Russia acknowledges Ukrainian troops having crossed to Dnipro River's east bank

Russian officials have confirmed news that the Ukrainian forces have established a foothold on the eastern bank of the Dnipro River and were attacking Russian positions, in an operation that Kyiv says will open new avenues of attack toward Crimea.

As reported by the Kyiv Independent, the Russia-installed leader in the occupied part of Kherson Oblast, said on his Telegram channel that small groups of Ukrainian soldiers were spread from a railway bridge in the oblast to Krynky, a village some 35 kilometers east of Kherson and two kilometers southeast of the Dnipro River.

Reports estimate the number of Ukrainian troops range from dozens to several hundred, which are engaged in heavy fighting with Russian forces on the far side of the river, which the latter abandoned a year ago. The Russian army took up positions on the eastern side, from which they have been regularly shelling towns and villages opposite.

In Ukraine’s first official confirmation of the beachhead, Andriy Yermak, the head of Ukraine’s presidential administration, said the crossing showed that Kyiv was still making advances in a months-long counteroffensive and was demilitarising Crimea "step by step”.  “We have covered 70% of the distance. And our counteroffensive is developing”, he assured.

As reported earlier, Ukrainian marines were reinforcing positions in three villages on the eastern bank of the river, including with armoured Humvees and at least one infantry fighting vehicle, and had cut off one road that Russians used to resupply troops in the area. Nevertheless, reports also state that the troops described themselves as “hunkered down in basements and trenches and heavily outnumbered”.