Credit: The 40th Coastal Defense Brigade of the Ukrainian Marine Corps
In a desperate search for freedom, a group of Russian soldiers cram into a small boat and set off from a swampy island in the Dnipro Delta.
Dressed in makeshift camouflage of reeds and mud, they lie low in the water, hoping that the narrow channels will conceal their escape into Russian-occupied territory.
But high above them, Ukrainian troops are watching their every move.
Soon the buzz of a suicide drone cuts through the fog. It floats on the boat. And then it explodes.
Credit: The 40th Coastal Defense Brigade of the Ukrainian Marine Corps
This fleeting, brutal encounter captures the reality of life – and death – on the Dnipro River, where hundreds of Russian troops are reportedly stranded and starving on an archipelago south of Kherson.
“The area is a death zone for Russia,” Colonel Oleksandr Zavtonov of Ukraine's 30th Marine Corps told The Telegraph. “There's nowhere to hide.”
The islands lie in the vast Dnipro Delta, a labyrinth of reed-covered swamps and narrow waterways that form a natural buffer south of Kherson.
Since Ukrainian forces liberated the southern city in November 2022, the river has become a de facto frontline.
The right bank is controlled by Ukraine and the low-lying, flood-prone left bank is occupied by Russian troops.
Constant drone flights, artillery battles and night raids have turned the area into one of the most dangerous battlefields of the war, where progress is measured in meters and survival often depends on concealment and timing.
Ukrainian intelligence suggests that 5,100 Russians have been killed in the delta since January this year, with reports of soldiers starving to death due to the lack of supplies.
“The prisoners that our fighters recently captured on the islands talked about the inability to provide food and drinking water to them, and that they have to drink water from the river,” Colonel Zavtonov said.
Footage from the Dnipro Delta captured a terrifying scene of small rubber boats and makeshift boats bidding for freedom from heavily swampy areas, as soldiers hide in vegetation as they struggle to flee.
In many cases they are eliminated by the ever-watching Ukrainian drones.
Credit: The 40th Coastal Defense Brigade of the Ukrainian Marine Corps
“Enemy advances are carried out by small groups trying to camouflage themselves – a tactic that was not used at the beginning of the war,” explains Oksana Kuzan, head of the analytical department of the Ukrainian Security and Cooperation Center.
“Russian military units remaining on the islands of the Dnipro Delta are facing serious problems with food, ammunition and rotations.”
At the tactical level, the islands provide small teams with the opportunity to gather intelligence or establish radio networks that extend the operational range of unmanned aerial vehicles.
Drone flights, artillery battles and night raids have turned the area into one of the most dangerous battlefields of the war – Mstyslav Chernov/AP
Compact, well-hidden units can use the islands for reconnaissance missions or forward observation posts.
Controlling the water gives soldiers influence over river crossings, small boat movements, and potential enemy supply routes.
But the islands are low-lying and surrounded by open water, making troops visible and easy to reach from the air or across the river.
“It's a large area of water; there's nowhere to hide on the islands themselves, and the terrain is mostly swampy, and units passing through will be too vulnerable,” Colonel Zavtonov said.
The islands are low-lying and surrounded by open water, making troops visible and easy to reach
There are reports that Russian soldiers have been forced to buy motorbikes and boats out of their own pockets to make progress.
John Hardie, deputy director of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies' Russia program, told The Telegraph that these conditions made supplying and troop rotation in the area an exceptionally difficult challenge for Russia.
“Generally speaking, moving to and from positions at this stage of the war is one of the most dangerous things you can do, so rotations are rare,” he said.
Controlling the water gives soldiers influence over river crossings, small boat movements and potential enemy supply routes – Mstyslav Chernov/AP
It is known that some units of the 98th Airborne Division, redeployed from the Kramatorsk direction, operate on the islands.
Russian marines from the 61st Separate Brigade are also said to have landed on the islands in April and were deliberately held in their positions for several months.
On October 15, the Russians attempted to land their troops to rotate forces stationed on the islands of Kruhluy, Malyi, Bilogrudyi and Oleksiyivskyi, as well as organize logistical support and set up observation posts, the intelligence service said.
But the attempt was disastrous.
“Ukrainian defenders hold the positions they have occupied; no losses or breakthroughs are allowed,” Colonel Zavtonov said.
He noted that reconnaissance missions are carried out by Ukraine “around the clock.”
Ms. Kuzan reported that in September, soldiers of the 2nd Battalion of the 40th Separate Coastal Defense Brigade of the Ukrainian Naval Forces successfully destroyed Russian groups that tried to land on the coasts of the Kherson region with watercraft.
Ukrainian forces regularly conduct reconnaissance missions across the Dnipro River and its banks – Kostiantyn Liberov/Libkos/Getty Images
The Russians had pinned their hopes on stormy weather – rain, dense fog and fierce winds that blinded drones on both sides – to break the Ukrainian lines.
“The enemy is trying to operate in small groups of infantry, counting on the effect of surprise. This is made possible by rain, fog and strong winds, which complicates the work of drones on both sides,” Colonel Zavtonov explained. “But we're always watching.”
As winter approaches, Ukrainian officials warn the front could become even deadlier.
Commander Dmytro Pletenchuk of the Ukrainian Navy told The Telegraph that the Russians were constantly trying to take control of the islands, “regardless of the losses of their military personnel.”
“The islands, like any other territory of Ukraine, are important. If you let the Russians conquer a certain area, they will certainly move on,” he said. “But the Russians who gain a foothold on the islands will not survive for long.”
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