GENICHESK, August 13. /TASS/. The armed forces of Ukraine are sustaining heavy losses during their so-called counteroffensive and are urgently recruiting residents of Kherson and Nikolayev, the head of the Ukraine-controlled Snigirevka district Yuri Barbashov has told TASS.
"According to information obtained from the opposite [Ukrainian] side, the total losses sustained during the counteroffensive are estimated in private conversations at 48,000 people for the entire frontline," Barbashov said. "The likelihood of surviving at least three days on the frontline is estimated as minimal."
He added that "judging by information coming from Ukraine’s military circles, [troops are] seriously demoralized in connection with these losses."
"Apparently, raids aimed at replenishing the Ukrainian armed forces will continue," the official continued. "A tough raid was recently held near military commissariats in Nikolayev, where around 1,200 people were recruited, which is enough for forming three battalions. A few weeks ago, these people were sent to the frontline without any training. A similar raid is now taking place in Kherson, where people are rounded up by the police in city streets in an attempt to compensate for lost personnel."
In his words, Kiev has now been redeploying its troops to the Kherson district.
"According to our information, personnel and military equipment are being redeployed from western Ukraine to the east, and troops are being amassed in the Kherson area," Barbashov said.
As the Russian Defense Ministry reported, the Ukrainian army has been making unsuccessful offensive attempts since June 4. Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu reported on July 11 that the Ukrainian army’s losses had exceeded 26,000 since Kiev launched its counter-offensive. Russian President Vladimir Putin stressed that Ukrainian troops had failed to achieve any success in any of the frontline areas.