Kinburn has become a trap for the Russians: the peninsula is under the fire control of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

Kinburn Peninsula is under full fire control of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and Russian units have withdrawn from their former positions inland. This was told by the commander of the operational-tactical grouping “Odesa” Denis Nosikov in an interview on 8 August 2026 with the project “Crimea.Realities” of Radio Liberty.

According to him, the peninsula still hosts units of the 337th Separate Assault Regiment of the Russian Federation, and the total number of Russian servicemen may be up to 2,500. To reinforce the grouping, the occupiers are transferring reserves from the Orikhiv and Melitopol directions.

Despite losses, Russian forces are trying to hold Kinburn. The peninsula has important strategic significance: it allows control over approaches to the Dnipro‑Buh estuary and to shell the southern coast of Mykolaiv region.

For Ukrainian forces this territory opens up possibilities for strikes on the occupiers’ logistics in Kherson region and in the direction of Crimea. The distance from the peninsula to important facilities in the occupied territories is about 40–50 kilometers, so they can be struck even by relatively inexpensive drones.

Nosikov said that the Russians are trying to use bad weather to deliver equipment and cargo. During one such attempt they brought eight vehicles to the peninsula, but all the vehicles were destroyed by the Defense Forces. Due to constant strikes, mining of logistics routes and problems with delivering ammunition, food and water, panic and attempts to flee are being recorded among Russian servicemen.

“This is essentially a trap,” — described the situation the commander of OTU “Odesa”.

According to Nosikov, the Russian command constantly orders the troops to remain in their positions and not to retreat. At the same time, it is impossible to independently confirm the figures he cited on troop numbers, losses and destroyed equipment during active combat from independent sources.

Reminder: earlier we wrote:

• A Ukrainian flag was raised on the Kinburn Spit: the Armed Forces reported the occupiers’ withdrawal
• Mykolaiv’s 123rd Brigade carried out a unique operation with a robot on Kinburn
• RF withdraws troops from the north and west of the Kinburn Spit: the 337th regiment left without supplies
• Kinburn Spit is not liberated yet: the Defense Forces explained the situation
• Fearing the de‑occupation of Kinburn, the RF deployed special forces from Sevastopol