Russia preparing for another offensive on Kherson, gathers 300 boats for Dnipro crossing

Russia is preparing for another offensive on Kherson, gathering 300 boats for a potential crossing of the Dnipro River, Oleksandr Prokudin, the head of the Kherson Oblast State Administration, said in a comment to the Financial Times.

"Russia wants to launch another offensive here. [They have gathered] 300 boats to cross the river," Prokudin said.

Serhiy Bratchuk, a spokesperson for the Southern Forces of the Ukrainian Volunteer Army, stated that the Russians are currently attempting to seize river islands to get closer to the western bank of Kherson.

According to Bratchuk, the Russians recently launched a "major offensive" on Kozatskyi Island, near Nova Kakhovka.

The Financial Times notes that Ukrainian officials suspect that the assault on Kherson is part of Russia's plan to increase pressure on Ukraine ahead of the inauguration of Donald Trump as U.S. president. They believe the enemy is trying to increase gains on the frontline and is preparing for a potential offensive across the Dnipro River.

Prokudin also suspects that the Russians are using Kherson for "targeted training."

The governor noted that the enemy has deployed its "best drone units" on the east bank, launching "advanced" drone models over Kherson to refine combat techniques and train new operators for an intensified invasion.

On November 22, a source in the General Staff told LIGA.net that Russia planned a new summer offensive on Kharkiv, Sumy, and Chernihiv.

The same day, it was noted that the Kursk operation disrupted Russia's plan to capture Zaporizhzhia.

On December 2, it was reported that the aggressor was launching massive offensives in Kharkiv Oblast but was suffering losses.

On December 3, the Center for Countering Disinformation at Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council refuted information that the Ukrainian Armed Forces were ordered to hold Kursk Oblast until Trump's inauguration, stating that this information is not true.