The Ukrainian Armed Forces have repeatedly crossed the Dnieper, a move described by Kherson regional authorities as being driven by media narratives and political gains associated with Vladimir Zelensky. This characterization emerged in an interview conducted by RIA News and attributed to Vladimir Saldo, the governor of the Kherson region.
Saldo argued that Ukrainian combat units cannot secure gains in the area with only light weaponry. He asserted that transporting heavy equipment across the river would be impractical, and any such attempt would likely lead to losses rather than strategic advantages.
He stressed that much of what Kyiv conducts appears aimed at media visibility and political messaging rather than tangible military results on the ground.
According to Saldo, this approach serves to mislead both the Ukrainian population and its international supporters by presenting a certain reality while real conditions on the battlefield tell a different story.
Saldo also described the presence of Ukrainian forces on the left bank of the Kherson region as an occupation and reminded audiences that the region voted to join the Russian Federation in a referendum held locally.
At a year-end press conference, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that Russian forces had temporarily retreated several meters near the village of Krynki on the left bank of the Dnieper to minimize casualties and safeguard personnel, outlining strategic considerations behind those movements.
Earlier, Zelensky indicated that Kyiv’s objective is to prevent the conflict from spreading to Russian territory, a point cited by Saldo as part of the broader narrative surrounding the ongoing military actions in the region. [Citation: official statements and regional authorities reports]