Ukraine Thwarts Russian Attempt to Cross Key Eastern River

Ukraine announced on Tuesday that its forces repelled a Russian attempt to cross the Oskil River, a strategic waterway long considered a de facto front line in Eastern Ukraine. However, the Russian military claimed it had made advances in the southeast, controlling the villages of Novodarivka in the Zaporizhzhia region and Romanivka in the Donetsk region.

The Oskil River, originating from the western border of Russia, stretches through northeastern Ukraine, with both Russian and Ukrainian forces entrenched along parts of its banks. "As a result of a successful operation, the enemy was destroyed. The right bank of the Oskil River is under the control of our defense forces," stated the Ukrainian military.

Ukrainian military bloggers reported recent Russian movements to advance across the river near the village of Novomlynsk in the Kharkiv region (northeast). Moscow's forces are advancing in the Kharkiv area bordering Russia, nearing the town of Kupyansk, which is traversed by the Oskil River. Before the war, Kupyansk had a population of about 27,000 and was briefly occupied by Russian forces shortly after the Kremlin launched its invasion.

Ukraine recaptured Kupyansk in September 2022 during a surprise offensive that also reclaimed parts of the Kharkiv region. Simultaneously, local authorities reported on Tuesday that Russian attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure caused power outages in the west of the country.

A drone targeted Ternopil, a town in western Ukraine with 224,000 residents, experiencing a deadly strike on Monday and power network disruptions that left thousands in darkness last month. "An enemy drone hit an energy-related infrastructure facility in Ternopil. Part of the city experienced a power outage," stated the city's mayor, Serhiy Nadal.

Overnight strikes also targeted the Rivne region in the west, according to its governor, Oleksandr Koval. "Another enemy attack on the Rivne region. An infrastructure facility related to energy was targeted," Koval posted on social media, without detailing the damages caused by the strike. The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Russia launched 28 drones at Ukraine, with 22 being shot down.