Russian President Vladimir Putin launched his “special military operation” in the Eastern European country on February 24, hoping to see a quick victory. However, Ukraine responded with a stronger-than-expected defense that prevented Putin’s troops from achieving any meaningful objectives in the nearly seven months of the conflict. In recent weeks, Ukraine’s successes have allowed it to launch its own counter-offensives to retake formerly occupied territories in the southern and eastern regions of the country. A counterattack near Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, appeared to catch Russia by surprise, forcing it to retreat from key cities such as Izium. A second counteroffensive in Kherson — a southern city strategically located near Crimea, the region Russia annexed in 2014 — has been making slower progress since it began in August. Russia and Ukraine continue to battle over control of the region, with British intelligence suggesting Moscow is now stepping up attacks on civilian infrastructure amid casualties. Above, Ukrainian soldiers pose outside Izium, Ukraine, on September 17. Ukrainian troops have reportedly trapped Russian forces in the Dnipro River amid their counteroffensive to retake occupied territory in the south, according to a Ukrainian official. JUAN BARRETO/AFP via Getty Images However, some Russian troops have now found themselves “sandwiched” between Ukrainian forces and the Dnipro River, Natalia Khomenyuk, who serves as head of the joint press center of the Southern Ukrainian Defense Forces, said during an appearance on the Ukrainian parliament. channel on Monday. “The fire control that we maintain on the crossings and transport arteries along the Dnipro makes them understand that they are between the defense forces and the right bank—units that are in that part of the Kherson region,” he said, according to The New. Voice of Ukraine. He added that Russian troops were offered a way out “under the auspices of international humanitarian law” or given the opportunity to return home. Humenyuk also said she received information that Russian troops have been demoralized and that some see no need to remain trapped between Ukrainian troops on the Dnipro River, according to The New Voice of Ukraine.
Russian casualties continue amid Ukrainian counterattacks
Khomeiniuk’s remarks come just a day after Britain’s Ministry of Defense said Russia, faced with mounting setbacks, had increased its targeting of civilian infrastructure, including strikes on Ukraine’s power grid “in an effort to directly undermine the morale of the Ukrainian people and the government”. The Kremlin has also continued to target Ukrainian power plants in recent days. The Ukrainian military on Monday released video showing the exact moment a Russian missile exploded about 900 feet from the Pivdennoukrainsk nuclear power plant. The attack came amid already existing fears that Russian attacks on nuclear power plants could lead to a nuclear disaster in Ukraine. Newsweek has reached out to the Russian Defense Ministry for comment.
