Give little attention to absolute number for either side - the real numbers may only be learned after the conflict is over.
This is an artillery war with large caliber shells being used in the thousands, night and day, for days on end, plus there are thermobaric weapons in the mix - many troops will be found only by their absence at the final roll call.
One thing to note is the 45 thousand number could be correct, if the DNR/LNR troops 200s were counted - but their 200s are not counted by any one. They suffered huge losses for some time as their Russian commanders sent them on frontal suicidal attacks on hardened UA fortifications.
But troop deaths are not relevant when a determined invader attacks a determined defender. The war becomes a question of attrition, of resources.
Thank you for your comment. I read the other day that in our latest tranche of among other things, 155 mm howitzer rounds something like 150,000... that seems like a giant number, unless they’re just firing them off into the ocean.
We will see what the winter brings, but I have no expectation of this war being brief.