A view shows graves of killed Ukrainian defenders, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, at a cemetery in Poltava, Ukraine May 23, 2023. REUTERS/Dan Peleschuk/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsAug 18 (Reuters) - The number of Ukrainian and Russian troops killed or wounded since the war in Ukraine began in February 2022 is nearing 500,000, the New York Times reported on Friday, citing unnamed U.S. officials. Russia's military casualties are approaching 300,000, including as many as 120,000 deaths and 170,000 to 180,000 injuries, the newspaper reported. The NYT quoted the officials as saying the casualty count had picked up after Ukraine launched a counter-attack earlier this year. There was no immediate response from Ukrainian officials to Reuters requests for comment.

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Persons: Dan Peleschuk, Mykhailo Podolyak, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Yulia Latynina, Rami Ayyub, David Ljunggren, Caitlin Webber, Chizu Organizations: REUTERS, New York Times, General Staff, Russian, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Poltava, Moscow, Kyiv, Russia