Russian troops who have either died or were left wounded in the continuing war in Ukraine is nearing 200,000, according to the US and Western officials.
Senior US officials and Western diplomats said the number has climbed above the 100,000 figure given in November last year, The New York Times reported.
This week, senior US officials said they believed the number for Russia was closer to 200,000, according to the report.
This comes as Vladimir Putin marked the 80th anniversary of the Soviet victory over Nazi forces in the battle of Stalingrad, and invoked the battle as justification for the conflict in Ukraine.
Mr Putin evoked the spirit of the Soviet army that defeated Nazi German forces at Stalingrad 80 years ago to declare that Russia will defeat Ukraine.
Lambasting Germany for helping to arm Ukraine, he said: “Unfortunately we see that the ideology of Nazism in its modern form and manifestation again directly threatens the security of our country.
