Russian troops triple daily assaults and drone terror in southern Ukraine

Russian forces ramped up assault operations over the past week in the Prydniprovskyi direction, including near Kherson. The number of drone strikes and shelling on the right bank of the Dnipro River also rose significantly, informs Vladyslav Voloshyn, spokesperson for the Southern Defense Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Voloshyn said the Russians increased assault attempts by two to three times compared to previous weeks. Instead of 2-3 daily attempts, they now carry out an average of 6 to 11.
"Russian forces have intensified activity across the entire island zone, starting from the south, where they launch one to two small assaults daily. This extends to the Antonivskyi road and railway bridges, where three to four failed attempts to seize our positions happen every day," he said.
Voloshyn added that the goal is clear: to seize footholds and maintain control. The Russians first drop supplies, ammunition, and weapons on the islands. Then they send assault troops to land and establish a presence.
"Of course, this is difficult. There is no way to even dig in on these islands — you dig, and water quickly approaches. Building any kind of shelter is also impossible. But the enemy tries to do all this," the Defense Forces spokesperson said.
Burnt earth
Voloshyn also said Russia increased shelling on the right bank by 10-15%. Mostly drone strikes, these attacks are a form of targeted terror. The enemy hits mostly civilians and infrastructure, not military targets.
"They try to create a 'dead zone' along the shore. That means destroying all fortifications and shelters, so we have nowhere to hold," he explained.
However, he said it is too early to say there is an immediate threat of a large-scale offensive or crossing of the Dnipro. That remains a distant prospect. Currently, the Russians cannot mount an assault — conditions are not in place.
Terror in the Kherson region
Russian forces continue terrorizing Kherson city and region after retreating there in autumn 2022. Recently, they have intensified drone attacks. They also heavily shelled the regional capital and liberated settlements with artillery and guided bombs.
On the night of July 13, two people were injured in Kherson after Russian artillery fire. On July 9, Russians shelled Kherson's railway station and injured three people in one district of the city.
On July 9, Russian forces attacked the village of Pravdyne in the Kherson region with a Molniya strike drone. A small boy, Dmytryk, was killed. He was only one year and two months old. On July 12, Ukrainian Armed Forces tracked and eliminated the Russians responsible for this crime.