Moscow's attempting to calm the tempest
The situation in Ukraine's eastern bank of the Dnipro River, specifically in Kherson, is causing a stir among Russian military bloggers. They're grumbling about the Ukrainian troops' presence and the Russian military's apparent struggle to quell their operations. The Russian Ministry of Defense and officials, on the other hand, are playing down the uproar.
Defense Minister Shoigu, as reported by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), is trying to squash the commotion by declaring that Russian armed forces prevented all Ukrainian attempts to launch successful amphibious operations in Kherson. According to Shoigu, they inflicted "colossal" losses on the Ukrainian forces.
Despite Shoigu's assurance, the ISW doesn't believe this will quiet the tumult in the Russian information space. Russian military bloggers are vocal about their concerns, citing the Ukrainian attacks on the eastern bank of the Dnipro and the Russian military's apparent inability to repel them. A blogger even reported the death of a Russian assault group near Krynky, just 2 kilometers from the Dnipro River.
A Russian soldier from the Black Sea Fleet operating near Krynky also voiced his discontent through a video critique of his own military. He claimed that wounded Russian soldiers were forced to join attacks, and for every Russian soldier in the Krynky area, there were three Ukrainian drones. A soldier's letter, published by a military blogger, echoed similar sentiments, complaining about a lack of reconnaissance drones, fire support, and interaction with other Russian units.
The Russian government is trying to brush off the international outcry over Russia's attacks in the Kherson region, downplaying the losses of servicemen to maintain morale. Despite their denials, Russian forces continue to engage in artillery fire and drone attacks on the right bank of the Dnipro. Russian officials also claim they've evacuated all civilians from Kherson to free up military resources.
Source: www.ntv.de
Russian Ministry of Defense's responses to Ukrainian advances on the eastern bank of the Dnipro in Kherson region, although not directly addressed, can be inferred from several indicators:
- Troop Reinforcements: The Russian Ministry of Defense has sent up to 1,000 newly mobilized soldiers to the right bank of the Dnipro River to strengthen defenses against the Ukrainian counteroffensive in Kherson [3].
- Denial of Losses: Russian officials are attempting to minimize the actual casualties of servicemen by maintaining that command is concealing the extent of their losses to preserve morale [3].
- Continued Attacks: Despite Ukrainian progress, Russian forces persist in conducting artillery fire and drone attacks on the right bank of the Dnipro, showing their determination to maintain control of the area [1][2].
- Evacuation of Civilians: Russian officials claim that civilians have been evacuated from Kherson, which may be an attempt to mitigate the impact of Ukrainian advances on civilian populations and to free up military resources for defense [3].
Overall, while the Russian Ministry of Defense has not directly addressed the specific concerns over Ukrainian advances on the eastern bank of the Dnipro, their actions indicate a strategic focus on reinforcing defenses and maintaining control through continued military operations and evacuations.
