President Vladimir Putin has purportedly dismissed the commander responsible for the Russian “Dnepr” Grouping of Forces, Colonel General Oleg Makarevich. This move comes in the wake of a critical event: Ukrainian forces successfully crossed the Dnipro River and established a bridgehead on the eastern side, a region largely held by Russian-backed factions. The Kremlin has chosen not to issue an official statement regarding these reports, leaving room for speculation and analysis.
Sources indicate that Colonel General Makarevich’s removal is linked to discrepancies in the reports coming from military intelligence and those communicated by the command of the Dnepr group. These inconsistencies seem to have raised concerns within the Russian military hierarchy. Moreover, another perspective on this decision suggests that Makarevich exhibited an “extreme lack of initiative” in addressing the unfolding situation on the ground, essentially neglecting the reality and attempting to sweep critical issues under the carpet.
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As a consequence of this purported lack of effective leadership, enemy forces, presumed to be Ukrainian troops, have managed to land on the bank of the Dnipro River controlled by Russian forces. This situation has allowed them to consolidate their positions and conduct sabotage raids further inland. The gravity of this challenge is evident, as it signifies an unanticipated success for Ukrainian forces in a region predominantly held by pro-Russian factions.
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In the recent past, Ukrainian Marines reportedly dug in and secured newly captured positions on the eastern side of the Dnipro River. These claims have been supported by sources with Kremlin associations, even though the Russian military vowed to counter these advancements with air strikes and counterattacks. Notably, Ukrainian amphibious units managed to occupy the village of Krynky, located approximately 1.7 kilometers inland from the Dnipro in Ukraine’s Kherson Region. At this point, Russian forces appeared to be thinly deployed in the area, prompting the Kremlin to resort to heavy bombardment to dislodge the Ukrainian detachment in Krynky, according to pro-Moscow sources.
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Reports from Ukrainian military bloggers, citing accounts from Marines on the ground, suggest that Ukrainian forces have now effectively secured positions in three communities on the left bank of the Dnipro River: Krynky, Pidstepne, and Pishchanivka. These developments are a testament to the resilience and adaptability of Ukrainian forces, as they have maintained a presence on the left bank of the Dnipro River since at least May, periodically ambushing Russian troops and convoys.
An external analysis provided by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) indicates that the reported dismissal of Colonel General Makarevich signifies growing concerns within the Kremlin or the Russian military command regarding their ability to counter recent, notably larger Ukrainian ground operations in the eastern (left) bank of Kherson Oblast. This suggests that the situation on the ground has shifted significantly in favor of Ukrainian forces, leading to this change in leadership.
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Notably, Colonel General Makarevich has been reportedly replaced by Commander Colonel General Mikhail Teplinsky. Teplinsky gained attention earlier in the year when the Kremlin had to quickly remove a video posted by its own defense ministry. In the video, Teplinsky unintentionally revealed the number of soldiers in an elite unit who had been wounded during the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. This disclosure shed light on the human toll of the conflict, further intensifying the scrutiny on Russian military operations.
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This evolving situation along the Dnipro River underscores the fluid nature of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. As leadership changes occur within the Russian military and Ukrainian forces continue to make strategic gains, the international community closely watches the developments, concerned about the potential for further escalation and its consequences.
