UK Defense Ministry: Fighting escalates at lower Dnipro River, presents Russia with dilemma

Fighting escalates at the lower parts of the Dnipro River, presenting Russia with a dilemma of whether to redeploy troops from embattled Zaporizhzhia Oblast, the U.K. Defense Ministry said on July 19.

"Russia faces a dilemma in deciding whether to respond to these threats by strengthening its Dnipro Group of Forces at the expense of the stretched units facing the Ukrainian counteroffensive in Zaporizhzhia Oblast," the report said.

According to the ministry, intense engagements are taking place at the Ukrainian beachhead on the Dnipro River's left bank near the destroyed Antonivsky Bridge.

The two sides are fighting for islands on the Dnipro delta, using small, fast motorboats, the analysis said. Ukraine has reportedly used one-way attack drones to destroy several Russian boats, the ministry added.

London's intelligence report from July 18 said that Ukrainian forces continue to maintain a small beachhead near the Antonivsky Bridge. Kyiv reported heavy battles near the destroyed bridge on July 2 as Ukrainian troops moved to deploy troops on the Russia-occupied left bank in Kherson Oblast.