Ukraine's control over Nestryha Island in Kherson Oblast is tactically important and will make it more difficult for Russian forces to approach Ukrainian positions, Dmytro Pletenchuk, a spokesperson for the Southern Defense Forces, told Hromadske Radio on April 29.
Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said on April 28 that Ukrainian troops had taken control of Nestryha Island in the Dnipro River delta in Kherson Oblast and advanced near the village of Veletenske.
Nestryha Island was considered a "gray zone" and is the last in a group of small islands followed by the river mouth, Pletenchuk said, saying that the re-established control holds "tactical importance."
Russian troops use locations such as the islands in Kherson Oblast to get closer to Ukraine's positions, the spokesperson added.
"This (control over Nestryha Island) is primarily important for the quality of counter-sabotage measures. This location has been cleared of possible enemy presence," Pletenchuk said.
Syrskyi said that Russian forces are trying to push Ukrainian troops out of Krynky in Kherson Oblast, but they are failing to do so. For months of heavy battles, Ukraine has reportedly repelled Russian attacks around the small village.
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.
Asami Terajima
