Russian troops have captured two villages in Ukraine’s southeastern Dnipropetrovsk region, according to Ukrainian open-source monitoring group DeepState, marking a rare advance in an area outside the territories Moscow has formally claimed. The villages of Zaporizke and Novoheorhiivka are now reportedly under Russian control, with Moscow’s defense ministry earlier announcing the seizures. The development underscores growing pressure on Kyiv’s stretched defenses as Russian forces continue their grinding offensive in the east.
Ukraine’s military, however, has pushed back against suggestions that the settlements are fully occupied. “Russians have entered (there) and are attempting to establish a foothold,” Ukrainian military spokesperson Viktor Trehubov told Reuters. “Our forces are fighting to maintain their positions.” The contested status reflects a pattern seen throughout the war, where control often shifts back and forth amid intense clashes before being firmly established.
The Dnipropetrovsk region, a strategic industrial hub covering more than 31,000 square kilometers, has not been formally annexed by Russia unlike Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, and Crimea. Still, Moscow has intensified attacks there, with DeepState maps indicating at least two other villages are either under Russian occupation or witnessing ongoing battles. Russian troops had claimed their first foothold in the region in July, signaling a widening of the front beyond areas previously prioritized by the Kremlin.
For Kyiv, the advances come at a difficult time as Ukraine’s military faces manpower shortages, ammunition constraints, and waning Western support. President Volodymyr Zelensky has downplayed the significance of Russia’s push into Dnipropetrovsk, calling it a move designed more for propaganda than strategic gain. “It is aimed at achieving a media victory,” he said earlier, suggesting Moscow is seeking symbolic progress to bolster its negotiating position in any future peace talks.
Still, the latest gains reflect the mounting strain on Ukraine’s ability to hold territory as the war grinds into its third year. With diplomatic efforts faltering and battlefield momentum shifting, the fighting in Dnipropetrovsk highlights the ongoing challenge facing Kyiv: preventing Russia from turning limited advances into larger territorial footholds.
