Russian forces have made a significant push into eastern Ukraine, advancing by at least 10 km near the coal-mining town of Dobropillia in Donetsk region, according to Ukraine’s DeepState war monitoring project.
The move comes days before U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are due to meet in Alaska, reportedly to discuss a possible deal to end the war.
DeepState reported that Russian troops had moved forward in two prongs near three villages, exploiting gaps in Ukraine’s defences and aiming to encircle the towns of Kostyantynivka and Pokrovsk.
Ukrainian army spokesperson Andriy Kovalov said reinforcements had been sent to detect and destroy infiltration groups, with Russian forces making 35 failed attempts to dislodge Ukrainian units, suffering heavy losses.
Military analyst Pasi Paroinen said Russian units had reached the Dobropillia–Kramatorsk road and were operating close to Dobropillia itself.
Former Kremlin adviser Sergei Markov described the advance as a “partial collapse” of Ukrainian defences, suggesting it could give Moscow leverage in negotiations.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has rejected calls to cede territory, insisting any peace deal must be just.
The battle for Donetsk remains critical, with key “fortress cities” — Sloviansk, Kramatorsk, Druzhkivka and Kostiantynivka — still under Ukrainian control.
