(KHERSON OBLAST, UKRAINE) – Today there is significant news from the Kherson direction. Russian forces believed they had firm control over islands on the Dnipro River and considered them secure from a Ukrainian counterattack. Ukrainian forces have now conducted a multi stage operation to clear several of these islands and forced Russian units to withdraw.
Russian drone operators had been conducting strikes against Ukrainian civilians using kamikaze drones and drone dropped grenades in an effort to intimidate residents and turn the opposite bank of the Dnipro into a no go area. The islands served as staging grounds for attacks on Ukrainian positions across the river. Ukrainian forces hold a tactical advantage on the higher bank.
The stated objective of the Ukrainian operation was to compel Russian troops to withdraw from the islands and reduce constant drone attacks on the city of Kherson.
The initial phase focused on striking Russian depots and command centres near the frontline that sustained aerial pressure. Drones from Ukraine’s Venom unit targeted positions used by Russian drone operators as storage sites and launch points. These strikes hit locations from which Russian drones were deployed and coordinated.
Specialised drone dropped munitions were employed, including a modified TM 62 mine fitted with stabilising fins to enable aerial deployment. These actions were critical for later phases because they degraded Russian drone reconnaissance and reduced its ability to conduct retaliatory strikes. By disrupting surveillance and targeting coordination, Ukrainian forces denied Russian units situational awareness and precise fire support.
The second phase involved Ukrainian FPV drones targeting boat crossings and reinforcement routes between the islands. The aim was to isolate Russian units by cutting off conventional resupply, restricting evacuation of wounded personnel and preventing troop rotations. This left them reliant mainly on limited drone based logistics.
Geolocated footage shows Ukrainian aerial reconnaissance identifying Russian motorboats moving between islands and striking them while in transit. Surviving troops attempted to swim to shore and conceal themselves in reeds but were later eliminated by additional drone strikes.
Further command and observation posts in the rear around Oleshky were also targeted to disrupt coordination after the destruction of operator hideouts near the frontline. Geolocated footage shows a Ukrainian MiG 29 conducting a precision strike with a French supplied Hammer guided bomb against a Russian command and observation post. The strike disrupted local command elements and further weakened the chain of command in the area.
The final phase concentrated on systematically weakening remaining Russian positions through sustained cumulative strikes. Hideouts, logistical points and troop concentrations were targeted, making it increasingly difficult for Russian forces to maintain cohesion. By combining aerial precision strikes, FPV drone attacks and destruction of key infrastructure, Ukrainian forces rendered the Russian presence on parts of the islands unsustainable.
Russian forces have since withdrawn from some islands, according to Ukrainian military spokesman Vladyslav Voloshyn, who cited intelligence data. He said deteriorating morale and psychological strain among Russian troops worsened following the Ukrainian assault and contributed to the pullback.
Remaining on the islands would have left Russian units without reliable supplies and under constant drone attack, risking eventual destruction. Russian high command reportedly assessed that holding the islands was not viable due to insufficient reserves.
