The vast Dnipro River has split the frontline in southern Ukraine over the past year. (Representative)
Moscow, Russia:
Russia said for the first time on Wednesday that “small groups” of Ukrainian troops had taken positions on the Russian-held side of the Dnipro River.
Some Ukrainian soldiers were “blocked” in Krynky, a small village on the eastern bank of the Dnipro River, and faced a “fiery inferno” of Russian artillery, rockets and drones, according to the Moscow-installed head of Ukraine’s Kherson region, Vladimir Saldo. , said in a message on Telegram.
The vast Dnipro River has divided the front line in southern Ukraine over the past year between the Ukrainian-held western side and Russian forces on the other side.
Ukrainian forces have made multiple attempts to cross the Russian-controlled bank and gain a foothold, which they can use to further push Russian forces out of Ukrainian territory.
Saldo said Wednesday that “there is about an enemy company and a half, mostly in small groups” stretching along the eastern bank.
According to the Russian news agency TASS, a company in the Russian military system consists of 45 to 360 soldiers.
“Our additional forces have now been deployed. The enemy is blocked in Krynky. A fiery hell has been set up for them: bombs, rockets, heavy flamethrower systems, artillery shells, drones,” Saldo said.
His comments mark the first acknowledgment by a senior Russian official that Ukraine has managed to secure some positions on the Russian-controlled side of the river.
AFP could not verify its reports and the extent of the Ukrainian crossing was unclear.
The Kremlin declined to comment earlier this week on reports that some Ukrainian troops had crossed the river, saying the Russian Defense Ministry should answer questions on the subject.
The Russian Defense Ministry has not commented publicly.
Saldo said Ukraine could have crossed the river only by “throwing meat” – a euphemism for military attacks that require large numbers of manpower and come with heavy casualties.
Andriy Yermak, chief of staff to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, said on Tuesday that Ukrainian forces had “gained a foothold on the left bank of the Dnipro”, without giving further details.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
