Russia launched air strikes against the village of Pishchanivka on the east bank of the Dnipro River in Kherson Oblast, the General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces wrote, implying the presence of Ukrainian forces in the settlement.
The strikes were reported in the General Staff’s Oct. 19 and Oct. 18 daily updates, matching reports from Russian Telegram channels that Ukraine had taken territory in the area.
Earlier, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said, citing Russian military blog Rybar and other sources, that Ukrainian forces had carried out an assault across the Dnipro River onto the Russian-held east bank, advancing north of Pishchanivka and into Poima, around four kilometers from the river.
The sources cited by ISW expressed "pronounced concern" about ongoing Ukrainian activity on the east bank of Kherson Oblast, framing these activities as part of a potential larger Ukrainian operation.
Nate Ostiller
The think tank admitted it was difficult to assess the scope and prospects of the Ukrainian activity on the east bank.
"However, it is noteworthy that prominent and generally reliable Russian sources are discussing Ukrainian activities on the east bank as occurring at a larger scale than previously documented tactical cross-river raids by Ukrainian forces."
In August, the Kyiv Independent reported that Ukrainian troops were conducting small overnight raids into the Russian-occupied part of Kherson Oblast for months.
On Aug. 8, Ukrainian forces reportedly gained a foothold near the village of Kozachi Laheri, some 27 kilometers northeast of Kherson.
Ukraine's Armed Forces liberated Kherson and other regional settlements on the Dnipro River’s west bank in November 2022. Russian forces were pushed to the east bank, from where they have since been firing at the liberated territories.
Alexander Query
(Updated: )
