Ukraine's counteroffensive brings heavy casualties as families contend with grief, loss

In the city of Kharkiv, Ukraine, a poignant and sadly familiar scene unfolded as young boys gathered to lay their father, Yevgeny Hutnik, to rest. Yevgeny had lost his life ten days prior while fighting against Russian forces in the eastern Donetsk region. His casket was gently lowered into the earth, joining the resting place of other fallen soldiers from Kharkiv. The cemetery's dedicated section for these brave souls continues to expand, a solemn testament to the ongoing conflict. During the brief period CBS News was present, two more bodies arrived for burial, a grim and nearly daily occurrence.

Ukraine has never officially disclosed the extent of its losses in the war against Russia. However, in the three months following the commencement of their counteroffensive, there appears to have been a noticeable increase in casualties. Oksana, who had lost her husband Pavlo in an air strike, shared the profound pain of her loss with CBS News. She admitted the difficulty of accepting his absence, feeling his presence as if he were still on a mission somewhere. The couple had been married for five years and had made a solemn pact that if Pavlo were to fall in action, Oksana would take his place. True to her word, she now serves in Bakhmut as part of an aerial reconnaissance team.

Near the front lines, there exists a mortuary where unidentified soldiers are brought directly from the battlefield. Margot, whose role involves documenting the details of these fallen soldiers and aiding in their identification, experienced a profoundly personal tragedy one day. She recounted the anguish of the worst day of her life when they brought her husband to the mortuary.

The constant flow of death through these doors seems unceasing, leaving young children to grapple with the harsh reality that war is not a distant historical event but an immediate and devastating presence in their lives. They are living through this harrowing reality in the most heart-wrenching way possible.