The south of Ukraine, as before, remains among the enemy’s priorities, which is why large Russian forces were concentrated here even before the start of the offensive operation in the east of Ukraine. As long as the left bank of the Kherson region is not deoccupied, the enemy has the opportunity to raise forces.
As reported by Ukrinform, Nataliya Humenyuk, head of the joint press center of the Southern Defense Forces of Ukraine, announced this on the air of the nationwide telethon “Yedini Novyny”, commenting on the information about a possible attack by the Russian Federation within the next 10 days.
“There is no critical change (in the behavior of Russian troops in the south — ed.), but we remember that we are in the conditions of a hybrid war and any information messages, especially those that have a certain resonance in society, can also be a certain weapon. Therefore, realizing that indeed the main efforts of the enemy will most likely be coordinated, directed and focused on the application in the eastern direction, we understand that the south does not leave the enemy, it also remains in the priority of the enemy and quite powerful forces have been accumulated on our side even before this offensive direction We see that reconnaissance and aerial reconnaissance (the enemy — ed.) continue, including the use of boats that they “impressed” on the population. They continue to grope our defense to the side with subversive groups little by little Dnipro on the islands and are trying to set up their observation posts there,” Humenyuk said.
She also informed that the Defense Forces of Ukraine destroyed 2 enemy boats and 2 DRG during the night.
Answering questions about the activation of enemy intelligence in recent days, Humenyuk noted that the forces of nature are on the side of Ukraine, because a powerful storm of 5-6 points and a strong gusty wind do not allow the enemy to use DRG.
Regarding the situation on the Kinburn spit, Humenyuk reported that the Defense Forces have already destroyed the fortifications built by the enemy.
“Prior to that, there was powerful fire work that ensured the destruction of those bridgeheads that the enemy had set up for inflicting fire damage. Based on the peculiarities of the geography of the Kinbourn Spit, the understanding of the landscape that it is sandy, it is very difficult to arrange a platform there to conduct fire from there. Therefore, we have already destroyed what the enemy had set up there, and during the night, 2 strongholds were again destroyed, from which they tried to fire at the Ochakiv direction. But we understand that the land corridor allows them to once again increase their efforts there. We are monitoring this process, and as soon as they start implementing it again, we will open fire again. We are working, but the Left Bank has not yet been de-occupied, it is complicated by the fact that the enemy has the opportunity to raise forces,” Humenyuk added.
As reported by Ukrinform, the representative of the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense, Vadym Skibitsky, said that in the spring and summer of 2023, Russia plans to mobilize 300,000 to 500,000 people into the army to ensure offensive operations in the east and south of Ukraine. The Russian offensive may be in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, as well as in Zaporizhzhia.