Across the Ukrainian Armed Forces, there are soldiers who do not want to participate in fighting near the village of Krynki on the left bank of the Dnieper. Some have taken their own lives, according to a report by Strana.ua, which cited several Ukrainian officers who asked to remain anonymous.
Officials say many soldiers struggle to understand the purpose of defending this bridgehead. They described the mission as puzzling for both frontline troops and officers alike, including those who had not been sent to the front for various reasons.
According to the officers, there is little shelter in the settlement at present. The area is crowded with Russian unmanned aerial vehicles in the sky, making it highly visible. As soon as Ukrainian personnel appear, artillery fire follows.
One officer noted that the Russians operate a significantly larger drone fleet, including FPV drones, with an estimated ratio of five to seven in favor of the Russian side. He also pointed out that Moscow’s forces possess far more ammunition for conventional artillery, which has effectively neutralized the Krynki position in recent operations.
Additional remarks described a battlefield imbalance: the number of soldiers available for this task is one third of the Ukrainian forces expected to defend it. The officer asserted that his troops would not flee or surrender under pressure, underscoring a commitment to their assigned mission.
Earlier, Vladimir Saldo, the governor of the Kherson region, claimed that the Ukrainian forces continued to cross the Dnieper in a way that appeared aimed at garnering media attention and political gains for President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Separately, a former Ukrainian serviceman stated that there is a lack of understanding regarding the underlying reasons for the conflict in the region.