The Kakhovka Dam explosion altered Ukrainian forces' original battle plan, as it caused widespread flooding and changed the operational landscape. According to the Associated Press, special forces officers spent six months adapting their fight to secure a crossing to the other side of the Dnipro River in southern Ukraine.
By late May, Center 73-- an elite unit of the special forces took place along the river's edge. During the initial phase of the operation, an explosion destroyed the dam and tragically resulted in the loss of numerous civilian lives, with devastating consequences for Ukrainian army positions. Ukrainian soldier, Sfik, told the Associated Press, "We were ready to cross. And then the dam blew up."
The soldiers were equipped with cutting-edge gear including night-vision goggles, rapid-assembly waterproof rifles, underwater breathing apparatuses, and cloaks to help conceal their heat signature during raids at night. Business Insider reported that a Russian officer who had opposed the invasion of Ukraine from the beginning, surrendered along with 11 of his comrades, and helped Ukrainian special forces secure a key part to the river. By mid-October a drone flew above Krynky at the same moment Skif and his soldiers made their way across the river. The photo-op had been secured and served as proof that the road was cleared.
By November/December, multiple Ukrainian brigades were sent to hold the position and currently remain there. Russia has been hitting back with waves of glide bombs, grenade-launching drones and Chinese all-terrain vehicles as revealed by the Institute for the Study of War and the Hudson Institute who are analyzing open-source footage from the area.
During a recent press briefing, Russian President Vladimir Putin commented on the conflict, acknowledging that Russian forces had retreated "several meters." However, according to the AP, he maintained that Ukrainian forces were engaged in a futile struggle, incurring greater losses than any territorial gains.
Putin had been quoted as saying, "I don't even know why they're doing this."
