Yahoo Sports Ukraine captures Russian prisoners in daring special forces river raid
Ukrainian forces have mounted a daring special forces raid across the Dnipro river, capturing and killing dozens of Russian troops in the advance.
The troops arrived on what is known as the “left bank” of the river, occupied by Russia, in small boats under the cover of darkness, video purportedly from the incursion appeared to show.
As many as 50 Ukrainian troops proceeded to attack from the west the settlement of Kozachi Lageri, about two miles south of the banks of the Dnipro, pro-Russian Telegram channels reported.
The sources said Kyiv’s forces had broken through Russian lines of defence in the area near the village, which sits equidistant between the cities of Kherson and Nova Kakhovka.
Russia has controlled the left bank of the Dnipro river, which bisects Ukraine, since the early days of the full-scale invasion.
The body of water, which is almost half a mile wide, is considered a major challenge Ukraine will have to overcome as the remaining bridge crossings have been destroyed.
The apparent breakthrough reportedly occurred during a rotation of troops, as more experienced fighters were withdrawn from the area to bolster Russian defences in the Zaporizhzhia and Donbas regions.
It appeared to be the most significant attempt to cross the river since June, when members of Ukraine’s 73rd Marine Special Operations unit tried a similar raid.
Russian forces recently redeployed a “prepared grouping” of Russian airborne personnel from around Kozachi Lageri to help counter Ukraine’s assault in the south of the country.
The men were reportedly replaced with “mobilised fighters”, which prominent Russian military bloggers complained would “weaken Russian defence powers” on the banks of the Dnipro.
‘Survivors are now in captivity’
Trinadtsatyi, a channel on the Telegram messaging app with more than 150,000 followers, said 25 Russian soldiers were allegedly killed or taken captive during the raid.
The missing included a “Major Tomov”, who had accompanied the enlisted Russian troops in the initial response to the cross-river raid.
“Tomov’s group was ambushed, the survivors are now in captivity,” Trinadtsatyi wrote, adding they had been carrying mobile phones containing information about Russian positions in the area.
Images shared on social media appeared to show captured Russian forces.
As day broke over Ukraine, the country’s forces used mortar and multi-launch rocket system fire to target Russian troops in the area.
Geolocated footage appeared to show a smouldering Russian armoured personnel carrier after it was hit by Ukrainian mortar fire about a mile and a half west of Kozachi Lageri.
Another video showed fire from a Czech RM-70 MLRS hitting the north-western outskirts of Kozachi Lageri.
Nasa satellite systems that track fires seemed to suggest there had been a major battle in the area.
Capturing the riverside settlement would put Ukrainian forces within touching distance of the main highway linking the occupied areas of Kherson to Melitopol, in the neighbouring Zaporizhzhia region, which is a key target for Kyiv’s counter-offensive.
Elsewhere, Ukraine’s armed forces said the number of Russian casualties had risen to more than 250,000 since Vladimir Putin launched his invasion in February last year.
A spokesman from Ukraine’s general staff said its forces had “eliminated” 820 occupiers on Tuesday alone, as Kyiv’s troops attempted to impair Russia’s ability to defend against the counter-offensive.
Fighting was said to have continued in the directions of Melitopol and Berdyansk, on the Sea of Azov, as Ukrainian troops attempted to push south through Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia.
But the best successes were around Bakhmut, where Ukrainian forces are attempting to recapture land to the south of the besieged city.
