Russian Forces Successfully Cross the Dnieper River in November 2022

In November 2022, under Ukrainian pressure, about 30,000 Russian soldiers crossed the Dnieper River with their equipment in less than 48 hours with almost no losses – a tactical and logistical success despite the political defeat represented by the abandonment of Kherson.

The maneuver was based on a hybrid logistics system combining military bridges transformed into motorized mobile ferries and requisitioned civilian barges, making them difficult targets for Ukrainian HIMARS missiles.

A vast maskirovka operation – media intoxication, fake radio traffic, radar reflectors – paralyzed Ukrainian decision-making for 48 to 72 hours, allowing a complete retreat before the enemy realized the extent of the movement.

By Lieutenant Luisa of the 31st Engineering Regiment

November 2022. Under Ukrainian pressure, Russian armed forces abandoned the west bank of Kherson. A military setback for the Kremlin. However, in less than 48 hours, about 30,000 soldiers crossed the Dnieper with their equipment, almost without losses. A review of a remarkably executed retrograde crossing maneuver, driven by improvised logistics and a deception operation inherited from the Soviet tradition of maskirovka.

On February 24, 2022, Russian armed forces crossed the Ukrainian border and launched an offensive maneuver opening a front of several hundred kilometers. In November 2022, facing difficulties in holding Kherson, Russian troops stationed on the west bank found themselves isolated, risking supply disruptions.

These segments are then clipped together. A trained team can assemble a 200-meter bridge in less than 30 minutes

Additionally, alongside military means, the Russians requisitioned civilian river barges. They used them to build a “barge bridge” along the Antonovsky Bridge, using the destroyed bridge’s concrete structure as a shield against attacks from the north.

Intoxication Maneuver

The planning of the retrograde crossing of Kherson in November 2022 adheres to this Russian doctrine, as the success of this extraction partly relies on a massive intoxication operation that slowed down Ukrainian decision-making capacity during the 48 to 72 hours of the retreat.

The Russian staff strategy consisted of making it seem like General Choāgou’s announcement was a trap, and that the intention of the Russian armed forces was actually a firm defense of the city of Kherson, resembling the Stalingrad battles

The deception operation also included technical aspects in communications and crossings. Russian radio communications drastically decreased or were replaced by fake radio traffic simulating normal offensive activity on the right bank, while heavy units had already disengaged.

Outcome of the Deception Maneuver

The deception maneuver was a success: Ukrainian armed forces only realized the total retreat of Russian armed forces when the last bridges were destroyed on the morning of November 11.

Thus, the Russian General Staff used its reputation of being ready to fight to the last man to its advantage, making the idea of turning Kherson into the new Stalingrad credible.