The Ukrainian army reports successful operations on the eastern bank of the Dnipro River

2023-11-17 18:43:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

The Ukrainian army reports successful operations on the eastern bank of the

A Ukrainian soldier surveys an area of ??the Dnipro River at an undisclosed location in the Kherson region. Photo: Roman Pilipey/AFP

Ukrainian troops have carried out a series of successful operations on the eastern bank of the Dnipro River, the country's military said.

The claim on Friday follows official admissions by Russia and Ukraine earlier this week that Ukraine had established positions on the east side of the river, which marks the front line for a stretch of territory in southeastern Ukraine.

"The Defense Forces of Ukraine conducted a series of successful operations on the left bank of the Dnipro River, along the Kherson front," the Marine Corps of Ukraine said in a statement on social media.

Ukraine liberated Kherson and areas around the city on the west bank of the river a year ago after Russia executed a humiliating withdrawal weeks after Vladimir Putin had declared the region part of Russia.

Ukraine had hoped to push forward and retake more territory over the summer and fall, but Kiev's much-anticipated counteroffensive has struggled as Russia built formidable minefields and other defenses along the front line.

News of the troops on the east bank of the Dnipro provides some good news for Kiev at a time when Russia is on the offensive along other parts of the front.

Ukraine's hope is that establishing positions on the east side of the river could allow it to push on to Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014.

Pushing the Russians further from the riverbank would also bring relief to communities on the other side, which have been repeatedly attacked in recent months. Russian forces have been shelling towns and villages on the west bank with artillery from their positions, including the city of Kherson, which is attacked almost daily.

Russia is now on the offensive in several places, notably around the town of Avdiivka, near occupied Donetsk. Vitaliy Barabash, head of Avdiivka's military administration, said on Ukrainian television that Russian forces had brought in reinforcements and were making a push toward the city's industrial area./ CNA