The enemy, trying to advance on this front, is suffering significant losses in personnel and equipment."Finnish geopolitical analyst Joni Askola told Newsweek: "This is not a breakthrough, nor is it close to a collapse of the front—at least not yet.

Small groups of Russian troops have pierced parts of Ukraine’s defenses in its eastern Donetsk region, according to local officials, as Russia appears to be making an 11th-hour dash to snatch as much territory as possible ahead of the planned meeting between President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart Donald Trump on Friday.