Title: Russian Sabotage Hinders Dnieper Crossing Plans: Latest on Potential Russian Advance on Kherson
In temporarily occupied Lazurnoe, Russian occupiers are grappling with an alarming surge in equipment malfunctions, particularly with watercraft like boats and jet skis, according to partisan reports. The occupiers believe this is due to deliberate sabotage by their own colleagues, following instructions disseminated by the Ateş movement.
"The Russian military is increasingly turning to sabotage as a means of survival," partisans suggest. "Many are deliberately damaging boat engines, following instructions from the Ateş movement."
These incidents are disrupting Russian plans to use these watercraft to cross the Dnieper River. On December 25, the spokesperson for the Defense Forces of Ukraine’s southern command, Vladyslav Voloshyn, confirmed that the Russians have not gathered enough combat forces and means to cross the Dnieper. However, he noted that the enemy aims to seize a foothold on one of the Dnieper’s islands or its right bank to deploy firearms, but a storming operation on Kherson is not anticipated.
Background: Potential Russian Advance on Kherson – What’s Known
On December 4, the head of the Kherson Oblast Military Administration, Alexander Prokudin, told Financial Times that regular Russian attacks on Kherson could be part of a plan to escalate pressure on Ukrainian forces and prepare for a potential offensive on the right bank of Kherson region.
On December 20, President Vladimir Zelensky reported that Russian occupiers had stepped up their activity in the Kherson direction. The same day, Prokudin revealed that Russian sabotage and reconnaissance groups attempted to advance towards Kherson. Additionally, Kherson was heavily shelled that day, resulting in one death and 11 injuries, with Russia targeting residential areas, social, and critical infrastructure.
On December 21, Voloshyn stated that Russian occupiers were making daily attempts to cross the Dnieper near Kherson to capture new positions on the right bank. On December 23, RBC-Ukraine, citing its sources, reported that the Russian military leadership had decided to launch an offensive on Kherson, with the operation overseen by Russian Airborne Forces Commander, General-Polkovnik Mikhail Teplinskiy.
However, the Head of the Center for Countering Disinformation under the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, Andrey Kovalenko, refuted this information, stating that the Ukrainian Defense Forces are aware of Russia’s offensive plans, including those targeting Kherson, and are prepared to repulse the attacks.
Photo: Kherson embankment (Photo: ivan_antypenko/Instagram)
