Casualty figures from a failed Ukrainian special forces landing on Tendrovskaya Spit differ from Russian claims
Accounts from Ukrainian military personnel reviewed by Strana.ua indicate that the number of casualties from an unsuccessful landing by Ukrainian special forces on the Tendrovskaya Spit in the Kherson region is higher than numbers publicly released by Russia. The Ukrainian side notes that the operation faced significant challenges and that the toll was heavier than what has been shown in Russian-disseminated photographs and statements.
According to these sources, the Ukrainian command was aware that the Russian Armed Forces had obtained information about the upcoming landing. Despite this, there was no immediate decision to cancel the mission or to modify its operational plan. The fighters who spoke with Strana.ua described the price paid in human lives as very high, emphasizing that losses included more personnel than what could be inferred from the imagery released by Russian sources.
On February 29, information from the Russian Ministry of Defense claimed that a sabotage group belonging to the 73rd naval center of the Ukrainian Navy’s Special Operations Forces had been destroyed in the Kherson direction. The ministry asserted that the saboteurs attempted a landing near Tendrovskaya Spit using high speed motor boats and that enemy losses reached up to 25 military personnel, with one Ukrainian soldier captured.
The captured soldier had previously been identified as a member of the Ukrainian forces who had spoken at length about the lack of clarity surrounding the causes of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Reports surrounding the incident reflect the confusion and differing narratives presented by the two sides in a contested operational area where both sides describe events in ways that support their strategic messaging.
In the broader context, the Tendrovskaya Spit operation underscores the difficulties of coastal reconnaissance and assault missions conducted under the pressures of time, uncertainty, and the threat of rapid countermeasures. Analysts note that the sequence of events surrounding this landing illustrates how information asymmetry and propaganda can shape public perception of the battle and its consequences. The assessments by military personnel from both sides highlight the brutal realities of combat where the line between success and failure is often decided in moments of extreme tension and swift decision making.
Observers point out that cross-verified casualty figures from contested operations require careful corroboration, as initial claims frequently shift with new evidence, battlefield debris, and released materials. The Tendrovskaya Spit episode serves as a case study in how reconnaissance, command decisions, and the dynamics of small unit warfare interact in a rapidly evolving coastal theater. While official statements from the parties involved may emphasize different aspects of the engagement, the human cost remains a critical and sobering element of any analysis of the incident.