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Failed Russian River Crossings Limit Their Summer Offensive

Forbes

12 hours ago

Politics
Forbes

Failed Russian River Crossings Limit Their Summer Offensive

TOPSHOT - A Ukrainian serviceman of the 123rd Territorial Defense Brigade watches an area of the ... More Dnipro River, in an undisclosed location in the Kherson region, on November 6, 2023 (Photo by Roman PILIPEY / AFP) (Photo by ROMAN PILIPEY/AFP via Getty Images) In May 2022, Ukraine destroyed an entire Russian Battalion Tactical Group as they attempted to cross the Siverskyi Donets River. Although Russian forces have made some gains on the battlefield through new tactics and technologies, their ability to conduct river crossings has not improved. This ongoing shortcoming has become a critical vulnerability, effectively stalling several major operations in their current summer offensive. In particular, Russian forces have repeatedly failed in their recent attempts to cross the Dnipro and Oskil Rivers. Russian Attempts to Cross the Dnipro River The Dnipro River, especially where it flows into the Black Sea near Kherson, is a strategic centerpiece of this war. Early in the conflict, Russian forces controlled both banks of the river. In November 2022, Ukraine recaptured the western bank during its counteroffensive when Russian forces abandoned the city of Kherson. Ukraine then pushed across the river and established a bridgehead on the eastern bank in October 2023, but they subsequently withdrew from that position and established a strong defensive posture on the west bank. General view of the damaged Antonivsky Bridge in Kherson, Ukraine, Sunday, Nov. 27, 2022. The ... More bridge, the main crossing point over the Dnipro river in Kherson, was destroyed by Russian troops in November 2022, after Kremlin's forces withdrew from the southern city. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue) Since then, Russian troops have repeatedly tried to reestablish their foothold along the western bank in an effort to retake Kherson and the surrounding areas. In March 2024, Russian reconnaissance units attempted a crossing near the Antonivskyi Bridge but were driven back under fire mid-river. Russia has also sought control over the islands at the river's mouth, to provide them with forward staging areas for artillery, drones, and logistics. In December 2024, it launched a large assault involving 300 boats to capture several of these islands but were ultimately driven back by Ukrainian artillery and drone strikes. As part of their current offensive, Russian forces have renewed their attempts to take Kherson and the western side of the Dnipro. In June, Ukraine's 30th Marine Corps reported that Russian units have launched daily assaults on the islands and along the west bank, using support from drones and electronic warfare. However, Ukrainian forces continue to maintain fire control over the area, disrupting these landings with direct fire, coordinated artillery, and their own drone attacks. Without the ability to move significant numbers of troops or armored vehicles across the river, Russia will not be able make any meaningful gains along this axis. Russian Attempts To Cross the Oskil River In the Kharkiv Oblast, the Oskil River has also become a vital defensive line for Ukraine, particularly in protecting Kupiansk and nearby logistical corridors. For Russian forces, crossing the Oskil would provide access to key road networks and enable flanking operations toward Kupiansk from the north and east. As such, securing this river line is essential for any sustained Russian advance in the region. A Ukrainian military member of the 114 brigade stands on a destroyed railway bridge over the Oskil ... More River during a scouting mission near the frontline in Kupiansk, Kharkiv region, on December 15, 2024 (Photo by Roman PILIPEY / AFP) (Photo by ROMAN PILIPEY/AFP via Getty Images) Russian efforts to cross the Oskil began in late December 2024 with assaults near Dvorichna, Novomlynsk, and Topoli. All were repelled. In March 2025, Russia employed a new tactic, using drones to identify Ukrainian positions and coordinate fire in support of an infantry crossing. Despite this adaptation, the operation ultimately failed due to Ukrainian counter-drone systems and a lack of coordination between the crossing and the artillery support. As part of its current summer offensive, Russia has escalated its efforts west of the Oskil, focusing on areas between Kupiansk and Dvorichna. By mid-June, geolocated footage confirmed that Russian troops had secured a bridgehead near Krasne Pershe. However, they were unsuccessful in using the bridgehead to raft heavy equipment across the river. In mid-July, Russian forces attempted to build a pontoon bridge to cross the Oskil, but that effort also failed. While some Russian soldiers have crossed the river, the inability to transport armored units has severely limited their offensive capacity and prevented any operational breakthrough in the northeast. The Operational Challenges Blocking Russian River Crossings Assaulting across a river, whether by bridge or raft, is among the most difficult military operations. Soldiers must cross exposed terrain with limited cover, often on platforms that restrict movement and offer little protection. The crossing site becomes a bottleneck, concentrating troops in vulnerable positions and limiting their ability to respond to enemy fire. Even once a force reaches the far bank, only a small number of soldiers are initially present to secure the bridgehead, often against entrenched defenders with superior firepower and elevation. Russian Army engineers unload sections of pontoon bridge in the Crimean port city of Kerch, on May ... More 5, 2014. AFP PHOTO/ YURIY LASHOV (Photo credit should read YURIY LASHOV/AFP via Getty Images) Russia has attempted to use technology to solve many of their battlefield challenges. However, there are no straightforward technological solution to alleviate this challenge. Robotic bridges or rafts still leave soldiers exposed to many of the same risks. The only reliable method for success is to move rapidly and with force, quickly transporting soldiers across the river and following up with an assault to secure key objectives on the far shore. This approach requires well-trained, cohesive units capable of executing complex maneuvers under fire. At this point in the war, Russian units generally lack the collective training necessary to carry out such an operation. High casualty rates have forced Russia to rely heavily on replacement troops who often receive minimal training. These new soldiers typically lack experience and have had little opportunity to train with their assigned units, making coordinated operations such as river crossings extremely difficult to execute. Given current personnel shortages and Russia's desire to sustain its offensive, the military is not in a position to pull units back for collective training exercises. This shortfall is evident across the front, where many Russian attacks are conducted at the small-unit level rather than as part of larger, coordinated operations. As the war continues, the challenges of river crossings will increase for Russian forces. Ukraine's growing fleet of surveillance and attack drones are playing a critical role in identifying concentrations of Russian troops preparing for river crossings and directing artillery and loitering munitions against them. Additionally, new drones are equipped with sensors that can see through smoke and other obscurations intended to conceal the crossings. Ukraine is also deploying unmanned surface vessels to patrol riverways and monitor Russian activity. Although the Russia-Ukraine war is often associated with the rapid introduction of new technologies, traditional challenges like river crossings continue to shape the battlefield. Russia's repeated failures in these operations have resulted in significant losses and now stand as a major barrier to the success of their summer offensive.

Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 1,245

Al Jazeera

a day ago

Politics
Al Jazeera

Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 1,245

Here is how things stand on Wednesday, July 23: Fighting A Ukrainian drone strike on a private bus killed three people in the Russian-occupied region of Kherson, Russian-appointed local official Vladimir Saldo said. 'Three more civilians were injured and are in serious condition,' Saldo added in a Telegram post. A Ukrainian attack killed a man in Russia's Belgorod border region, the local governor said. A Russian glide bomb attack killed a 10-year-old boy in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk, the head of the city's military administration, Oleksandr Honcharenko, said. The bomb, which caused a fire in an apartment building, also wounded five others, Honcharenko added. Russia launched multiple waves of attacks on Ukraine's Sumy region, including two separate drone attacks on a petrol station in the town of Putyvl, which injured 11 people, local officials said. The Russian army claimed that it captured the village of Novotoretske in the Donetsk region of Ukraine. Ukraine's military said that a French-supplied Mirage 2000 fighter jet crashed after experiencing equipment failure during an assignment, with the pilot ejecting safely. A 'massive' Russian drone attack damaged Ukrainian gas production infrastructure, said Sergii Koretski, the CEO of Ukraine's state energy firm Naftogaz. 'Such attacks occur regularly. These objects are of no military significance,' Koretski wrote on Facebook. Ceasefire Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that there is 'no reason to expect' any 'miracles' in ceasefire negotiations, as Moscow has yet to confirm if it will participate in peace talks in Istanbul on Wednesday, which were proposed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last week. The Kremlin said it hoped talks could be held 'this week', with Peskov adding: 'As soon as we are ready, we will make an announcement regarding the dates.' Outlining potential topics for discussion with Moscow in Istanbul, Zelenskyy said that Kyiv was ready to 'secure the release of our people from captivity and return abducted children, to stop the killings, and to prepare a leaders' meeting'. Ukraine said its ex-defence minister and current secretary of the security council, Rustem Umerov, will head Kyiv's delegation to the proposed talks. Two Russian soldiers in need of medical care were handed over by Ukrainian authorities to be returned home, the Russian Ministry of Defence said. In a statement, the ministry said the release was undertaken on the basis of agreements reached in Istanbul last month. Politics Zelenskyy signed a bill revoking the autonomy of two anticorruption agencies, after it was approved by a vote of 263 to 13 in Ukraine's parliament. The European Union's Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos called the decision a 'serious step back' for Kyiv and added that independent bodies were 'essential for Ukraine's EU path'. Thousands of people gathered in Kyiv and other cities across Ukraine to protest against the bill, marking the first major protest against the government in more than three years of war against invading Russian troops. The bill came a day after Ukraine's domestic security agency detained two National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine officials on suspicion of links to Russia.

