Ukraine has officially acknowledged for the first time that Russian military forces have entered the Dnipropetrovsk region, an area that had previously remained largely insulated from intense conflict. Viktor Tregubov, spokesperson for the Dnipro Operational Strategic Group of Forces, confirmed the development, stating, “Yes, they have entered, and fighting is ongoing as of now.”
Moscow had initially claimed in July that its forces had advanced into the Dnipropetrovsk region, although it has not made formal territorial claims. Since then, Russia has asserted that it has captured several settlements within the area. However, Ukraine’s General Staff has contested these assertions, specifically refuting claims that Russian forces have gained full control over the villages of Zaporizke and Novogeorgiivka. In contrast, the battlefield monitoring group DeepState, which has close ties to Ukraine’s military efforts, reported that these villages had indeed been “occupied” by Russian troops.
According to DeepState, the Russian army is now focused on consolidating its positions and amassing infantry in preparation for further advances. The situation on the battlefield has seen Russian forces gradually making gains, albeit at a significant cost, in regions of eastern and southern Ukraine, many of which are now largely devastated with few remaining residents or intact infrastructure.
Dnipropetrovsk has not been included in Moscow’s public territorial claims, which primarily focus on five other regions: Donetsk, Kherson, Lugansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Crimea. Ukraine’s admission of territorial loss marks a notable shift in the typically unwavering stance it has held regarding the conflict.
This acknowledgment of losses comes at a time when hopes for a diplomatic resolution appear dim, particularly after a meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky sparked initial optimism. However, since that meeting, Moscow has dismissed the possibility of an immediate follow-up dialogue between the leaders of Russia and Ukraine.
Putin has stipulated that any cessation of hostilities must be predicated on Ukraine’s withdrawal from certain territories it currently controls, a demand that Kyiv has firmly rejected as unacceptable, leaving the peace process at an impasse.
