Canadian Volunteers Face High Casualty Rate in Ukraine Conflict
The anguished cries of a Canadian soldier echo through a darkening Ukrainian forest, captured on his own Go-Pro camera. "My foot is f—ed. Help me," he shouts into the no-man's land between friendly and Russian lines, groaning in agony. This 21-year-old fighter and medic, identified only as Cooper, had just stepped on a Russian land mine while serving with Ukraine's Khartia Corps.
A Harrowing Escape and Determined Resolve
After tightening a tourniquet around his mangled leg to stem the bleeding, Cooper's appeals for help went unanswered. He began to hobble and crawl toward safety, hoping to avoid detection by Russian attack drones. Ukrainian soldiers eventually discovered him, dragging him to relative safety before transporting him to a combat hospital where surgeons amputated part of his leg.
Despite this devastating injury, Cooper recently told an interviewer with the Khartia Corps that he plans to return to the conflict. Officers commended him for saving the lives of 50 wounded Ukrainian soldiers. "I'm not done yet," he said during a video interview, smoking a cigarette. "What am I going to do about it? I lost my leg — move on, right? I can't change what happened. I know what I signed up for. I don't regret it."
Forgotten Sacrifice: Canadian Death Toll Reaches Alarming Levels
Cooper's story of personal courage underscores a largely overlooked phenomenon: scores of Canadians who have risked everything to defend Ukraine from the Russian invasion that began four years ago. According to Jean-Francois Ratelle, a University of Ottawa adjunct professor tracking foreign fighters, at least 20 Canadian combatants have been killed in action on the front lines.
Ratelle's estimates reveal a shockingly high 15-percent death rate among Canadian volunteers. This contrasts sharply with the 1.6 percent mortality rate Canadian soldiers experienced during heavy fighting in Afghanistan's Kandahar province in 2006. The Canadian sacrifice receives scant attention domestically despite these alarming statistics.
Comparing International Contributions
The total number of Canadians killed in action in Ukraine actually equals or exceeds the death toll among French and German volunteers, according to Ratelle's research. This is particularly notable given that Germany and France are more populous nations, geographically closer to Ukraine, and as European countries arguably have a greater stake in the war's outcome.
"We have hit quite high for our weight," Ratelle observes, highlighting the disproportionate Canadian contribution to the conflict.
Official Response and Additional Context
Global Affairs Canada spokeswoman Thida Ith stated that the department does not track Canadians who travel to Ukraine to fight or those killed in combat. However, the department is aware of 27 Canadian citizens who have died in Ukraine from all causes since the war began.
Among those killed was Windsor Regiment reservist Cpl. Paul Obara, a dual Canadian-Polish citizen who returned to his native Poland before joining international forces fighting alongside the Ukrainian Armed Forces. He was killed in July 2025.
The stories of Cooper, Obara, and other Canadian volunteers reveal a complex tapestry of international solidarity, personal sacrifice, and the brutal realities of modern warfare. As the conflict continues into its fourth year, these Canadians' contributions—and losses—represent a significant but often unrecognized chapter in Canada's military history.
