(Reuters) – The defense ministry of Russia announced on Sunday that they had thwarted multiple attempts by Ukrainian units to cross the Dnipro River in the southern Kherson region within the last 24 hours. The ministry stated that Ukrainian “sabotage and reconnaissance” teams were intercepted while trying to cross the river near the villages of Pridniprovske, Tiahynka, and Krynky.
Russia further claimed to have eliminated Ukrainian personnel, water-crossing equipment, and vehicles near the village of Stanislav. However, Reuters was unable to independently verify reports from the battlefield.
A research group called the Institute for the Study of War, based in the United States, reported on Friday that Ukrainian forces seemed to have successfully broken through the eastern bank of the Dnipro River in Kherson.
Last year, Ukraine regained control of certain parts of the Kherson region after enduring months of Russian occupation. However, Russian forces, who had evacuated Kherson – the largest city in the region – only retreated to the opposite side of the Dnipro River and have continued to bombard the city from there.
(Reporting by Maxim Rodionov; Editing by Mark Trevelyan)
