Conflicts & War

Ukraine crosses the Dnieper and attacks Kherson while waiting for more ATACMS missiles

Kiev/Moscow, Oct. 19 (EFE) – The Ukrainian army has crossed the Dnieper River into the occupied part of the Kherson region, where it liberated at least one town while awaiting the arrival of more ATACMS missiles and F-16 aircraft.

The pulse on the left bank of the Dnieper

The Ukrainian army is threatening to break the Russian defenses in Kherson with landings on the left bank of the Dnieper and is trying to establish itself in these positions.

In its report on Thursday, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces hinted at the liberation of the town of Pischanivka, noting that Russian aviation had bombed it.

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) confirmed Ukrainian advances north of Pishanivka and neighboring Poima, both about 3 kilometers east of the Dnieper, based on geolocated imagery.

However, the Moscow-imposed governor of Kherson, Vladimir Saldo, said by telegram that “the enemy’s attempts to gain a foothold on the left bank were unsuccessful” and that they withdrew after suffering heavy losses.

Ukraine has made several unsuccessful attempts to cross the Dnieper, but in August it managed to raise the yellow and blue flag for the first time in the dacha area near the Antonivka bridge.

Expensive developments in Avdivka

In turn, Russian forces made “advances confirmed by geolocated imagery” on a highway south of the city of Avdivka, according to the ISW.

Last week, Russia launched a major offensive to surround and take the city, which had an estimated population of 31,000 in 2021 and now barely exceeds 1,600.

Ukraine has never lost control of Avdivka and has turned it into one of its main bastions in the Donetsk region, from which it constantly harasses the regional capital, making it a priority target for Russian forces.

This offensive, according to Ukraine, has cost the lives of thousands of Russian soldiers, a price too high compared to the gains made.

“They made a tactical advance in the Krasnohirivka area, but compared to the losses they suffered there, this tactical advance (…) is not worth it,” Ukrainian military analyst Denis Popovich said in statements to UNIAN.

Calls for evacuation

However, the head of the city’s military administration, Vitali Barabash, told Ukrainian television that the situation in Avdivka is “really very difficult,” which prevents the delivery of humanitarian aid to civilians.

“We have even stopped the delivery of humanitarian aid during this period of intensified fighting,” he said, noting that there are still stocks of food and medicine.

According to Barabash, “1,601 people remain in the city.”

“We are continuing the evacuation bit by bit (…) I hope that the current circumstances will make people decide to evacuate,” he said.

Aid from the West, the foreign front of the war

Meanwhile, aid from the West is another front in the war: the President of the United States, Joe Biden, will address the nation on Thursday to ask for $100 billion in aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan.

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