According to a Ukrainian official, soldiers from Ukraine have successfully gained a position on the eastern side of the Dnipro River in the southern Kherson region.

Despite facing significant challenges, the military of Ukraine has managed to establish a presence on the eastern side of the Dnipro River, as stated by Andriy Yermak, the chief of staff for President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Yermak made this announcement during a speech at a think tank in Washington on Tuesday, according to the Associated Press.

Ukraine had been trying to remove Russia from the strategically important eastern side of the river. This area acts as a natural barrier, stopping Ukraine from moving further into the Kherson region and towards the Russian-annexed Crimea.

The river also enabled Russia to gather troops in other strongly fortified and mined areas of eastern Ukraine, like Zaporizhzhia.

The governor of Kherson, Vladimir Saldo, who was installed by the Russian government, acknowledged that Ukrainian soldiers have established a presence on the eastern side of the Dnipro River. However, they are operating in small units and suffering significant casualties.

“Our reinforcements have been deployed. The opposing forces are currently confined in Krynky and we have planned a devastating attack including bombs, rockets, flamethrowers, artillery, and drones,” stated Saldo.

Natalia Humeniuk, representative of Ukraine’s southern military division, characterized the battlefront as “quite changeable”, with Ukrainian soldiers exerting pressure on Russian forces along the river.

In the past, Russia held authority over territories on the western bank of the river, including Kherson city, but abandoned those positions in the previous year.

The Ukrainian counterattack has been perceived to be progressing at a slower pace, but gaining ground on the eastern side of the Dnipro River could have a significant impact on Kyiv’s goals by forcing Russia to stretch its forces thinner across the front line.

The data included in this report was extracted from the Associated Press and Reuters.