Things must be really bad for the US state-affiliated media to be reporting this

Soldiers and marines who have taken part in the river crossings described the offensive as brutalizing and futile, as waves of Ukrainian troops have been struck down on the river banks or in the water, even before they reach the other side.

The article keeps getting better

Since the war’s outset, Ukrainian officials have sought to maintain a positive narrative in an effort to maintain morale at home and support abroad. Casualty numbers are not published, nor are details of setbacks suffered by Ukrainian troops.

Archived: https://archive.ph/2023.12.16-221736/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/16/world/europe/ukraine-kherson-river-russia.html