Kherson withstood occupation once—now Moscow wants it back, but Ukraine says invaders will drown before it happens

The Russians may be preparing a new assault on Kherson. The occupiers may be attempting to isolate the Kherson neighborhood of Korabel by striking a key bridge and organizing a foothold for a possible landing operation, CNN reports. 

On 2 August, Russians launched a powerful strike on a strategically important bridge connecting the island district of Korabel to the main part of Kherson city. The strike also damaged three private homes and an apartment building. The invaders had previously targeted the bridge, forcing about 1,800 residents to leave their homes.

However, Oleksandr Prokudin, head of the Kherson Regional Military Administration, noted that some families return almost immediately after evacuation. But the authorities once again urge Korabel residents to relocate to safer areas.

Russia aims to divide the city 

The strategy reportedly is to target the bridge and land forces to recapture the city. Meanwhile, Vladyslav Voloshyn, the Southern Defense Forces spokesperson, says that the possibility of this scenario is low, RBC-Ukraine reports.

He explains that in this case, the Russians would have to cross several water channels and islands where Ukrainian forces actively destroy any assault groups.

“To reach our shore, the Russians need time. And we use that time to detect and destroy them while they’re still approaching,” he emphasizes.

Regarding a possible air assault, Voloshyn stressed that “enemy helicopters will be immediately detected and destroyed,” recalling the Russians’ failure at Hostomel in 2022. Then, the Russian assault troops failed to land at the airfield, which broke all their operational strategy in Kyiv Oblast. 

Kherson under fire: drones, aerial bombs, destruction

The situation on the southern front remains tense. In one day, Russians carried out 280 attacks using kamikaze drones, nine airstrikes with guided bombs on Kherson, and employed drone munitions such as “Molniya,” “Lancet,” and “Privit-82.”

Russian drones constantly operate over Kherson, shelling continues, and battles are ongoing on islands in the Dnipro delta, specifically on Bilohorodivskyi and Velykyi Vilkhovyi islands. Active fighting is also reported near the Antonivski bridges.

Civilians continue to suffer. The central hospital in Kherson is treating 25 wounded. CNN shares the story of 62-year-old Oleh, who was injured while running to help neighbors after a drone strike. 

“It’s dangerous there, you have to listen carefully. A double tap. That’s how they operate. They destroy a house, it burns. A minute later, another one comes, checking whether the house is burning or someone is trying to extinguish it. And then they kill and destroy further," he says. 

Before the war, Kherson Oblast was an important tourist and agricultural region of Ukraine. In 2021, the region welcomed 4.8 million tourists. Its coastline stretched for over 200 kilometers, featuring sandy beaches and a well-developed resort infrastructure.

Along the shore, there were numerous guesthouses, children's camps, and sanatoriums offering therapeutic treatments based on thermal springs, salt, and mud.