- Quiet but fierce fighting rages near Kherson, which Ukraine recaptured from Russia last year.
- Fighting is taking place along the Dnipro River, which separates the territory controlled by Ukraine and Russia.
- The 73rd Naval Special Operations Center appears to be leading the effort on Ukraine.
While fighting in Bakhmut and Donbass dominates the headlines, fierce and incoherent fighting continues around the city of Kherson in southern Ukraine.
With the liberation of the western bank of Kherson Oblast and the capital city of Kherson in November, Ukrainian forces were within range of Russian positions across the river. Currently, the two countries are fighting to the death on the battlefield. Islands, Marshes and Coves of the Dnipro Delta.
In Ukraine, the 73rd Naval Special Operations Center, a covert SEAL-like unit, is leading the shadowy war against Russia.
Ukrainian Navy Special Forces
Collapse of the Antonovsky bridge over the Dnipro river in the city of Kherson, November 2022.
Narciso Contreras/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
In recent months, Ukrainian special forces, including Ukrainian frogmen, 73rd Naval Special Operations Centerconducts river raids against Russian positions along the Dnipro River.
For example, in January, the unit Frogmen raided the east bank and seized a Russian command and control post. Ukrainian frogmen used drones and gunboats to attack Russian forces, destroying their positions and fleeing during the night.
Frogmen from the same unit also conduct reconnaissance missions at Kinburn Sandbar. The Kinburn Spit is a finger-like strip of land that extends into the Black Sea south of Dniprovska Bay where it joins the Dnipro River. The outposts there not only gave the Russians a good vantage point to pursue and attack ships in the river, launch an attack About Ukrainian cities and ports.
A Ukrainian raid would help deplete these forces, but it’s not simple.
A vehicle caught fire in Oleksandrivka, a town south of Mykolaiv on the Dniprovska Bay on January 3.
Pierre Crom/Getty Images
“River operations require a lot of coordination between assault and support forces, and if you assemble a heavily armed force in the middle of the night, something could very well go wrong,” said a former Navy SEAL. . insider.
“The ground crew relies on the firepower of the boat crew, but the overall commander must synchronize the two elements to prevent friendly fire incidents,” added the former SEAL. US government.
“That said, it’s hard to prevent a well-planned river raid,” said the former SEAL.
Special operators from the 73rd Naval Special Operations Center were also among the first Ukrainian forces stationed on the famous Snake Island after the withdrawal of Russian forces from the island.
Snake Island, a small island in the Black Sea, was disputed for months before the Ukrainians finally liberated it in July.Fight swimmers with your squad reportedly approaching Enter the island in an underwater vehicle and search for mines and obstacles that may hinder the landing force.
US and Hungarian special operations forces trained with Special Operations Craft Rivelin on the Danube in May 2021.
US Army/Special Forces Therese Platts
The 73rd Naval Special Operations Center is based on the Soviet-era 17th Naval Special Purpose Brigade. It is set as a training unit, become known For conducting small boat raids and reconnaissance missions behind Russian lines along the Dnipro River.
The unit is organized in much the same way as the US Navy SEALs and is headquartered in Mykolaiv Oblast, just west of Kherson Oblast. It consists of four sections, one dedicated to underwater detonation, one to clearing out divers, one to reconnaissance, and one to logistical support. There are probably dozens of special operators in this unit.
The 73rd Naval Special Operations Center important role Be prepared for the next big battle. If Ukrainian forces launch a major offensive in the south, the east bank of the Kherson River is likely to be targeted, but getting there will require the movement of troops and vehicles by boat.
for that purpose, 73rd Naval Special Operations Center Perhaps they will be sent first to scout the coast, clear obstacles and secure beachheads, or to raid elsewhere and distract Russian attention.
start from scratch
Ukrainian, Romanian and U.S. Army Special Forces soldiers undergo training in Romania in May 2021.
Romanian Army/Colonel Roxana Davidovitz
Like the 73rd Naval Special Operations Center, most of the Ukrainian Armed Forces are derived from the Soviet Armed Forces. By 2014, when Russia attacked Ukraine and occupied Crimea, Ukrainian forces’ training, tactics, and weaponry still resembled Soviet forces.
The Ukrainian military in 2014 was caught off guard and struggled to cope with the crisis. Since then, Kiev has worked with Western powers to improve military training and upgrade equipment.
Ukrainian special operators also had to work hard to achieve the level of professionalism and proficiency they currently display on the battlefield. With massive Western support, the Ukrainian special operations community has come a long way in the last decade.
Ukrainian special forces are now adept at small unit tactics and understand the importance of proper mission planning. Another crucial difference is the ability to take control on the battlefield.
In the Soviet model, there were no non-commissioned corps (experienced non-commissioned officers who often led small units), and frontline units depended on the leadership of senior officers. Russia’s track record in Ukraine shows the weaknesses of that model.
While the Russians on the islands and swamps of the Dnipro River are learning, the Western-trained, battle-hardened Ukrainian special operators are a force to be reckoned with.
Stavros Atramazoglu is a defense journalist specializing in special operations, a Greek Army Veteran (served in the National Guard with the 575th Marine Battalion and Army Headquarters), and a graduate of Johns Hopkins University. He is pursuing a master’s degree in strategy and cybersecurity from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies.