Russian troops try to cross dry Kakhovka Reservoir to bypass Ukrainian defenses
Photo: The Kakhovka Reservoir has effectively turned into a vast meadow (Getty Images)
Russian troops are trying to maneuver across the dry bed of the former Kakhovka Reservoir, which was destroyed by them in 2023, to bypass Ukrainian defense positions in the Zaporizhzhia region, said Vladyslav Voloshyn, spokesperson for the Southern Defense Forces.
He said the reservoir bed has turned into a large meadow covered with dense vegetation, which Russian forces are trying to use to their advantage.
"The enemy is attempting to move through this thick vegetation, across the bottom of the former Kakhovka Reservoir, to bypass our positions near Plavni and Prymorske and to flank us from the west. But we detect and destroy them," Voloshyn said.
He added that soldiers from Ukraine's Defense Intelligence (HUR) conducted a sweep near the Velyki Kuchuhury islands, located within the former reservoir. Russian forces also tried to advance there, attempting to move past Ukrainian positions.
"This area remains under special control," the Defense Forces spokesperson said.
Voloshyn also noted that several settlements in the eastern part of the Zaporizhzhia region, including Uspenivka and Novomykolaivka, are now in the so-called gray zone.
Kakhovka dam explosion
More than two years ago, on the night of June 6, 2023, Russian forces blew up the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant, causing severe consequences. Water from the reservoir flooded many settlements across Kherson, Mykolaiv, Zaporizhzhia, and Dnipropetrovsk regions.
Earlier, soldiers from the Special Unit Tymur of Ukraine's Main Intelligence raised the Ukrainian flag over the islands in the Kakhovka Reservoir area.
RBC-Ukraine also reported on what is currently happening at the site of the destroyed reservoir and shared forecasts for the future.
