Russia has gained control of two villages in Ukraine’s southeastern Dnipropetrovsk region, according to Ukrainian open-source analysts, as Moscow intensifies its offensive while diplomatic efforts to halt the conflict show little progress.
Facing shortages in manpower and weaponry, Ukraine’s forces continue to struggle against the steady Russian advance in the east, where Moscow is pushing for territorial concessions in potential peace talks.
DeepState, a Ukrainian group monitoring frontline developments, reported that Russian troops had seized the villages of Zaporizke and Novoheorhiivka.
Russia’s defense ministry had earlier announced their capture.
However, Ukraine’s military rejected the claims, insisting fighting was still ongoing.
“Russians have entered (there) and are attempting to establish a foothold,” military spokesperson Viktor Trehubov told Reuters, referring to Zaporizke and Novoheorhiivka. “Our forces are fighting to maintain their positions.”
Back in July, Russia claimed to have taken its first village in Dnipropetrovsk, a region it has not formally annexed, unlike five others it declared as part of its territory.
DeepState’s latest map highlights at least two more villages in Dnipropetrovsk either under Russian occupation or caught in clashes, though they represent small areas in the vast 31,000-square-kilometer region.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has downplayed the broader importance of Moscow’s push, calling it an attempt at a “media victory” rather than a significant military breakthrough.
