Russian Troops Capture Multiple Villages in Donetsk, Luhansk Amid Intensified Fighting

Russian forces have intensified their offensive in eastern Ukraine, capturing multiple villages in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, including Myrne (also called Karl Marx), Zirka, Bilohorivka, and Yalta near the Dnipropetrovsk border. The Russian military is advancing toward the Dnipropetrovsk region, aiming to establish a buffer zone approximately 10 kilometers deep, with significant activity in areas like Novokhatske, Radkivka, Novotoretske, Komar, and Kupyansk directions. Ukrainian defenders are actively resisting, repelling numerous Russian assaults, though some Ukrainian units have withdrawn from encircled positions. Russian shelling continues to cause civilian casualties and widespread damage across Donetsk, with dozens of homes and infrastructure destroyed and multiple casualties reported. The conflict remains intense along a roughly 620-mile front line, with no ceasefire agreement reached despite US-led negotiations. Observers note a possible shift in Russian offensive priorities toward the Pokrovsk direction after earlier unsuccessful attempts to advance toward Kostiantynivka.