MOSCOW: Russia admitted on Wednesday that “small groups” of Ukrainian troops had established positions on the Russian-held side of the Dnipro River.
Ukrainian soldiers in the small village of Krynky, located on the eastern bank of the Dnipro River, found themselves “blocked” and subjected to intense attacks from Russian artillery, rockets, and drones, as reported by Vladimir Saldo, the Moscow-appointed head of Ukraine’s Kherson region, on Telegram.
For the past year, the vast Dnipro River has served as the frontline dividing southern Ukraine, with the Ukrainian-held western side and Russian forces on the opposite bank.
In several attempts, Ukrainian troops have sought to cross the river and secure a foothold on the Russian-controlled bank to push Russian forces out of Ukrainian territory. Saldo revealed that “about one and a half enemy companies, mostly in small groups,” are now positioned along the eastern bank.
Russia Announces Deployment of Additional Troops
According to Russia’s TASS news agency, a company in the Russian military system typically consists of 45-360 soldiers. Saldo announced the deployment of additional forces to block the Ukrainian troops in Krynky, subjecting them to a barrage of “bombs, rockets, heavy flamethrower systems, artillery shells, drones.”
This is the first time that a senior Russian official has admitted that Ukraine successfully secured positions on the Russian-controlled side of the river.
Earlier this week, the Kremlin declined to comment on reports of Ukrainian troop crossings, directing inquiries to Russia’s defense ministry. As of now, Russia’s defense ministry has not publicly addressed the situation. Saldo asserted that Ukraine’s crossing of the river was achieved through what is colloquially referred to as “throwing meat,” a euphemism for military assaults involving significant manpower and heavy casualties.
