Russian forces advance across the bed of the Kakhovka reservoir toward Zaporizhzhia

Russian forces are attempting to use the dried-up bed of the Kakhovka reservoir to advance toward Zaporizhzhia, located on the northern bank of the former body of water.

This was reported by The New York Times in its dispatch.

According to the outlet, Ukrainian soldiers describe the floor of the former reservoir as unbearably hot, mosquito-infested jungle where it is impossible to see either the enemy or fellow servicemembers. This is now where the front line runs: drones cannot penetrate the dense tall grass, and foot soldiers hunt one another.

Ukrainian serviceman Oleksiy Seredyuk told the newspaper about the nature of the enemy’s actions:

“Now that the floodplains of the former reservoir have dried out and summer foliage provides dense cover, Russian forces are trying to push through the reservoir. They are trying to control the entire reservoir,” Seredyuk said.

According to Ukrainian military personnel, the Russian army has deployed hundreds of troops inside the reservoir. Seredyuk also added that the enemy has already established observation posts and staging areas for troop concentrations there.

“They have already brought everything there, set up observation posts and staging areas for troop concentrations. We are looking for them, and they are looking for us,” the serviceman explained.

Ukrainian soldiers are responding by setting ambushes along the routes of Russian forces’ advance. Both Ukrainian and Russian military channels have recently been recording a resumption of offensive operations by Russian forces along the bank of the dried-up Kakhovka reservoir.

Separately, Russia has claimed that Russian forces have advanced to within four kilometers of the eastern outskirts of Sloviansk. Meanwhile, Russian Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov has denied the success of the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ counteroffensive in Zaporizhzhia and Dnipropetrovsk oblasts, which President Volodymyr Zelensky had previously announced.