Russian troops inch forward in Ukraine's Dnipropetrovsk region

PHOTO CAPTION: Illustrative photo — A Ukrainian service member fire a machine gun during a live fire exercise, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Donetsk region, Ukraine June 22, 2023. (Reuters)

KYIV  -  Russia has captured two villages in Ukraine's southeastern Dnipropetrovsk region, Ukrainian open-source researchers confirmed on Tuesday, as Kremlin troops press an offensive amid a stalling diplomatic effort to end the war.

Ukraine's outmanned and outgunned military has struggled to fend off grinding Russian advances in much of the east as Moscow increases pressure on Kyiv to give up territory in any peace negotiations.

Russian forces now occupy the villages of Zaporizke and Novoheorhiivka, according to DeepState, a group tracking battlefield developments. Moscow's defence ministry had previously reported capturing both villages. 

Ukraine's military on Tuesday dismissed reports that Russian troops had occupied the villages as false. 

"Russians have entered (there) and are attempting to establish a foothold," Ukrainian military spokesperson Viktor Trehubov told Reuters, referring to Zaporizke and Novoheorhiivka. "Our forces are fighting to maintain their positions." 

Russian forces said in July they had taken their first village in Dnipropetrovsk, which is not among the five Ukrainian regions Russia has claimed as its own territory.

DeepState's map shows at least two other Dnipropetrovsk villages either occupied or the site of fighting, comparatively minuscule areas in the region of over 31,000 square kilometres. 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy had previously dismissed the significance of Russia's push into the region, describing it last month as aimed at achieving a "media victory".

 (Reporting by Dan Peleschuk and Yuliia Dysa; Editing by Aidan Lewis // REUTERS)