NextFin news, Ukraine acknowledged on Tuesday that Russian forces have entered the Dnipropetrovsk region in central Ukraine, an area previously spared from the heaviest fighting. Viktor Trehubov, a commander with the Dnipro Operational-Strategic Group of Troops, confirmed the incursion and said that Russian troops are attempting to establish a foothold in the region.
"This is the first attack of such a large scale in Dnipropetrovsk region," Trehubov told the BBC, while noting that Ukrainian forces have stopped the Russian advance.
Throughout the summer, Russia claimed it had entered the area as part of efforts to push deeper into Ukrainian territory from the Donetsk region. However, Ukrainian reports suggest Russian forces have only just breached the regional border.
The Ukrainian DeepState mapping project assessed on Tuesday that Russia occupied two villages just inside Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizke and Novohryhorivka. Ukraine's armed forces general staff denied full occupation, stating they continue to control Zaporizke and that active fighting is ongoing near Novohryhorivka.
Unlike regions Moscow has formally annexed, such as Crimea and parts of Donetsk, Russia has not claimed Dnipropetrovsk but has targeted its major cities, including the regional capital Dnipro. Before the war, Dnipropetrovsk had a population of over three million and was Ukraine's second-largest center of heavy industry after the Donbas.
Russian forces have made slow territorial gains and suffered heavy casualties but have recently advanced in Donetsk. Earlier this month, a small Russian infantry group made a sudden 10-kilometer push beyond Ukrainian defensive lines near Dobropillia, though their advance appears halted.
The admission of Russian troops entering Dnipropetrovsk comes amid stalled diplomatic efforts to end the war. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has urged Western allies to intensify security guarantees for Ukraine, while Russian President Vladimir Putin reportedly offered to end the war if Ukraine cedes parts of Donetsk.
European and Western officials have warned against conceding Ukrainian territory to Russia, labeling such moves as traps. The UK has expressed readiness to deploy troops to Ukraine once hostilities cease, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz emphasized the importance of security guarantees to enable Ukraine's long-term defense.
Sources: BBC News, Qatar News Agency, DHnet.be
Explore more exclusive insights at nextfin.ai.
