Current:Home > ScamsUkraine says it now has a foothold on the eastern bank of Dnieper River near Kherson-VaTradeCoin
Ukraine says it now has a foothold on the eastern bank of Dnieper River near Kherson
lotradecoin FAQ View Date:2024-12-25 23:42:24
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — A top Ukrainian official said its troops have established a beachhead on the eastern bank of the Dnieper River near Kherson, an important advance in bridging one of Russia’s most significant strategic barriers in the war.
Andriy Yermak, head of the president’s office, provided no details but confirmed the development that has been widely discussed in military forums over the past month.
“Against all odds, Ukraine’s defense forces have gained a foothold on the left bank of the Dnieper,” Yermak told the Hudson Institute, a conservative Washington think tank, in a speech Monday.
Ever since Russian forces left the city of Kherson and the territory around it in November 2022, the only area they controlled on the west bank of the Dnieper, the river became a natural dividing line along the southern battlefront, preventing Ukrainian troops from advancing further into the Kherson region and towards Russian-annexed Crimea.
The barrier also allowed Russia to concentrate more troops in the heavily mined and fortified Zaporizhzhia region and eastern Ukraine.
Since the summer, Ukrainian forces have crossed the Dnieper in small groups to create a foothold near the Kherson bridge and more recently sought to expand their presence in nearby villages on the east bank, including Krynky.
The Institute for the Study of War in Washington said Yermak’s comments confirm its own assessments over the past month that Ukraine was conducting larger-than-usual ground operations on the eastern bank of the river and appeared to be holding its positions and supplying troops in the Russian-controlled Kherson region.
Satellite imagery from Monday showed forces advancing on Krynky, one of the areas on the eastern bank of the Dnieper about 22 miles (35 kilometers) northeast of the city of Kherson, the ISW said.
Russian military bloggers have reported intense fighting near Krynky.
The Moscow-appointed governor for the Russia-occupied part of the Kherson region, Vladimir Saldo, said Ukrainian forces lost up to two battalions crossing the Dnieper and trying to maintain their foothold on the left bank.
On his Telegram channel, he claimed that Ukrainian forces holed up in Krynky were facing a “fiery hell” of intense bombardment and were being destroyed “on a large scale.”
He said that the Russian soldiers were surprised “to what extent the Ukrainian command doesn’t care about personnel lives, sending dozens and hundreds to their death.”
The Ukrainian forces have long established positions in several areas on the eastern bank of the Dnieper and sought to expand them, using boats to ferry supplies.
Ukraine lost control over almost the entire Kherson region, including the city of Kherson, in March 2022, right after the full-scale invasion started.
Russian troops advanced from the Crimean Peninsula, which Moscow illegally annexed from Ukraine in 2014, facing almost no resistance even though the Ukraine border was supposed to be heavily guarded.
Crossing the Dnieper could allow Ukraine to outflank Russia without having to break through the heavily mined and fortified front line in the Zaporizhzhia region.
It would also provide the most direct land route to Crimea, where Armiansk, one of the two gateways to the peninsula, lies about 80 kilometers (50 miles) to the south without any significant fortifications in the way.
veryGood! (78)
Related
- Secretly recorded videos are backbone of corruption trial for longest
- Brittney Griner on Paul Whelan, Evan Gershkovich being released: 'It's a great day'
- Periodic flooding hurts Mississippi. But could mitigation there hurt downstream in Louisiana?
- Election 2024 Latest: Harris raised $310M in July, new poll finds few Americans trust Secret Service
- 'September 5' depicts shocking day when terrorism arrived at the Olympics
- Analysis: Donald Trump questioning Kamala Harris’ race shows he doesn’t understand code-switching
- Oversized & Relaxed T-Shirts That Are Surprisingly Flattering, According to Reviewers
- Heat deaths of people without air conditioning, often in mobile homes, underscore energy inequity
- The burial site of the people Andrew Jackson enslaved was lost. The Hermitage says it is found
- Mama June Shannon's Daughter Lauryn Pumpkin Efird and Husband Josh Break Up After 6 Years of Marriage
Ranking
- She grew up in an Arizona church community. Now, she claims it was actually a religious cult.
- Swimmer Tamara Potocka under medical assessment after collapsing following race
- Maren Morris says 'nothing really scares me anymore' after public feuds, divorce
- Why Amazon stock was taking a dive today
- The Sundance Film Festival unveils its lineup including Jennifer Lopez, Questlove and more
- 2024 Paris Olympics golf format, explained: Is there a cut, scoring, how to watch
- USA beach volleyball's perfect top tandem braves storm, delay, shows out for LeBron James
- Katie Ledecky makes more Olympic history and has another major milestone in her sights
Recommendation
-
China's ruling Communist Party expels former chief of sports body
-
Netflix announces release date for Season 2 of 'Squid Game': Everything you need to know
-
Maren Morris says 'nothing really scares me anymore' after public feuds, divorce
-
Lululemon's 'We Made Too Much' Section is on Fire Right Now: Score a $228 Jacket for $99 & More
-
Luigi Mangione merchandise raises controversy, claims of glorifying violence
-
Is population decline a problem to solve or just one to rethink? | The Excerpt
-
2024 Olympics: Why Simone Biles Was Stressing While Competing Against Brazilian Gymnast Rebeca Andrade
-
For Marine Species Across New York Harbor, the Oyster Is Their World