Russian attacks from occupied Kinburn Spit block navigation, Ukraine's Navy says
Russian troops use the occupied Kinburn Spit for the attacks on Ukraine's south and vessels that could enter ports in the city of Mykolaiv, Dmytro Pletenchuk, a spokesperson for the Ukrainian Navy, said on Aug. 14.
The Kinburn Spit is located at the mouth of the Dnipro River, south of Kherson. It is one of the parts of Mykolaiv Oblast that remain under Russian occupation.
Speaking on national television, Pletenchuk said that Russia continues its attacks against southern Mykolaiv and Kherson oblasts from the spit and vessels that could enter the Dnipro-Bug estuary.
The vessels could potentially enter sea commercial ports in Mykolaiv — Olvia, Mykolaiv, and Nika-Tera — which have remained blocked since March 2022 following Russia's full-scale invasion.
In addition, the waters need to be surveyed for mine safety after the Kakhovka dam destruction on Russia-occupied territory in Kherson Oblast last June, Pletenchuk said.
"Unfortunately, now it (the water area) is being attacked from the Kinburn Spit. This location is important for us, as well as for the Russians," the spokesperson added.
Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) reported that Ukrainian special forces killed about 30 Russian soldiers and destroyed six armored vehicles during a raid on the Kinburn Spit on Aug. 9. They also hoisted a flag of HUR on the spit, the agency said, sharing a video purportedly showing the operation.
This was the second raid by Ukrainian special forces reported last week. The soldiers also destroyed Russian "equipment, personnel, and fortifications" during a raid on the Tendra Spit off the coast of the occupied part of Kherson Oblast, HUR said on Aug. 7.
Kateryna Denisova
