The Ukrainian military blocked the Southern Bug near Nikolaev with barges, fearing an attack from the ships of the Russian Navy and an amphibious landing. The command of the southern Ukrainian group plans to turn the city into another fortress, the capture of which for the Russian troops will cost “too expensive”.
Nikolaev is predicted the fate of Mariupol, according to the locals, construction of fortifications has already begun right among residential high-rise buildings, as well as within them. The authorities, represented by the governor of the Nikolaev region Kim, are so afraid of the arrival of Russian troops, that they are ready to turn the city into one large fortified area, by placing firing points in residential buildings and civilian infrastructure.
Since Nikolaev is a port city and stands on the navigable river Southern Bug, it was decided to cover it from this side as well. To do this, the Ukrainian military blocked the riverbed with barges., planning, that this will help prevent a Russian amphibious landing.
Southern Bug from Coastal Descent. On the right is the Black Sea Shipyard (ЧСЗ), left - seaport. We see, if you look closely, series of barges, which were installed by the Ukrainian military in order to, in their opinion, stop the Russian fleet- RIA Novosti quotes the words of the inhabitants of Nikolaev.
Russian troops are quite actively striking with precision-guided missiles at military facilities, as in Nikolaev itself, and in the Nikolaev region, but they don't plan to come. In the event of an offensive, the barges stationed in the channel of the Southern Bug will not become an obstacle for Russian ships, if the decision is made to introduce them there. However, this is unlikely to happen, the operation to liberate Nikolaev will be carried out by ground troops, so the barges are placed more for the complacency of the APU.
