The total number of soldiers killed and wounded on both sides of the war in Ukraine in the year and a half since the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion is approaching 500,000. The New York Times cites unnamed representatives of the US administration as giving this estimate.

This figure only includes losses on the battlefield; civilians killed and wounded due to the Russian invasion are not included.

The U.S. administration estimates the losses of the Russian side to be higher, although they are not many times higher than the Ukrainian losses. It is claimed that up to 120,000 Russians were killed in the war and approximately 170-180 were wounded. According to the newspaper, Ukraine could have lost up to 70,000 dead and 120,000 wounded.

At the same time, the New York Times emphasizes that these are not confirmed figures and recognizes that even different American agencies have other data on Russian and Ukrainian losses in the war. In particular, in the Pentagon documents leaked earlier this year, Russian casualties were estimated at 43,000, while Ukrainian casualties were more than 17,000.

Both sides of the war provide little information about their losses. Moscow last officially announced the number of people killed almost a year ago, while Kyiv did not, claiming that the data would be disclosed after the war. At the same time, both sides claim that the enemy suffers heavy losses – Ukraine claims that more than 250,000 Russian troops were killed (more than the initial invasion army in February 2022), and Russian officials claim that Ukraine’s losses in the summer offensive were eight times higher than Russia’s (there is no objective evidence for this).

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Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander of Ground Forces, said the Russian troops attempt to block and seize Kupiansk daily. The Russian assault units in action comprise mainly recruited convicts. The Ukrainian army works to strengthen the defense of their positions and Kupiansk itself.

Constant missile attacks and empty streets: how Kupyansk lives on the front line. This city in Kharkiv Oblast is 10-15 km/ 6–9 miles from the front line and 40 km/ 25 miles from the border with Russia. The city was severely damaged at the beginning of the full-scale invasion and during the battle for its liberation in September 2022. Today, it is constantly under fire from Russian MLRS and S-300 systems.

The ISW confirmed a slight Russian army advance in the Kupiansk direction. The latest Institute for the Study of War notes that Russian troops have occupied a line from Synkivka to Petropavlivka that stretches 7-8 km from Kupiansk — and plan to move deeper further west.