Ukrainian soldiers reveal casualties in counterattack in Kherson.

According to RT, as Ukraine restricted journalists from accessing the front lines to report on the counteroffensive in Kherson province, the Washington Post sent a reporter to a hospital where Ukrainian soldiers recounted the fierce fighting in the area. The report was published on September 7th, ahead of a US-led meeting with Ukrainian arms suppliers in Ramstein, Germany.

Ukrainian soldiers. Photo: Getty Images

The soldiers spoke about the disadvantages facing the Ukrainian army on the Kherson front. According to them, Russia is increasingly possessing better artillery, drones capable of operating at altitudes of several kilometers, and radar systems that can strike Ukrainian targets within minutes.

The Washington Post reported that the Russian military even attacked Ukrainian drones, causing them to "drift uncontrollably behind enemy lines."

"They lost one soldier, so we lost five," said Igor, a 30-year-old platoon leader who suffered a back injury.

"When we turn on our cell phones or walkie-talkies, they can spot us immediately. And then they start shooting," said Denis, a Ukrainian soldier.

“They attacked us all the time. If we fired three mortars, they would fire twenty,” said Aleksandr, who lost an arm in the fighting.

After months of talk about a counteroffensive to retake Kherson and Crimea, Ukraine launched an attack last week. The Russian military estimates that more than 15,000 Ukrainian soldiers participated in the counteroffensive, but thousands have been killed.

On September 7, the Russian Ministry of Defense stated that Ukrainian troops had made "no offensive moves" in Kherson due to heavy losses.

Although Ukraine claims to have captured several villages in Kherson, this has not been confirmed due to restrictions on journalists reporting in the area.

"Ukraine hopes that the counteroffensive in Kherson will boost national morale and demonstrate to Western countries that their billions of dollars in economic and military aid are being used effectively," the Washington Post reported.

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin flew to Germany on September 7 to prepare for a meeting of the “Ukraine Contact Group,” a coalition of nations committed to providing weapons, ammunition, and other support to Ukraine, in Ramstein on September 8.