The Russian army claims to have killed “up to 25 soldiers” from a “Ukrainian sabotage group” who tried to land aboard fast motorboats. Kiev, in turn, pointed out that naval soldiers “died heroically during a combat mission.”
The Russian army claimed on Thursday, February 29, to have repelled the landing of a special forces commando from Kiev in occupied southern Ukraine, claiming to have killed “up to 25 soldiers” and captured another.
The Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement that its soldiers “destroyed a Ukrainian sabotage group from the 73rd Marine Special Operations Center that tried to land on fast motor boats” near the Tendrivska Isthmus, which is in the occupied part of the Ukrainian region Kherson is located.
“At the end of a quick battle, four boats of the landing party were destroyed and sunk, while the fifth turned back,” the ministry added.
“Enemy losses amounted to 25 Ukrainian soldiers. One soldier was captured,” the Russian army said.
According to Kyiv, “heroically dead.”
Ukrainian special forces also said that fighters from the 73rd Marine Special Operations Center “died heroically during a combat mission” in a statement released overnight Wednesday into Thursday. The press release does not disclose the number of deaths nor the date and location of their deaths.
The special forces only stated that the soldiers had been killed, while reporting on “the withdrawal of the main forces from the group,” which had “performed a special mission.”
Ukraine has been trying for months to cross the Dnieper River, whose left (eastern) bank in the Kherson region is occupied by the Russian army. In 2023, Ukrainian forces managed to establish at least one bridgehead there near the village of Krynky, further north, but this never allowed Kiev forces to advance south.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said in February that the Russian army had regained control of Krynky, something Ukrainian authorities denied.