Russian-installed govt says Ukrainian strikes kill three

Al Arabiya

2 days ago

Politics
Al Arabiya

Russian-installed govt says Ukrainian strikes kill three

A Ukrainian drone strike on a private bus in the Russian-occupied part of the Kherson region killed three and wounded another three on Tuesday, Moscow-installed official said. The attack comes as the rivals are due to hold a third round of peace talks to end more than three-year war in Istanbul on Wednesday. 'In the Golopristansky district, a Ukrainian armed forces drone attacked a private bus,' said Vladimir Saldo, a governor of the Russian-occupied part of the Kherson region. 'Three people were killed. Three more civilians were injured and are in serious condition,' he added in a Telegram post. At the same time, a Russian drone and missile strike on Ukraine killed a 10-year-old boy in the eastern frontline city of Kramatorsk, and wounded more than a dozen across the country, Kyiv's authorities said. 'Another night of terror across Ukraine,' said Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko. Russia has fired a record number of drones and missiles at Ukrainian cities in recent weeks, in deadly attacks which Kyiv says show Moscow is not serious about halting its offensive.

Ukraine fielding new crop of unmanned boats optimized for river combat

Yahoo

15-07-2025

Yahoo

Ukraine fielding new crop of unmanned boats optimized for river combat

MILAN — Ukraine's fleet of unmanned surface vessels is expanding with the emergence of a new, smaller type dedicated to riverine warfare for countering Russian presence in key waterways. Ukrainian firm NoviTechNe debuted this month a new one-meter-long USV dubbed the Ursula, according to United24 Media, a government-run news website focused on Ukraine. The multi-function system is said to be able to conduct river reconnaissance, act as a floating mine or as a drone carrier to launch two-kilogram, first-person-view drones from the water. In a video published by the manufacturer, the naval drone is seen maneuvering through riparian vegetation while carrying what appears to be a small FPV drone. The Ursula is not the first USV of this type that Ukrainian companies are experimenting with. Over the winter, Brave1, a government defense-technology hub tasked with getting new capabilities field-ready, reported that Ukrainian troops were trialling the Black Widow 2. The system, which also measures roughly one meter in length, has a reported payload of three kilograms and a range of 10 kilometers. What makes these riverine naval drones stand out is their low profile and compact size, especially in comparison to the much larger USVs Ukraine typically uses, such as the Magura variant and Seababy, that measure up to six meters. 'Ukraine's focus on developing these brown-water USVs stems from the need to counter Russian activities along the Dnipro river basin, especially in the Kherson area – they had to develop specific capabilities and units to navigate a vast network of canals and attack the adversary,' Federico Borsari, fellow for transatlantic defense at the Center for European Policy Analysis, said. Ukrainian forces could, for example, use these platforms to carry and launch an FPV from unfamiliar spots in proximity to Russian positions along the low Dnipro river or even to strike slower enemy resupply boats. According to Borsari, the smaller size of such USVs, although at the expense of a larger payload capability, is better suited for river channels as they can be more agile and maneuverable for defensive and discreet offensive missions. Size is the most important metric, he argues, when developing systems intended to operate in shallow waters. Rivers such as the Dnipro, of which 981 kilometers flow through Ukraine, have played a central role throughout the war, acting as natural defensive lines. Their bridges have been vital targets and chokepoints that both sides have tried to take advantage of. Riverine capabilities bring their own set of tactical challenges. They often include natural obstacles such as sandbanks, vegetation, branches or tall groves, which can make navigation more challenging and prone to interference. Water levels also change frequently, which makes navigation unpredictable.

Russian drones kill two in Ukraine's southern Kherson region: Governor