Russia has said its military forces have advanced into Ukraine's eastern region of Dnipropetrovsk for the first time since the start of the war in 2022.
On June 8, Moscow said its forces had entered the region, as Russia and Ukraine have clashed over the return of thousands of bodies of fighters killed in the war.
The Kremlin has stubbornly rejected calls from US President Donald Trump, Ukraine and the European Union for a complete and unconditional ceasefire.
In peace talks with Kiev, held in Istanbul last week, Moscow has insisted on long-standing demands, including the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from the front lines, an end to Western military support for Ukraine, and for Kiev to abandon its ambition of NATO membership.
Moscow, which already controls about 20 percent of Ukrainian territory, has seized more than 190 square kilometers of the Sumy region in eastern Ukraine in the last month alone, according to pro-Ukrainian monitors.
The Dnipropetrovsk region is an important center for Ukraine for mining and industry.
Military analysts worry that Moscow's advances deep into the region could create significant difficulties for Kiev's economy and military.
Dnipropetrovsk is not among the five Ukrainian regions that Russia officially claims as part of its territory.
Ukrainian officials have not commented on the Russian claims. There is no confirmation of this claim from independent sources either.
Russia has intensified its attacks further inside Ukraine. At least 14 civilians were killed and 68 others injured in Kharkiv, Kherson and Donetsk in Russian attacks on June 7 and 8, according to the National Police.
Meanwhile, a Ukrainian drone attack has caused a fire at a chemical plant in Russia's Tula region, about 180 kilometers from Moscow, according to the regional governor, Dmitry Milyaev.
On June 8, Russian authorities said that Vnukovo and Domodedovo airports, two international airports in Moscow, had temporarily suspended flights due to a Ukrainian drone attack./ REL (A2 Televizion)
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