Russian troops launch attempts to cross Dnipro River near Kherson and create bridgeheads on the right bank

Military experts provide commentary on Russia’s efforts to push towards Kherson and establish a presence on the right bank.

In the morning of December 20, the Russian troops conducted a massive shelling of Kherson, south of Ukraine. The Russian troops hit residential buildings, resulting in the deaths of at least two people and the injuries of several others.

Following this shelling, Russian subversive reconnaissance groups attempted to advance toward Kherson, according to Oleksandr Prokudin, the head of the Kherson regional military administration. He said that the Russians tried to cross the Dnipro River by boat and establish a foothold on the right bank. Ultimately, Ukraine’s defense forces repelled the assault.

In an interview with the Espreso TV channel, Ukrainian Colonel Vladyslav Selezniov said that the Russian army is mirroring the Ukrainian forces’ actions, so it will try to create several bridgeheads on the right bank of the Dnipro River in the Kherson region.

“Regarding the southern direction, there are over 120,000 Russian military personnel under the command of General Teplinsky as part of the Dnepr military group—a significant force. In reality, what is currently happening in the south of the Kherson region and the south of the Zaporizhzhia region is part of Russia’s strategy for an offensive operation in 2024. What should we understand? Firstly, there are 2,000 assault troops and about 300 high-speed boats already prepared. For what purpose? Putin’s army will attempt by any means to cross the Dnipro River and establish several bridgeheads on the right bank of the Kherson region,” Vladyslav Selezniov said. 

According to him, Russia has already carried out extensive reconnaissance. Recently, Russian artillery struck Kherson and its suburbs, and the fire of Ukraine’s Defense forces destroyed several enemy sabotage and reconnaissance groups attempting to cross the Dnipro.

“I believe there will be more of this. It’s no coincidence that Russian soldiers, who understand that their chances of survival during such a crossing are extremely slim, constantly sabotage those very high-speed boats to avoid it at any cost. Nevertheless, the Russian General Staff, along with their military leadership in the south of the Kherson region, will insist that Russian assault troops participate in these completely senseless and hopeless actions. Ukrainian drones, particularly reconnaissance drones, mortar operators, and artillerymen, will literally control every movement—every step—of the Russian assault troops.  And even if they manage to land their troops, they will be guaranteed to be destroyed within a short period,” emphasized the Ukrainian Armed Forces colonel.

According to him, the Russians are mirroring Ukrainian actions. In the fall of 2023, Ukrainian forces created several bridgeheads on the left bank, one of them near the ruins of the Antonivskyi bridge. For a long time, the Russians were unable to push back that Ukrainian defensive stronghold.

“The most resilient defense on the left bank of the Dnipro, aside from the Krynky area, was also in the Antonivskyi bridge area. I believe the Russians were trying to create a kind of ‘mirror’ on the right bank of the Dnipro. As we see, unsuccessfully. I think such attempts will continue. It’s clear that the battle for Kherson will go on. Of course, the Russians have dire prospects and minimal chances of success. However, this will create additional challenges for the Ukrainian Defense Forces, who are defending our Kherson region,” Selezniov concluded.

These attacks show that Russian troops may intensify combat operations in the south, while they focused their main attacks in the areas of Pokrovsk, Kupiansk, and Kurakhove. Given this scale of assaults along the front line, Ukraine will need stronger support in weapons to hold the defense line and repel Russian attempts to advance.