Russian forces amass 300 boats near Kherson, pushing to secure island zones - Ukrainian military

Vladyslav Voloshyn, the spokesman for the Southern Defense Forces, said in a commentary to Suspilne.

According to him, the Russians aim to seize a certain foothold, hold it and bring as many forces and means of the Armed Forces as possible. 

“All these assaults end in nothing. All of them are ineffective. The enemy only suffers losses,” Voloshyn said.

Referring to intelligence data, he added that the Russians are currently training assault groups at training grounds in the temporarily acquired territories of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions.

“They involve boats of the so-called Dnipro flotilla, whose division was deployed to the Tendra and Kinburn Spit in early fall. They are practicing elements such as forcing water obstacles, ferrying airborne groups, but this is for assaults and forcing small groups of infantry,” said the spokesman for the Southern Defense Forces.

According to him, the Ukrainian Armed Forces command is also aware of the information about 300 boats, and the Defense Forces are ready to counteract any developments in the situation.

“Ukraine is constantly conducting quite active intelligence. And it is not only satellite or UAV reconnaissance, it is many types of different intelligence,” Voloshyn summarized.

Earlier, the head of the Kherson regional military administration, Oleksandr Prokudin, said in an interview with the Financial Times that Russia intends to launch a new offensive in the region. According to him, Russian troops have gathered about 300 boats to cross the river.