ERR's Anton Aleksejev and Kristjan Svirgsden spoke to a Ukrainian military officer at the front line in Kherson oblast.

The officer, Jaroslav, said: "Two months of basic training at a recruit center will not yield the same results as two weeks of intensive training here, where live firing goes on all the time. Experienced soldiers here can then pass on their skills to their new comrades."

In theory, every soldier reaching the front should have acquired all necessary skills, but real life experience demonstrates that each Ukrainian unit must train its mobilized personnel individually.

The quality of personnel joining the Ukrainian defense forces also vary hugely, some of the men told ERR.

One soldier, Kostjantin, perhaps recapitulating a centuries-old observation, said that volunteers are: "motivated and highly useful," whereas those pressed into service, less so.

"If he was intercepted on the street while going to the store, unfortunately, he will not of much use," Kostjantin went on.

In any case, the Ukrainian state has been using both a stick and carrot approach to filling the ranks, ERR reported.

Harsher punishments have been applied to those dodging the draft, while those who do volunteer fight for their country can receive a wage hike.

On this, "Choreographer" gave some figures.

"The soldier fighting on the front line earns 120,000 hryvnias (around €2,800) with bonuses," he said.

The wage was just hiked, by 70,000 hryvnia (around €1,600). We haven't received that money yet, but if it indeed materializes, then our compensation would be nearly 200,000 hryvnia (a little over €4,700).

"Experienced officers earn even more. 200,000 hryvnia is about 5,000 US dollars. That's not bad. That is almost on par with a NATO soldier, I think. A regular worker can never hope to see wages like that," "Choreographer" went on.

Aleksejev and Svirgsden traversed the entire length of the front line in Kherson, to see for themselves has changed in recent months.

These changes had not been encouraging, as reported by some of the troops they spoke to.

"Jupiter" told ERR: "The mood has changed. Everyone is worn out. But no reinforcements are coming. The volume of ammunition we get has also changed. It is diminishing more and more. Even our mortar men are tired."

Conversely, Russian forces have not experienced such shortages of equipment, ammunition, or human resources.

Serhii noted: "The Russians have changed their tactics. Previously, they struck us like cannon fodder, up to the point at which their entire unit, battalion, or brigade was destroyed. Nowadays, they are attacking in waves. One battalion on the front line sends out small assault squads of about eight people each, to overrun our positions. Naturally, we push them back too, and they get killed, or those who survive are sent to the rear, then fresh soldiers from the second or third echelon replace them."

Despite everything, it can sometimes seem that life goes on despite the war, even in frontline Kherson. Six months ago, it was clear that Russian forces were preparing for a new offensive, but Ukrainian soldiers have only started building up defensive lines now.

In one example, the Ukrainian army command has decided to build a defense line in Kherson Oblast, around 10 kilometers from the Dnieper River, which suggests that they do not rule out the possibility of Russian forces reaching that far inland (the current front line around Kherson lies a few kilometers south of the Dnipro – ed.).

At the same time, the wide river remains a formidable obstacle, as rivers often do present to invading armies.

Oleksandr Tolokonnikov, a representative of the Kherson Oblast regional administration, said: "Those 'dragon's teeth' [anti-tank defenses] are at the second defense line. There is also a primary defense line, which remains under our soldiers' control, including a bridgehead in the village of Krinki, across the river. The Russians cannot cross the river so easily. That would not be possible," he said.

Defensive engineering works can be put in place and troops can be motivated, but if a guided aircraft bomb or missile hits the area, these can prove to be of little effect. The past months have shown that Russian forces have a clear superiority in military equipment, too.

Serhii added: "The only way to counter them is in the air, with jets. We need our air force to down their fighters and bombers. We need more air defenses, to reach as far as Tokmak, which is where their air strikes begin. Only this could contain them."

Tokmak is a Ukrainian city in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, and is currently under Russian occupation.

The original "Välisilm" slot is here.

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