Russian military bloggers have provided enough geolocation images and accounts to confirm that Ukrainian troops have taken up positions in eastern Kherson Oblast, although their intentions and the extent of those positions are unknown, the Institute for the Study of War said.

Geolocation images published by a Russian media blogger on Saturday show that Ukrainian troops have taken up positions on the banks of the Dnieper north of Oleshok (7 km southwest of the city of Kherson) and have advanced to the northern outskirts of the settlement on the E97 route. , as well as west of Dacha (10 km south of Kherson).

These images also indicate that Russian forces may not be in control of islands in the Kinka and Chaika rivers less than half a kilometer north of geolocated Ukrainian positions near the Antoniv Bridge.

The Russians admit that the enemy has created positions on the eastern bank of the Dnieper

On Thursday and Saturday of that April, Russian military bloggers claimed that Ukrainian forces had been holding positions on the eastern bank of Kherson Oblast for weeks, had established stable supply lines to those positions, and were making regular incursions into the area — all of which points to a lack of Russian control over the territory.

Another blogger’s battle map shows that Russian forces do not control some islands in the Dnipro River delta southwest of the city of Kherson, indicating a possible Ukrainian advance on these islands.

Some Russian military bloggers complained that the slow rate of fire of Russian artillery, due to the excessive centralization of Russian military command, allowed Ukrainian forces to land on the eastern bank

Russian forces are likely to prioritize defense in cities such as Oleshki and Nova Kakhovka, leaving the islands in the Dnieper River delta uncontested.

The extent and intentions of these Ukrainian positions remain unclear, as does Ukraine’s ability and desire to maintain its position in this area.