Russian troops sabotage their boats to avoid Dnipro River crossing, Ukrainian partisans claim

Russian soldiers increasingly sabotage their own boats and equipment to avoid having to storm the Dnipro River islands on the southern front, Ukrainian resistance group Atesh claimed on Dec. 10.

"There are increasing cases of sabotage among Russian soldiers to avoid being sent to storm the islands in the Dnipro delta," Atesh said on their Telegram channel.

Atesh did not provide evidence and the Kyiv Independent could not independently verify these claims.

The statement comes as Russian forces have reportedly amassed some 300 boats aiming to cross the Dnipro and take strategically important islands on the river.

The Dnipro delta lies at the river's mouth in Kherson Oblast, with the water body diving the region between Ukraine-held territories in the northwest and the Russian-occupied areas in the southeast.

From their positions on the east bank, Russian forces have been shelling the city of Kherson and the surrounding villages, killing civilians in attacks that continue to this day.

"Soldiers deliberately break engines, puncture rubber boats, and even transmit coordinates to the Ukrainian Defense Forces about the location of boat bases and fuel supplies," the group claimed.

An expert told the Kyiv Independent earlier that Russia is sending small units to storm the Dnipro islands and force Ukrainian defenders to use more shells, straining Ukraine's resources.

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The Kyiv IndependentKhrystyna Zhevlakova