Category
Latest news

Russian Forces Amass 300 Boats for Potential Airborne Assault Across Dnipro River in Kherson Region

2 min read
Authors
Amira_barkhush
Amira Barkhush
Author
Russian Forces Amass 300 Boats for Potential Airborne Assault Across Dnipro River in Kherson Region
Soldiers of the 1st Battalion of the 40th Separate Coastal Defense Brigade wear camouflage kikimora cloaks as they take aim during a drill for landing on an unequipped coast from small boats in the Kherson region, Ukraine, on March 12, 2025. (Source: Gett

Russian forces in the Ukrainian Kherson region are planning a large-scale airborne operation to cross the Dnipro River, having already gathered approximately 300 boats.

This was reported by Yurii Tkachuk, an officer with the Omega diving unit of the National Guard of Ukraine, during a Novyny.LIVE broadcast on May 6.

“The enemy’s activity has increased. They are preparing for an airborne operation, with hundreds of boats involved. We’re talking about around 300,” Tkachuk said.

According to the officer, soldiers have observed preparations for the operation and are actively preventing attempts by Russian forces to land troops on islands controlled by Ukrainian forces.

Tkachuk noted that Russian forces aim to establish control over the Kherson and Mykolaiv regions. He added that Russian military equipment is continuously moved along the Kinburn Spit, where vehicles and multiple rocket launch systems (MRLS) frequently appear. These MRLS are used to launch strikes on Mykolaiv, particularly targeting the city of Ochakiv.

“Capturing the islands would allow the occupiers to expand the strike range of their drones and mortars,” Tkachuk said.

Additionally, Andrii Kovalenko, Head of the Center for Countering Disinformation, stated on May 6 that Russian forces have long attempted to cross the Dnipro River to reach the islands.

“The Russians' plans to repeat these actions have been known for some time, which is why the Defense Forces understand the enemy’s potential capabilities and are prepared to eliminate them there,” Kovalenko wrote.

On April 29, it was reported that Russian forces have intensified their offensive in the Novopavlivka direction, aiming to advance toward the tri-regional border of Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Donetsk.

See all