Summary
- Ukraine has officially acknowledged for the first time that Russian forces have advanced as far as central Dnipropetrovsk.
- It was announced that Russia is expanding its offensive into adjacent regions to its existing occupied zones, including Ukraine's mining and industrial hub.
- While peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia remain at a standstill, economic sanctions against Russia have been reiterated in the United States.
Russia enters Dnipropetrovsk
Expansion of occupied areas beyond the four Ukrainian oblasts
Russian forces have expanded the frontline by advancing as far as Dnipropetrovsk in east-central Ukraine. As peace talks between Russia and Ukraine stall due to divergent views, analysts say Russia’s intensified offensive is pushing both sides further away from a possible settlement.
According to foreign media such as Agence France-Presse (AFP), on the 26th (local time), Viktor Tregubov, spokesperson for the Dnipro Operational Strategic Group, stated, "They (Russian forces) have entered (Dnipropetrovsk Oblast) and battles are ongoing." This marks Ukraine’s first official acknowledgment of Russian forces entering Dnipropetrovsk.
Dnipropetrovsk Oblast is a new region, not one of the eastern four oblasts—Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson—that Russia claims to largely occupy. It borders Donetsk, of which Russia reportedly controls about 75%, and is a mining and industrial hub of Ukraine.
Russia has been escalating its offensive in this area since June. The previous day, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced that its forces had captured the village of Zaporizke in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. However, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine countered that Russian forces do not have full control over the village. Spokesperson Tregubov asserted, "Russian forces are trying to establish a foothold in the area," adding, "Ukrainian forces are fighting to maintain their defensive line." However, DeepState, which tracks the Ukrainian front lines, reported, "Russia has fully captured two villages," and that "they are strengthening positions and boosting infantry in preparation for further advances."
Peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia remain stagnant. U.S. President Donald Trump has reiterated sanctions against Russia. At a cabinet meeting held at the White House on the same day, President Trump stated, "We have economic sanctions," and explained, "We’re talking about economic sanctions because we don't want a world war." He added, "Let’s make it an economic war, not a world war."
By Myung-Hyun Han, wise@hankyung.com
Korea Economic Daily
hankyung@bloomingbit.ioThe Korea Economic Daily Global is a digital media where latest news on Korean companies, industries, and financial markets.
