Ukraine Regains Control of Oleksiivskyi Island Positions as Russian Units Pull Back

Russian troops have left positions on Oleksiivskyi Island in Ukraine’s southern Kherson region after what Ukraine’s military said were active operations by Ukrainian forces, while Russia has begun regrouping and shifting units toward the Orikhiv sector, according to NV on January 26. 

Vladyslav Voloshyn, a spokesperson for Ukraine’s Southern Defense Forces, said that Ukrainian reconnaissance had recorded the withdrawal and said Russian units on the island were affected by “low morale and psychological conditions,” adding that Russian forces could not restore observation posts there. 

Voloshyn added that the island is near Oleshky and the withdrawal was confirmed by Ukrainian reconnaissance after Ukrainian strikes, and that Russia was rotating forces on the Prydniprovske axis and moving units toward Orikhiv. 

The reported redeployments come as Ukraine’s commander-in-chief, Oleksandr Syrskyi, said on January 26 that Russian forces were concentrating efforts on the Pokrovsk and Ocheretyne fronts in eastern Ukraine and bringing up reserves, describing the situation there as difficult. 

Earlier, it was reported that Russian forces were planning an airborne assault across the Dnipro River near Kherson, mobilizing around 300 boats in preparation for potential operations on river islands—indicating ongoing attempts by Russia to maneuver and engage across key riverfront areas.

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