Ukraine's Draining Push for Dnieper Left Bank Foothold Raises Questions

Media outlets in Ukraine are questioning the ongoing commitment of its country's forces to operations on the east (left) bank of the Dnieper River.

Since liberating northern Kherson Oblast on the Dnieper's right bank in late 2022, Ukrainian forces have launched regular raids across the river. In October, troops from the 38th Marine Brigade crossed the Dnieper and infiltrated Krynky, around 30 miles north of the city of Kherson.

The Ukrainian General Staff reported on Sunday that its troops had continued ground operations on the left bank in Kherson Oblast and were maintaining positions there from where they are striking at Russian forces.

Political analyst Nikola Mikovic told Newsweek that because of the relative failure of its counteroffensive launched in June, Kyiv was continuing its operations in the area for political reasons.

Mikovic said Russia was in a similar position in the region last year when its General Sergey Surovikin withdrew troops from Kherson, having earlier hinted at the need to take a "difficult decision."

He said that while Krynky does not have the same importance as Kherson, Ukraine is hesitant to abandon the village, "because such a move could have a significant impact on the political situation in Kyiv."

"It is now perfectly clear that Ukraine's counteroffensive failed, but preserving control over Krynky allows Ukrainian authorities to continue creating an illusion that the situation on the left bank of the Dnieper River is under control," Mikovic said.

Pro-Ukrainian Telegram channel Politics of the Country, which posts in Russian, described the fighting in the area as "one of the most mysterious operations" since the start of the war, because of its unclear objectives and high costs in troops.

"On the Ukrainian side, it is really not very clear the meaning of holding a small and completely shot-through bridgehead with several hundred fighters," it said. "It is hardly possible to achieve a breakthrough of the front with such forces."

The bridgehead is a good position in enemy territory to launch further attacks from, but maintaining it "requires great sacrifices," it added.

Noting how Russian military bloggers are describing Ukraine's moves there as part of a diversionary maneuver, the channel said that Russians are closely monitoring the right bank and "so it is unlikely that an attempt to cross it anywhere will come as a surprise to them."

The Odesa outlet Dumskaya described the operation to maintain the bridgehead as resulting in large losses for little achievable purpose.

"Marines cross the river and most are killed as they approach the shore," it said. "There is no talk of any further breakthrough; now the forces are being wasted simply on staying there. For what?"

It called for the Ukrainian command "to curtail this operation," which was going to be linked with the offensive in the Zaporozhzhia region which has already ended.

Newsweek has contacted the Ukrainian defense ministry for comment.

Politika Strani, the Telegram channel of Ukrainian pro-Russian online outlet Strana, said there was "mystery on the Russian side" over how only a few hundred Ukrainian fighters are able to dominate the area.

It said that the situation may have a "hidden political component" linked to contradictions in the Russian military-political leadership that were not completely smoothed out after the failure of the rebellion of the late Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin.

The channel noted that Russian milbloggers are starting to turn against head of the "Dnieper" command group Colonel General Mikhail Teplinsky, who replaced Colonel General Oleg Makarevich in October.