In a significant development on the battlefield, Russia announced the capture of Dachne, a settlement in Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region. This marks the first instance of a village in the central part of Ukraine reportedly falling under Russian control during the ongoing conflict, which has persisted for more than three years.
The Russian defense ministry confirmed that its forces have successfully taken control of Dachne, an area where Moscow has sought to establish a foothold since launching its military offensive in February 2022. The Dnipropetrovsk region, particularly its capital, Dnipro, has faced continuous Russian military strikes since the onset of the war, which has severely impacted both military operations and civilian life in the area.
Dnipropetrovsk is known as a crucial mining and industrial hub for Ukraine. The potential for deeper Russian incursions into the region raises concerns about further destabilizing Kyiv’s military capabilities and exacerbating the economic difficulties the country is facing.
Earlier on the same day, the Ukrainian army’s general staff reported that their forces had successfully repelled Russian attacks in the vicinity of the same village just the day prior, highlighting the ongoing tensions and fierce fighting in the region.
It is noteworthy that Dnipropetrovsk is not among the five regions—Donetsk, Kherson, Lugansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Crimea—that Russia has officially claimed as part of its territory. In a demonstration of its military capabilities, Russia had previously used Dnipro to test its “experimental” Oreshnik missile, claiming success in striking an aeronautics production facility in late 2024.
As the situation continues to evolve, analysts will be closely monitoring the implications of this territorial change and its impact on the broader dynamics of the conflict in Ukraine.
