Russia says seized two villages in central Ukraine

Overnight strikes launched by each side in the meantime claimed six lives – 4 in central Ukraine and two in western Russia, in keeping with officers in each nations.

The Russian military stated its forces had “liberated the settlement of Maliyevka” in Dnipropetrovsk, weeks after it seized the primary village within the area – not one of many Ukrainian areas annexed by Russia.

In a separate message on Saturday (July 26, 2025), Moscow stated it had “liberated the settlement of Zeleny Gai” in Donetsk area on the border with Dnipropetrovsk, including that it was an essential stronghold utilized by Ukraine to guard the area.

Supported by swarms of drones, Russia features new settlements virtually each day, however they’re usually decreased to rubble and emptied of inhabitants after months of combating.

The summer time offensive comes regardless of a name from the United States to stop violence and peace talks in Istanbul, which to date have yielded no breakthroughs.

Further Russian advances may hurt Ukraine’s financial system and vitality provides as Dnipropetrovsk and Donetsk, which has been occupied since 2014, are a part of Ukraine’s mining heartland, significantly for coal that powers the electrical energy grid.

Ukrainian authorities have already been ordering civilians with youngsters to flee a entrance line that’s creeping nearer.

Deeper Russian advances may imply extra assaults on one among Ukraine’s largest cities, Dnipro, although Russian troops are round 200 km (120 miles) away.

Dnipropetrovsk will not be one of many 5 Ukrainian areas – Donetsk, Kherson, Lugansk, Zaporizhzhia and Crimea – that Moscow has publicly claimed as Russian territory.