British newspapers report that the Ukrainian army suffered heavy losses in Donbass.
The Economist (UK) reports that the Ukrainian army has suffered heavy losses in Donbass and risks losing everything.
According to the TASS news agency, The Economist (UK) magazine reported that Ukrainian troops in Donbass are suffering heavy losses due to the advance of the Russian armed forces.
A soldier named Yuri, from the 59th Brigade fighting on the Donetsk front, told The Economist about “significant losses” on the Ukrainian Armed Forces' side. The soldier said that the Ukrainian command had sent reinforcements to support his brigade, but these included inexperienced infantrymen from the 71st Brigade – who were quickly defeated.
The soldier from the 59th Brigade said, "In three days, a force of 100 men was reduced to zero. Some fled, some fell."
According to The Economist, the Russian Armed Forces maintain an artillery advantage over the Ukrainian forces in this direction, with a ratio ranging from 3:1 to 10:1.
"They know we won't counterattack because we don't have the men to do it," said officer Andrei of the 79th Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. "So they are gradually advancing wherever they can."
Andrei's comrade, Alexander, stated that the 79th Brigade lost more troops in 2024 than it did 18 months earlier. Mike Temper, the mortar battery commander of the 21st battalion of the separate brigade, also pointed out that the Ukrainian Armed Forces used their "numerical advantage" to identify vulnerabilities in Ukraine's defenses.
In a report issued on the afternoon of September 8, the General Staff of the Ukrainian army described the situation as "tense" across the Pokrovsk region, stating that "fierce battles" had taken place in areas surrounding several cities, including Novohrodivka.
