"Local clashes take place (for the Dnipro islands) every day," Viktor Kevliuk, a retired military officer and defense expert, told the Kyiv Independent."The enemy is fighting for the islands with the 61st Marine Brigade of the Northern Fleet — Ukrainian marines are countering them."Kevliuk adds that neither side is fully in control of the islands, though he says Ukraine "has the advantage" in an ongoing fight which sees both sides trading intense artillery fire and drone attacks.Ukrainian infantrymen from the 126th Territorial Defense Brigade train on boats to carry out combat missions on water, crossing the river and landing on the banks of the Dnipro in Kherson Oblast, Ukraine on April 16, 2024. (Kostiantyn Liberov/Libkos/Getty Images)"In the context of all combat clashes (along the front line), the southern direction is relatively the calmest, but only when compared to other situations along the battle line," he said.But on Dec.