Disaster for Putin as Russian troops blown apart in 'death zone'

Hundreds of Russian troops have reportedly been left stranded and starving on a series of islands called the "death zone". These territories on the Dnipro River, south of Kherson, have become a front line since Ukraine liberated the city in 2022. Now, the river's right bank is controlled by Ukraine and the left by Russia. Ukrainian Colonel Oleksandr Zavtonov revealed the brutal conditions faced by Vladimir Putin's soldiers along the delta.

He said: "The area is a death zone for Russia. There is nowhere to hide. It is a large water area; there is nowhere to hide on the islands themselves, and the terrain is mostly swampy, and units passing through them will be too vulnerable."

The islands allow Russian troops to gather intelligence and create radio networks to aid their use of unmanned aerial vehicles.

However, they are left exposed and made easy targets from the air or other areas of the river, as the islands are low-lying and surrounded by water.

The area has become a dangerous battlefield with drones flying overhead, nighttime raids, and artillery fire.

Over 5,000 Russian soldiers have died in the Dnipro delta since January, according to Ukrainian intelligence, with reports suggesting some have starved to death due to a lack of supplies.

Colonel Zavtonov, of the 30th Marine Corps, said the Russians had resorted to drinking river water as they were left stranded on the islands.

He told The Telegraph: "The prisoners that our fighters recently took on the islands talked about the inability to deliver food and drinking water to them, and they have to drink water from the river."

Oksana Kuzan, head of the analytical department at the Ukrainian Security and Cooperation Centre, said small groups of Russian troops try to advance, while those that remain face "serious problems with food".

He explained: "Enemy advances are carried out by small groups that try to camouflage themselves - a tactic not seen at the beginning of the war.

"Russian military units remaining on the islands in the Dnipro delta are facing serious problems with food, ammunition, and rotations."