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The summer 2023 has ended but the Ukrainian spring counteroffensive is yet to bring any victories on the frontlines. Awaiting for the breakthrough in the Zaporozhie region, Ukrainian assault groups continue operations on the eastern bank of the Dnieper River and on the islands in the Kherson region. They are attempting to gain a foothold on the Russian territories in order to launch offensives from the western direction and cut off the Russian grouping in the case of success on the Zaporozhie front. According to unofficial reports from the Kherson frontlines, the Ukrainian military gained another small bridgehead on the Russian eastern bank. Assault forces of the 126th brigade of the Ukrainian Territorial Defense recently landed near the village of Podstepnoe. They reportedly continue equipping a stronghold to the north of the village, where their previous bridgehead was destroyed in mid-August. Then, the Ukrainian grouping of about 150 servicemen was destroyed, some of whom fled to the western bank, abandoning numerous trophies, including presents from the West. Russian military sources also reported that Ukrainian forces are now strengthening the grouping on their western bank, likely preparing for the battles for the bridgehead near Podstepnoe and Cossac Laheri. Up to 120 additional servicemen of the Territorial Defense of Ukraine were reportedly deployed near Tokarevka. The Ukrainian military is also still in control of a small bridgehead near the Antonovsky bridge, where they are hiding in the destroyed village of Dachas. Artillery shelling and strikes with heavy bombs prevented them from expanding their zone of control; but the Russian military is yet to destroy the enemy grouping near the bridge. After Kiev blew up the Kakhovskaya dam, Russian servicemen were forced to abandon their positions on the islands in the Dnieper delta but in their turn, Ukrainian forces also could not launch operations in the area and establish new strongholds on the islands while under close fire control of the Russian artillery. Numerous Ukrainian boats were destroyed along with their crews there. Unofficial reports from the front recently claimed that Ukrainian artillery was shelling the island of Nestryga located near the island Borschevoy to the east of the village of Kyzomis which is under Ukrainian control. If confirmed, this means that Russian forces are operating in the area and the large islands of Belogrudy and Malyi Belogrudy are already in the Russian rear. The ongoing military operations in the Kherson region could not bring any strategic victories until the Ukrainian military advances on the Zaporozhie frontlines. Until the counteroffensive is stuck, any major operations on the eastern bank of the Dnieper are risky and almost senseless.
