Ukraine claims significant gains in counteroffensive against Russia

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Ukrainian forces have established several fortified bridgeheads on the Russian-occupied left bank of the Dnipro river in their most significant territorial gains for weeks in their otherwise stalled counteroffensive.

Ukraine’s military confirmed the advances in a statement on Friday without naming where they were.

“The Ukrainian marines, in co-operation with other units of the defence forces, managed to gain a foothold on several bridgeheads,” read the statement.

Russia also acknowledged the Ukrainian presence for the first time. Vladimir Saldo, the Moscow-appointed governor of Russian-occupied Kherson province, said on Telegram that Ukrainian forces were in one area, near the village of Krynky — 18 miles north-east of Kherson city.

A western official on Thursday said Ukraine had moved “elements of three brigades” to the Russian-occupied east bank of the river, and confirmed reports last week by Russian military bloggers that Ukraine has moved some vehicles across.

A brigade typically numbers 2,000 to 5,000 soldiers but the official said the Ukrainian contingent probably consisted of “hundreds”.

The western official said Russian forces had not been able to push them back and the Ukrainians had established a “significant foothold” in the area.

Ukrainian forces liberated Kherson city a year ago, pushing the Russian forces across the Dnipro river, where they fortified their positions. The wide waterway has become the frontline, given the difficulty for Ukraine to ferry men and equipment across the water under threat of Russian artillery fire.

Soon after freeing Kherson city, Ukraine began launching reconnaissance raids, stepping up operations in the spring. Over summer, western military analysts and Britain’s defence ministry…