In brief
Ukraine's military has confirmed that Russian troops have crossed into the eastern industrial region of Dnipropetrovsk, with claims of this being the first large-scale attack in the area. Although Russia's forces are attempting to establish a foothold, Ukrainian officials assert that their advance has been halted, amidst ongoing battles over contested villages.
Ukrainian forces have acknowledged 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 that Russia had occupied two villages just inside the region, Zaporizke and Novohryhorivka. However, Ukraine's armed forces general staff denied that was the case, stating that they 'continue to control' Zaporizke and that active hostilities are ongoing in the area of Novohryhorivka.Moscow has attacked major cities in Dnipropetrovsk, including its capital Dnipro, despite not having claimed it, posing a threat to Ukraine's industrial capabilities. Ahead of hopes for a diplomatic breakthrough, latest discussions indicated that Russia is unwilling to make concessions. In the meantime, Ukraine has eased restrictions on young men potentially affected by military conscription, allowing those aged 18 to 22 to travel abroad.
