Russian forces have advanced on Dachnoye, pushing back Ukrainian troops and are now clearing the village, according to Vladimir Rogov, a Russian-appointed official in Zaporizhzhia province, on 30/6. "This is the first settlement in Dnipropetrovsk province from which Ukrainian forces have been repelled," he said.

Neither the Russian nor Ukrainian defense ministries have commented on the claim.

The village of Dachnoye, Dnipropetrovsk province, and Russian advances in the area, as shown in a map published on 29/6. Graphic: Deep State

A map published on 29/6 by Deep State, an analytical group linked to the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense, indicated that Russian units were closing in on Dachnoye and controlled part of the main road into the village, as well as launching multiple offensives in the area.

The Russian Ministry of Defense previously announced that units of its central and eastern forces had reached the western administrative border of Donetsk province and were advancing into Dnipropetrovsk province. In recent days, Russian forces have taken control of several villages in Donetsk province, south and east of Dachnoye.

Location of Dachnoye village, Dnipropetrovsk province. Graphic: RYV

Dnipropetrovsk is a key province in central Ukraine, bordering Kharkiv, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson provinces. It is also an important mining and industrial center for Ukraine. An estimated three million people lived in the province before the conflict began, with one million in the regional capital, Dnipro.

Russian media reported in mid-May that Russian troops had advanced from Donetsk to Dnipropetrovsk, but this was only confirmed by the Russian Ministry of Defense on 8/6.

Russian soldiers train for a motorcycle assault at a training ground in Donetsk province on 4/6. Photo: Russian Ministry of Defense

Ukrainian soldiers believe Russia could advance relatively quickly in Dnipropetrovsk due to the largely flat terrain with few natural obstacles or villages for Ukrainian forces to use as defensive positions.

Russian media suggest that an attack on Dnipropetrovsk province would force Kyiv to transfer more reserves there, further straining the Ukrainian army, which is already facing shortages of troops and stretched thin across multiple fronts.

Nguyen Tien (According to RIA Novosti, Reuters, AFP)