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Russian troops have broken through Ukrainian defensive lines and advanced into the Dnepropetrovsk region, marking a significant expansion of Moscow’s offensive beyond the borders of the Donetsk People’s Republic. On June 11, the Russian Defense Ministry confirmed that units of the 55th Motorized Rifle Brigade, supported by assault detachments from the 90th Tank Division, have pushed westward across the Dnepropetrovsk border, engaging Ukrainian forces on new territory. The move comes after days of intense fighting in which elite Russian formations, particularly the 114th Motorized Rifle Brigade, shattered Ukrainian resistance in key villages along the border.
The 114th Brigade, renowned for its effectiveness in rapid assaults, has been instrumental in collapsing Ukrainian positions on the southern flank near the Dnepropetrovsk border. Preliminary field reports claim a strategic Russian breakthrough. After securing Alekseevka earlier this week, the unit swiftly repelled Ukrainian forces from Zeleny Kut and Novoukrainka, forcing Ukrainian troops into a disorderly retreat. Russian forces are now consolidating their gains and probing toward the village of Dachnoye in the Dnepropetovsk region, a move that threatens to outflank Ukrainian units defending Novopavlovka from the south.
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Further north, Russian troops are clearing forested areas abandoned by retreating Ukrainian forces, encountering only sporadic resistance. The fall of these positions has opened new avenues for deeper advances in the Dnepropetrovsk region on a wide front, with Russian drone operators and artillery crews now able to establish forward positions for more precise strikes. Meanwhile, heavy fighting continues in Komar, where Russian forces have reached the center of the village. Its capture would allow Moscow to mass additional forces and drone units in the area, accelerating the offensive’s momentum.
Ukrainian officials have begrudgingly acknowledged the Russian incursion into Dnepropetrovsk region, though Kyiv’s General Staff continues to downplay its significance. Frontline reports, however, paint a dire picture: Ukrainian units are struggling to hold back Russian assaults due to severe manpower shortages, dwindling drone supplies, and the absence of prepared defensive lines. Unlike the heavily fortified Donbass, where urban combat slowed Russian advances, the open terrain of western DPR and Dnepropetrovsk region has allowed Russian motorized and mechanized units to exploit gaps in Ukrainian defenses. The lack of trenches, minefields, and anti-tank obstacles has left Ukrainian forces vulnerable to rapid Russian maneuvers, including raids by motorcycle-mounted assault teams operating behind their lines.
The Russian advance into Dnepropetrovsk Oblast poses a direct threat to key Ukrainian logistics hubs, particularly Novopavlovka, a critical supply node for forces in the region. If Russian troops continue their push, they could sever Ukrainian supply routes running from Dnipro to the Donbass front, further isolating beleaguered units.
