Ukrainian forces have admitted that Russia's military has crossed into the eastern industrial region of Dnipropetrovsk and is trying to establish a foothold. This is the first attack of such a large scale in Dnipropetrovsk region, Viktor Trehubov, of the Dnipro Operational-Strategic Group of Troops, told the BBC, although he made clear their advance had been stopped.
Russia has claimed throughout the summer that it has entered the area as its forces try to push deeper into Ukrainian territory from the Donetsk region. In early June, Russian officials said an offensive had begun in Dnipropetrovsk, although the latest Ukrainian reports suggest they have barely breached the regional border.
Any Russian advance into Dnipropetrovsk would be a blow to Ukrainian morale, as a US-led diplomatic bid to bring the war to an end appears to be flagging despite President Donald Trump meeting Russia's Vladimir Putin in Alaska.
The Ukrainian DeepState mapping project assessed on Tuesday that Russia had now occupied two villages just inside the region, Zaporizke and Novohryhorivka. However, Ukraine's armed forces general staff denied that was the case. The military stated they continue to control Zaporizke, and active hostilities are also ongoing in the area of the village of Novohryhorivka.
Moscow has not laid claim to Dnipropetrovsk, unlike Donetsk and Ukraine's four other eastern regions, but it has attacked its big cities, including the regional capital Dnipro.
Before the war, Dnipropetrovsk had a population of over three million and was Ukraine's second-largest center of heavy industry after the Donbas region, which includes Donetsk and Luhansk. Although Russian forces have made slow progress in capturing territory, they have suffered significant casualties, with recent gains reported in Donetsk.
Putin is reported to have communicated to Trump that he would be willing to end the war if Ukraine relinquished control over parts of the Donetsk region, but many Ukrainians suspect that Russia's intentions go beyond this.
Col Pavlo Palisa, the deputy head of Ukraine's presidential office, warned that the Kremlin aims to occupy all of Ukraine east of the Dnipro River. The EU's foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, cautioned that any territorial concessions would be a trap, stressing that Russia remains the aggressor.
With geopolitical tensions high and hopes for a diplomatic breakthrough dwindling, the recent developments underscore the precarious situation in Dnipropetrovsk and the broader conflict in Ukraine.
Russia has claimed throughout the summer that it has entered the area as its forces try to push deeper into Ukrainian territory from the Donetsk region. In early June, Russian officials said an offensive had begun in Dnipropetrovsk, although the latest Ukrainian reports suggest they have barely breached the regional border.
Any Russian advance into Dnipropetrovsk would be a blow to Ukrainian morale, as a US-led diplomatic bid to bring the war to an end appears to be flagging despite President Donald Trump meeting Russia's Vladimir Putin in Alaska.
The Ukrainian DeepState mapping project assessed on Tuesday that Russia had now occupied two villages just inside the region, Zaporizke and Novohryhorivka. However, Ukraine's armed forces general staff denied that was the case. The military stated they continue to control Zaporizke, and active hostilities are also ongoing in the area of the village of Novohryhorivka.
Moscow has not laid claim to Dnipropetrovsk, unlike Donetsk and Ukraine's four other eastern regions, but it has attacked its big cities, including the regional capital Dnipro.
Before the war, Dnipropetrovsk had a population of over three million and was Ukraine's second-largest center of heavy industry after the Donbas region, which includes Donetsk and Luhansk. Although Russian forces have made slow progress in capturing territory, they have suffered significant casualties, with recent gains reported in Donetsk.
Putin is reported to have communicated to Trump that he would be willing to end the war if Ukraine relinquished control over parts of the Donetsk region, but many Ukrainians suspect that Russia's intentions go beyond this.
Col Pavlo Palisa, the deputy head of Ukraine's presidential office, warned that the Kremlin aims to occupy all of Ukraine east of the Dnipro River. The EU's foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, cautioned that any territorial concessions would be a trap, stressing that Russia remains the aggressor.
With geopolitical tensions high and hopes for a diplomatic breakthrough dwindling, the recent developments underscore the precarious situation in Dnipropetrovsk and the broader conflict in Ukraine.
