Russian Forces Break into Eighth Ukrainian Region as Peace Efforts Stall
Ukrainian military official reports Russian troops entering eastern Dnipropetrovsk region.
KYIV, Ukraine: Russia's invading forces have broken into an eighth region of Ukraine, a Ukrainian military official said Wednesday, in their ongoing three-year conflict as US-led peace efforts struggle to gain momentum.
Some Russian troops have entered the villages of Novoheorhiivka and Zaporizke in the eastern Dnipropetrovsk region, near the Donetsk region where intense fighting has been occurring.
Victor Trehubov, a spokesman for local ground forces, confirmed this development via phone with The Associated Press.Russia's Defense Ministry previously claimed to have taken control of these villages earlier this month; however, Ukrainian troops continue to engage in combat efforts within the villages, as no significant entrenchment or fortification has been established by Russian forces.
This ongoing resistance puts a strain on Ukrainian forces facing Russia's numerically superior military presence.The conflict's front line stretches approximately 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) across eastern and southeastern Ukraine, which shares borders with Russia.
Russian forces have now infiltrated the Sumy, Kharkiv, Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, and Mykolaiv regions.
Crimea, a peninsula, was unlawfully seized by Russia from Ukraine in March 2014, resulting in Russia's occupation of roughly one-fifth of Ukrainian territory.Western leaders have criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin for hindering peace initiatives and avoiding substantive negotiations as Russian military operations advance deeper into Ukraine.
US President Donald Trump expressed frustration with Putin's reluctance to engage in direct talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, stating that a decision on next steps will be made within two weeks if a direct dialogue is not scheduled.
In contrast, Ukraine has accepted the US proposal for a summit and ceasefire.Despite ongoing peace negotiations, Russia remains reluctant to accept Western plans for post-war security guarantees, particularly those involving NATO member countries' troop deployment in Ukraine.
However, Dmitry Peskov, a Kremlin spokesperson, reiterated that the presence of NATO soldiers would be unacceptably hostile to Moscow.
Ukraine is countering Russian military efforts by targeting infrastructure behind the frontline with long-range drones, leading to disruptions such as gas shortages in some Russian regions following attacks on refineries and oil facilities.In retaliation, Russia has intensified its campaign to dismantle Ukraine's energy supply for the impending winter, launching repeated strikes against power grid installations.
The Ukrainian Energy Ministry reported that Russia targeted energy and gas infrastructure in six regions of the country.
Some Russian troops have entered the villages of Novoheorhiivka and Zaporizke in the eastern Dnipropetrovsk region, near the Donetsk region where intense fighting has been occurring.
Victor Trehubov, a spokesman for local ground forces, confirmed this development via phone with The Associated Press.Russia's Defense Ministry previously claimed to have taken control of these villages earlier this month; however, Ukrainian troops continue to engage in combat efforts within the villages, as no significant entrenchment or fortification has been established by Russian forces.
This ongoing resistance puts a strain on Ukrainian forces facing Russia's numerically superior military presence.The conflict's front line stretches approximately 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) across eastern and southeastern Ukraine, which shares borders with Russia.
Russian forces have now infiltrated the Sumy, Kharkiv, Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, and Mykolaiv regions.
Crimea, a peninsula, was unlawfully seized by Russia from Ukraine in March 2014, resulting in Russia's occupation of roughly one-fifth of Ukrainian territory.Western leaders have criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin for hindering peace initiatives and avoiding substantive negotiations as Russian military operations advance deeper into Ukraine.
US President Donald Trump expressed frustration with Putin's reluctance to engage in direct talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, stating that a decision on next steps will be made within two weeks if a direct dialogue is not scheduled.
In contrast, Ukraine has accepted the US proposal for a summit and ceasefire.Despite ongoing peace negotiations, Russia remains reluctant to accept Western plans for post-war security guarantees, particularly those involving NATO member countries' troop deployment in Ukraine.
However, Dmitry Peskov, a Kremlin spokesperson, reiterated that the presence of NATO soldiers would be unacceptably hostile to Moscow.
Ukraine is countering Russian military efforts by targeting infrastructure behind the frontline with long-range drones, leading to disruptions such as gas shortages in some Russian regions following attacks on refineries and oil facilities.In retaliation, Russia has intensified its campaign to dismantle Ukraine's energy supply for the impending winter, launching repeated strikes against power grid installations.
The Ukrainian Energy Ministry reported that Russia targeted energy and gas infrastructure in six regions of the country.
