Why French estimates should be better than Ukrainian ones, i don't know, you know, being estimates. Is France famous for having infiltrated Russian state services more than Ukrainian and other western intel? I didn't hear anything like that. I can make my own estimates too. Everyone can, and everyone can make one just about exactly fitting whatever pre-existing narrative or aspirational PR job they are trying to do.
The tire guy points out one of major unknowns in how the shitty Russian medical system is probably converting a lot more WIA into KIA than would be normal by western standards:
It would take a whole lot of Russian data being leaked to confirm or deny this theory, so much it would not be feasible to be released to the public... that is if Russia even has reliable data of that sort anywhere for spies to steal to begin with, considering the sheer amount of bullshitting they have between various organizations and command levels.
This video is currently making rounds, suggesting Russian field level leadership suggests the high estimates may be right: