 First, Russian armored vehicles crossing Nipro River, an incrementally growing Ukrainian bridgehead on the east bank of the Nipro River, has for the first time been reinforced by armored vehicles, Russian information platforms focused on the war and news platforms reported. Drone images of a single Ukrainian BTR-4 armored personnel carrier being ferried across the river aboard a Soviet-era amphibious transport were reportedly captured near the east bank village of Krynkii, an outpost captured by Ukrainian marines in late October. According to Kyiv publication, Kyiv special operations and reconnaissance troops had operated in the waterways and marshes of the lower Nipro River since at least May. The first Ukrainian moves to land combat infantry with the mission to hold ground on the opposite Russia held side of the river were launched around October the 15th. Kyiv forces are improving and slowly expanding their positions at times under Russian artillery fire and intermittent Russian airstrikes, Russian military commentators have said. Roman Kulikovsky, author of the pro-Russian Stash Eddy Telegram News channel, said Kyiv's transfer of armored vehicles to the growing bridgehead around Krynkii would complicate Kremlin efforts to eliminate it. Currently, he said Ukrainian marines hold outposts and observation posts in the villages of Krynkii, Kusasiv, Pechenivka and on the northern section of Alezhkin Island. Ukrainian marines most recently have begun operating patrols and setting up ambushes along the road connecting the villages of Postepnyi and Kazachi Laga Kulikovsky said. According to most Russian and Ukrainian independent commentator reports, the Ukrainian tow-holes prior to reinforcement by BTR-4 fighting vehicles were of limited strength with a platoon to a company of marine infantry each location. The strongest Ukrainian positions are in the villages of Postepnyi and Pechenivka.