The Russian military reports that forces have reached the regional border from Donetsk in the east and that they are building up an offensive in Dnipropetrovsk.
The invasion forces have for a long time tried to capture the small town of Pokrovsk without succeeding and with large losses, but during the last time they have made smaller advances south of the city, in a westerly direction towards the regional border to Dnipropetrovsk.
Also last week
The information from Moscow is difficult to verify and has not yet been commented on from the Ukrainian side. Russia has also previously claimed to have entered Dnipropetrovsk, most recently two weeks ago, which was then rejected by the Ukrainian army.
Ukraine's military leaders have warned that a larger Russian offensive is underway and in April it was said that the Russian advances would take place to twice the extent as before.
Military analysts have assessed that a Russian goal is to push forward towards the city of Zaporizjzja further west, to then take control of the entire region with the same name which is today partially occupied.
Russia has the initiative on the battlefield and while the USA has mediated so far fruitless talks between the parties, it has been warned from the Ukrainian side that the Russians are just biding their time.
Deadly missile attack
Russia claims to have annexed four regions in Ukraine, in addition to the previously annexed Crimea, but none of the regions are fully under Russian control. Dnipropetrovsk is not one of these regions, but cities and towns there have been subjected to regular Russian air attacks during the war.
Serhij Lysak, who leads the Ukrainian military administration in Dnipropetrovsk, reported early on Sunday morning about Russian shelling and missile attacks on communities in the region. A man is said to have been killed in an attack with glide bombs.
