 Russia's poorly trained troops can't dislodge Ukraine from key foothold. Russia's troops have been unable to push Ukraine from territory under Kiev's control on the east bank of the Nipro River, according to a new assessment. This is despite Moscow's significant advantage on the left bank of the river, which is also known as the Nipro in the south of Ukraine. Russia's Nipro group of forces have been unsuccessful in all its attempts to dislodge the Ukrainian defenders from the east bank, despite almost certainly having a significant advantage in the balance of forces in the area, the UK Defence Ministry said. It is highly likely that the poor training and coordination of Russian forces in the area is limiting their offensive capabilities, the British government said. Ukraine made sweeping gains in the Southern Kursan region in its first counter-offensive in late 2022, pushing Russian forces back to the east bank of the Nipro that has roughly marked the front lines in the region throughout 2023 and into 2024. Kiev's fighters have been whittling away at Russian defences on the east bank, establishing pockets of control in villages such as Kvinki, according to Newsweek. Around April 2023, Russia's government made one of its first references to a Nipro group of forces operating in southern Ukraine. The group was likely formed after heavy losses to Moscow's original forces around Kursan, London said last spring. But Ukrainian forces maintained their positions on the left bank of the Nipro and there were no confirmed changes to the front lines.