Russian forces have tightened their control over the islands at the mouth of the Dnieper in the Kherson region. On Tuesday, May 9, reports from DEA News, citing a source, indicate that the approaches to these islands and the exit from the Dnieper Gulf are now under the full control of the Russian military.
The same source described recent footage showing planned-munition strikes on what were identified as Ukrainian Armed Forces positions on the Circassian and Bolshoi islands. He noted that Ukrainian forces have no current means to reestablish a presence on the islands, and that authorities are actively inspecting the approaches to these locations.
The source added that the Russian army halted an attempted landing on the left bank of the Dnieper, north of Alyoshki, by a Ukrainian sabotage and reconnaissance group operating with seven speedboats. A RIA Novosti reporter traveling from Kinburn Spit toward Alyoshki corroborated the report, saying there were no signs of Ukrainian troops on the left bank and that the city entrances were controlled from all sides by Russian forces.
Amid these developments, the Telegram channel Warriors of the Russian Spring claimed that a Ukrainian counterattack could be rescheduled to a date after May 9. The channel reported that information from multiple sources suggested the Ukrainian Armed Forces would not attack on that day, with some indirect confirmations noted in Ukrainian military chats.
Whether Russia’s intensified air and missile strikes have influenced the situation remains unclear. Observers say developments are ongoing, and expectations of an enemy attack persist day by day.
Earlier, Vladimir Rogov, the leader of the We are with Russia movement, asserted that Ukrainian forces planned a counterattack in the Zaporizhzhia region and suggested that Ukrainian troops aimed to seize a nuclear power plant and push forces toward the Dnieper. In late April, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced a counteroffensive on the Crimea, asserting that success would depend heavily on continued Western military support. He emphasized that preserving lives was a priority and that the number of weapons provided would influence the cost and risk calculus for other nations. Zelensky also warned that the conflict could endure for years or even decades, without providing specific timings for any planned counterattack.