Russia concerned about Ukraine forcing Dnipro River — ISW

This is stated in the daily report of the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

Analysts from ISW noticed that Russian bloggers supporting the war are using Ukraine's recent actions on the left bank of the Kherson region to call for more small river vessels and equipment on the Dnipro River. They want these resources to stop the Ukrainian forces from advancing further.

On July 2, Russian soldiers asked the leaders of Dagestan, Tatarstan, https://global.espreso.tv/ukraine-has-already-recaptured-more-territory-than-russia-seized-in-winter-ben-wallace-on-ukraines-army-counteroffensiveAstrakhan, Krasnodar, and Primorsky Krai to send boats seized from poachers to the front line in Kherson. They said the units of the Southern Military District needed these vessels. The head of Dagestan, Sergey Melikov, responded on July 3 and agreed to give the confiscated boats to the Russian troops.

A Russian military commander suggested bringing back the Dnipro flotilla, a river unit that played a role in past wars. He believes that reviving this flotilla could strengthen Russian troops in the Kherson area and suggested adding civilian boats to it.

The strong reaction of Russian pro-war bloggers to Ukraine's actions on the Dnipro shows their fear of Ukraine's ability to control the river. They also think the current Dnipro group command hasn't prepared their troops enough for this situation.

British intelligence reported on July 1 that the Ukrainian military crossed the Dnipro near the Antonivskyi bridge in Kherson and tried to establish a foothold on the left bank.

Ukrainian counteroffensive 

On June 4, the Ukrainian Armed Forces started a counterattack in the southern part of Ukraine, continuing their offensive actions near Bakhmut and the Belgorod region.

On June 11, the Ukrainian Armed Forces announced the liberation of Blahodatne, Neskuchne, and Makarivka, which are close to the border of Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions. On June 12, Deputy Minister of Defense Hanna Maliar reported that the state flag is seen again over Storozheve in Donetsk region.

On June 24, the Defense Forces of Ukraine officially confirmed the liberation of territories near Krasnohorivka in the Donetsk region, which were occupied since 2014.

On June 26, Hanna Maliar reported that in one week, the Armed Forces advanced 1 to 2 kilometers in the eastern direction of the front. During the southern offensive, the Armed Forces reclaimed 130 square kilometers. On the same day, the Defense Forces regained control of Rivnopil in the Donetsk region.

British Defense Minister Ben Wallace stated that as part of the summer counteroffensive, Ukraine has already liberated more territory than Russia captured during the entire winter offensive.

Ukraine's Defense Minister, Oleksii Reznikov, said that the areas liberated by the Armed Forces were just the beginning of a major counteroffensive, not the main event.

Specialists from the Institute for the Study of War believe that in response to Ukraine's offensive operations near Bakhmut, the Russian military might bring additional forces from other directions.