Vladimir Putin’s loyal troops are facing impending starvation on an isolated island, as confirmed by Ukrainian authorities. Thousands of soldiers are stranded without access to other Russian forces, with Ukraine asserting that 5,000 servicemen are trapped in a perilous area along the Dnipro River in Kherson’s southern region, a frontline position since November 2022.
The right bank of the river is controlled by Ukraine, while the left bank remains under Russian jurisdiction. The soldiers loyal to Putin are constantly under threat from adversaries, lacking adequate hiding spots during drone attacks.
Ukrainian officials report that over 5,100 Russian soldiers have perished on the island since January, with severely limited supply provisions for the remaining troops. Disturbing videos from the island depict Putin’s forces camouflaging themselves with vegetation to evade drone strikes.
In one particular recording, a group of soldiers cramp into a small dinghy in an attempt to avoid explosions. Colonel Oleksandr Zavtonov from Ukraine’s 30th Marine Corps emphasized to The Telegraph, “The area is a death trap for Russia. There’s no safe haven.”
He added, “Prisoners recently captured by our fighters on the islands have spoken about the challenges in receiving food and water supplies, resorting to drinking water from the river.”
Oksana Kuzan, the head of the analytical division at the Ukrainian Security and Cooperation Centre, highlighted the troops’ struggles due to the harsh conditions. He cautioned, “Russian military units stationed on the islands in the Dnipro delta are encountering significant difficulties with food, ammunition, and troop rotations.”
Recent developments follow President Zelensky’s positive response to the US-mediated ceasefire aimed at halting conflicts in Gaza, urging Donald Trump to exert similar pressure on Russia. Zelensky expressed hope that Trump would utilize various strategies, including Tomahawks, sanctions, diplomacy, finance, and tariffs, to deter Putin.
Leaders from Ukraine, the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Poland, Norway, Finland, Denmark, the European Commission, and European Council jointly called for peace, emphasizing their united stance for a fair and lasting peace for the Ukrainian people. They endorsed Trump’s stance advocating an immediate cessation of hostilities and using the current contact line as the basis for negotiations, affirming their commitment to upholding the principle that international borders should not be altered through force.