Chinese Civil War. Over 80 percent of all deaths were of those from Allied countries, and the majority of these were civilians. In contrast, 15 to 20 percent were among the Axis powers, and the majority of these were military deaths, as shown in the death ratios of Germany and Japan. Civilian deaths and atrocities It is believed that 60 to 67 percent of all deaths were civilian fatalities, largely resulting from war-related famine or disease, and war crimes or atrocities. Systematic genocide, extermination campaigns, and forced labor, particularly by the Germans, Japanese, and Soviets, led to the deaths of millions. In this regard, Nazi activities alone resulted in 17 million deaths, including six million Jews in what is now known as The Holocaust. Not only was the scale of the conflict larger than any that had come before, but the nature of and reasoning behind this loss make the Second World War stand out as one of the most devastating and cruelest conflicts in history. Problems with these statistics Although the war is considered by many to be the defining event of the 20th century, exact figures for death tolls have proven impossible to determine, for a variety of reasons. Countries such as the U.S. have fairly consistent estimates due to preserved military records and comparatively few civilian casualties, although figures still vary by source. For most of Europe, records are less accurate. Border fluctuations and the upheaval of the interwar period mean that pre-war records were already poor or non-existent for many regions. The rapid and chaotic nature of the war then meant that deaths could not be accurately recorded at the time, and mass displacement or forced relocation resulted in the deaths of many civilians outside of their homeland, which makes country-specific figures more difficult to find. Early estimates of the war’s fatalities were also taken at face value and formed the basis of many historical works; these were often very inaccurate, but the validity of the source means that the figures continue to be cited today, despite contrary evidence.

In comparison to Europe, estimate ranges are often greater across Asia, where populations were larger but pre-war data was in short supply. Many of the Asian countries with high death tolls were European colonies, and the actions of authorities in the metropoles, such as the diversion of resources from Asia to Europe, led to millions of deaths through famine and disease. Additionally, over one million African soldiers were drafted into Europe’s armies during the war, yet individual statistics are unavailable for most of these colonies or successor states (notably Algeria and Libya). Thousands of Asian and African military deaths went unrecorded or are included with European or Japanese figures, and there are no reliable figures for deaths of millions from countries across North Africa or East Asia. Additionally, many concentration camp records were destroyed, and such records in Africa and Asia were even sparser than in Europe. While the Second World War is one of the most studied academic topics of the past century, it is unlikely that we will ever have a clear number for the lives lost in the conflict.