Russian military commanders are actively defying orders to send troops on what they consider "suicidal" missions across Ukraine's Dnieper River, according to recent reports from military partisan group ATESH.
The refusal comes amid rising tensions in the Kherson region as Russian forces prepare for a planned offensive campaign. According to ATESH's Telegram post, the commanded missions are severely impacting troop morale.
Reports indicate that Russian forces had assembled approximately 300 boats earlier this month, intending to cross the Dnieper River to capture islands in the Dnipro delta. However, both commanders and soldiers are actively resisting these operations.
Soldiers from the 1196th motorized rifle regiment have reportedly resorted to extreme measures to avoid crossing the river, including deliberately damaging boats and equipment. Some troops are allegedly sharing strategic information about boat bases and fuel reserves with Ukrainian forces.
The resistance appears to be creating serious concerns for Russian military leadership, who fear these actions could derail their plans to advance on the right bank of the Kherson region. Despite increased stockpiling of ammunition and combat equipment, there appears to be widespread confusion among the units about operational objectives.
A recent attempted crossing on December 20 by Russian reconnaissance groups was successfully repelled by Ukrainian forces, despite the use of heavy artillery and smoke screens for cover. Ukrainian Southern Defense Forces report that Russian operations are primarily targeting Kozatskyi Island and Velikiy Potemkin Island.
The situation highlights growing challenges for Russian military leadership since Ukrainian forces reclaimed Kherson and nearby settlements in November 2022, pushing Russian forces to the river's eastern bank.
The ongoing resistance from both commanders and troops raises questions about Russia's ability to gather sufficient forces for their planned offensive and reclaim lost territory in the Kherson region.
Russian defense ministry officials have not yet responded to requests for comment on these developments.