Russian forces gain ground in Kharkiv and Donetsk oblasts
Soldiers from the 12th Azov Special Forces Brigade are attacking Russian positions in Donetsk Oblast (Photo: REUTERS/Sofiia Gatilova)
Russian invasion forces have made tactical advances near the settlements of Petropavlivka in Kharkiv Oblast and Kostiantynivka in Donetsk Oblast, the monitoring group DeepState reported on April 27.
On April 10, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that the aggressor state is aiming to capture the strategic Donetsk Oblast cities of Druzhkivka, Kostiantynivka, and Pokrovsk by the end of April 2026.
Zelenskyy previously stated on April 9 that while Russia seeks to seize key hubs in the Pokrovsk sector, they currently "lack the strength" to achieve a total breakthrough.
According to the U.S.-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Russia has already launched its spring-summer offensive targeting "fortress cities" across Donetsk Oblast. Analysts suggest this campaign could be a protracted effort, noting that it took Russian forces nearly two years to capture Pokrovsk, which had a pre-war population of 60,000.
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