Iruni Kalupahana JadeTimes Staff
I. Kalupahana is a Jadetimes news reporter covering Russia-Ukraine war
Russian forces are intensifying the battle for possession of territories along Ukraine's Dnipro River, with a view to capturing strategic points to bolster their position before possible peace negotiations, Ukraine's governor of the Kherson province Oleksandr Prokudin said. Russian forces are launching incessant efforts at attempting to break through the river at many points at great risks, Prokudin revealed. These efforts are all part of Moscow's larger plan to seize the whole Kherson region, one of four Ukrainian territories Russia has attempted to annex, as fights continue over control of strategic positions like the Antonivka road and rail bridges.
The situation on the front lines is grim, with heavy Russian losses. Prokudin emphasized that Russian commanders are instructing their troops to cross the Dnipro at any cost, even though the troops are reported to be averse to carrying out such operations. The governor also quoted intelligence as stating that some Russian troops have been told to capture villages on the opposite bank of the river as a preparatory step to possible peace talks. But these attempts have so far been unsuccessful, with Ukrainian forces in control of the pivotal western bank.
The military significance of Kherson cannot be overstated. The region, which stretches over the mouth of the Dnipro River, is of strategic infrastructure and portal to broader territorial designs in south Ukraine. Even though Russia captured the region first in the early days of the war, it was forced to leave the west bank, including the city of Kherson, in November 2022 due to logistical problems. Russia has kept claiming territorial ownership over Kherson even after leaving, proclaiming the region its territory in an annexation proclamation that still breeds tensions.
With war still burning in the background, Prokudin outlined three alternatives for the future of Ukraine and each carries dire implications for national sovereignty. One, involving toppling of the current President Volodymyr Zelenskyy by a pro-Moscow president, would naturally imply the grant of some or all territories to Moscow. A more attractive, second, possibility is that a peace agreement, with very high security guarantees, would be entered into between Europe and Ukraine. But the governor was skeptical that Europe would be willing to provide such assurances, especially without U.S. involvement. The most probable outcome, according to Prokudin, is a frozen war on current front lines, with the risk that this would allow Russia to regroup and resupply for future attacks.
Prokudin's words are in the context of ongoing peace negotiations and diplomacy between the U.S. and Russia that have pushed direct Ukrainian involvement onto the periphery. While the governor is hopeful of a resolution that secures Ukraine's future, the situation is fluid and the path to peace remains littered with challenges. The international community, and particularly the European nations, must look at their role towards framing Ukraine's future security and sovereignty as the war rages on.
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