Armed Forces push Russians back from Dnipro and Kherson, but no quick breakthrough to Crimea

TheUkrainian armed forces continue operations on the left bank in Kherson Oblast.The Ukrainian defenders are holding the occupied positions and are probablymoving infantry.

Analysts ofthe Institute for WarStudies noted that the Ukrainian forces continued operations on the leftbank of the Dnieper. At the same time, the AFU General Staff said that theDefence Forces were holding positions in the east of Kherson Oblast.

In itsturn, a Russian military correspondent claimed that the AFU, supported byartillery, had allegedly unsuccessfully attacked near the village of Poima,which is 10 km southeast of Kherson and 4 km from the Dnieper, and near thevillage of Peschanivka, which is 13 km southeast of Kherson and 3 km from theDnieper. The Ukrainian Defence Forces also allegedly unsuccessfully attackedfrom the direction of the village of Krynki, which is 30km northeast of Khersonand 2km from the Dnieper.

Accordingto Russian military correspondents, the Ukrainian army continues to moveadditional infantry to the eastern bank.

The Russians have suffered serious losses

Meanwhile,the deputy chief of staff of the Estonian division, Janno Märk, told ERR in an interview that the AFU hasmanaged to expand its bridgeheads on the eastern bank of the Dnieper, where themilitary launched its operation more than a month ago.

"As oftoday, about 30 kilometres northeast of Kherson they have advanced by two tothree kilometres, and 15 kilometres southeast of Kherson - up to fourkilometres. The immediate objective of this operation is to push back the rftroops so that its artillery systems do not reach Kherson and its surroundingcommunities. The range of the 152-mm artillery system, which is mainly used byRussian troops, is 25 kilometres," the colonel said.

He alsoadded that the invaders have suffered significant losses on the left bank ofthe Dnieper and are already forced to transfer additional occupier units fromother parts of the front.

"Thelosses for this four-week period are estimated at about 3,500 Russianservicemen, both wounded and killed. And this has already forced the Russiancommand to transfer units from other fronts to this area," Janno Märksaid.

Accordingto him, Russian troops have made a lot of efforts to prevent the Ukrainianbridgeheads on the Dnieper or additional forces from expanding there.

There will be no quick de-occupation

Ukrainianmilitary expert Oleksandr Kovalenko advises not to trust the forecasts of someanalysts who predict a quick liberation of the left bank of the Kherson Oblastby the Defence Forces and access to the Isthmus of the Crimean peninsula.

In his Telegram ,the analyst said that "none of the bravura versions currently floating inthe network on the left bank are true."

"ROT(Russian occupation troops. – Ed.) do not leave the bridgehead and just theopposite, have formed tactical groups, numerically about two brigades, whichshould counter the advance of the UDF (Ukrainian Defence Forces. – Ed.). Thesetactical groups are operating in the area of Kozachye Camps and Krynok. Yes, ina number of locations UDF cut the road of the "first frontier" fromOleshek to Novaya Kakhovka, which greatly complicated the actions of the ROT,constraining their mobility and tying it to (the route. – Ed.) T2206. The depthof constraint is 3-5 kilometres of territories controlled by the ROT. Inaddition, the main forces of the 70 Motorised Rifle Division and the 7 AirborneAssault Division are waiting," the expert said.

At thisstage, Kovalenko is sceptical about cries of "on Kyiv!" and otherstatements. According to him, in order to be at the stage at which the UDFs arenow on the left bank, the hardest work, lasting one year, has been done. Andthere are no less difficult tasks ahead in no less difficult conditions.

The expertrecommends paying attention "not so much to ephemeral, but to moredown-to-earth goals."

"Theright bank of the Kherson Oblast is not shelled from mortars. Yes, theartillery continues the terror, but still, a security buffer has progressivelybegun to be created, which is pushing the ROT further and further away from thepositions that allowed terrorising the right bank. Let's focus at least on thisstage, without premature fantasies. Everything has its time," OleksandrKovalenko concluded.