Azernews.Az

Russia announced on Sunday that its forces had pushed into Ukraine’s eastern Dnipropetrovsk region — marking a new phase in the invasion and signaling a potential widening of the conflict. This development comes as diplomatic efforts to reach a peace deal remain deadlocked.

Ukrainian political and military leaders have yet to respond directly to the claim, but such an incursion would represent a symbolic and tactical setback for Kyiv following months of military pressure along multiple fronts.

Despite ongoing negotiations with Ukraine, Moscow continues to reject calls for a ceasefire from Kyiv, European leaders, and U.S. President Donald Trump. The Kremlin appears intent on consolidating gains while peace talks remain inconclusive.

Russia’s defense ministry stated that a tank unit had reached the western edge of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic and is pressing ahead into the neighboring Dnipropetrovsk region.

While Kyiv’s senior leadership remained silent, Ukraine’s southern command acknowledged that Russia continues its attempts to break into the region, but praised the resilience and professionalism of Ukrainian troops holding the line.

Notably, Dnipropetrovsk is not among the five Ukrainian regions — Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, and Crimea — that Russia has officially annexed or laid public claim to.

During recent talks in Istanbul on June 2, Moscow reiterated its demand that Ukraine formally recognize these five territories as Russian — a condition Kyiv has firmly rejected.