NEW BRIDGEHEAD, NEW DEFEAT OF UKRAINIAN MILITARY

The Armed Forces of Ukraine continue attempts to develop any success on the southern frontlines, facing fierce resistance and counterattacks of the Russian military.

Amid the ongoing fighting in the Zaporozhie region, Ukrainian forces launch assaults on the Russian military positions on the eastern bank of the Dnieper River in the Kherson region. Their attempts to expand the strongholds there are aimed at distracting the Russian grouping and launching an offensive towards Crimea from the western direction. However, the heavy losses in the counteroffensive prevent the Ukrainian military from concentrating the large group of forces in Kherson, which is necessary for any advance in the steppes on the Russian eastern bank.

As a result of constant assaults using speed boats in recent months, Ukrainian forces managed to gain two small footholds across the Dnieper. Despite heavy Russian shelling, they are still holding control of the area near the Antonovsky Bridge. In addition, they have recently captured control of the area near Cossak Laheri but failed to enter the village. Fighting has been ongoing there for more than a week.

The Ukrainian military likely aimed to take control of the road leading southwards to reach their positions near the Antonovsky Bridge and secure a large stronghold on the eastern bank. However, their plans were not destined to come true.

On August 16, preliminary reports from the front claimed that Russian forces had destroyed the Ukrainian stronghold near Cossak Laheri.

The Ukrainian grouping deployed in the area depended on military reinforcements and supplies, which could be transferred only by speed boats tracked by Russian UAVs and shelled by Russian artillery. Suffering losses, Ukrainian servicemen could not advance deep into Russian defenses without any heavy equipment. While they are hiding in the ruined village of Dachas near the Antonovsky Bridge, they found no shelter on the area near Cossak Laheri. Hoping only for the support of the Ukrainian artillery on the eastern shore, the Ukrainian grouping did not achieve any strategic goals.

Despite the loss of the bridgehead, the Ukrainian assault groups do not give up trying to cross the shallow Dnieper and find gaps in the Russian defenses along the entire eastern bank.

On August 16, Russian UAVs spotted Ukrainian high-speed boats with troops and ammunition on board in the southern part of Melky island. As a result, Russian drones and artillery destroyed four watercraft and up to 20 Ukrainian servicemen there.

According to the local Russian officials, the Armed Forces of Ukraine lost about 400 servicemen, including killed and wounded, from August 1 to August 15 in the Kherson region alone. Up to 100 of them were destroyed on boats while trying to cross the Dnieper River and land on the eastern bank.

https://southfront.org/new-defeat-of-ukrainian-military/