GENEVA, August 22. /TASS/. The heavy losses of the Ukrainian forces, whose so-called counteroffensive failed to result in a breakthrough, could be the reason behind the ban on foreign reporters visiting the frontline, Switzerland’s Le Temps says.
The article claims that the ban has come as a total surprise and "caused pushback from numerous reporters present in Ukraine: the frontline is completely off-limits for them, unless they have written permission from armed forces commander Valery Zaluzhny."
A military representative, who commented for Le Temps on condition of anonymity, claimed that "either the general staff is hiding its military difficulties and especially its war casualties that we mourn on several fronts, or a major operation is being prepared."
The newspaper points out that the general staff’s order banning reporters from visiting the frontline came at the same time that "numerous casualties were suffered during the counteroffensive, which started in early June, while Ukrainian forces were unable to breach the Russian defense." The Ukrainian government points to "territorial gains," but "these achievements are Lilliputian" compared to territories that Kiev wants to "liberate," Le Temps says.
The newspaper pointed out that this is not the first time that Kiev has completely banned reporters from visiting the frontline. A similar thing happened in September, 2022, during Ukraine’s "blitz offensive" in the Kharkov region, the newspaper noted.
"The general staff counts on the recently mobilized and those with more combat experience in order to replenish casualties, reinforce personnel and striking power. These people were sent for training in Poland, Germany and the UK," the report says.
One serviceman, who underwent such training in Poland, told Le Temps that the upcoming weeks will be "decisive and brutal."
"It is very likely that we will be deployed where the most brutal offensive will take place. A part of our training in Poland was to prepare exactly for that. We are entering a decisive phase," he claimed. This serviceman also expressed concern that the "rains will come, and then winter, before Ukrainian forces will have enough time to breach Russian defenses and achieve significant territorial gains.".