MOSCOW - Russia announced on Tuesday that its marines, aviation, and artillery units have successfully thwarted further Ukrainian attempts to establish a presence on the eastern bank of the River Dnipro and the islands at the river's mouth in southern Ukraine.

President Vladimir Putin's deployment of troops into Ukraine in February 2022 triggered a significant European land war and the most severe standoff between Russia and the West since the Cold War era.

Earlier this month, Ukraine claimed that its forces had crossed the Dnipro River and created multiple bridgeheads on the eastern banks. However, Russia asserted that it had been relentlessly pounding the Ukrainian positions.

In a statement, the Russian defense ministry declared that the Black Sea Fleet marines were effectively halting all efforts by the Armed Forces of Ukraine to carry out amphibious landings on both the Dnipro islands and the left bank of the river.

As part of their announcement, the Russian defense ministry released a video purporting to show the marines from the 810th Guards Naval Infantry Brigade successfully repelling Ukrainian forces. The footage depicted soldiers engaging in combat and employing various weapons, though the outcome of the fighting remains unclear.

According to Russia's defense ministry, Ukrainian forces have suffered heavy casualties and lost equipment in their unsuccessful attempts to land on the Dnipro islands. However, Reuters has not been able to independently verify the accounts from both sides of the battlefield.

The significance of the Ukrainian attempt to gain a foothold on the eastern bank of the Dnipro remains uncertain. Crossing the river exposes Ukrainian units to vulnerability, with marshland on one side and heavily fortified Russian lines on the other.

In addition to Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014, the country now controls approximately 17.5% of Ukraine's internationally recognized territory. Despite a Ukrainian counter-offensive this year, no substantial gains have been made against Russian forces.

Unverified reports from pro-Russian bloggers suggest that Russia has been harassing Ukrainian forces near the village of Krynky, located near marshes on the eastern bank upriver from Kherson. Russia withdrew its forces from Kherson in autumn 2022.

The ongoing conflict in Ukraine continues to escalate tensions between Russia and the West, prompting concerns about the stability of the region.