Russian forces have recently intensified offensive operations in three Ukrainian oblasts – Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson – Ukraine's Southern Defense Forces spokesperson, Vladyslav Voloshyn, said on April 29 during Ukraine's state-run telethon.
The statement follows Russian President Vladimir Putin's announcement of a three-day truce in the war against Ukraine to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe on May 8-11.
Russian forces have intensified their push toward Novopavlivka, a village in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, which borders Donetsk Oblast, according to Voloshyn, conducting 23 combat engagements over the past day in the area.
"Fierce fighting continues there, and the enemy is rushing to the border of Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Donetsk oblasts," Voloshyn said.
While Donetsk Oblast has been the epicenter of Russia's aggression against Ukraine since 2014 — with significant escalation after the full-scale invasion in 2022 – Russian forces have not yet entered Dnipropetrovsk Oblast.
The distance between Novopavlivka and the village of Kotliarivka in Donetsk Oblast, where fighting is ongoing between Russian and Ukrainian troops, is nearly 12 kilometers (8 miles).
Voloshyn added that the situation is "quite turbulent" in the Orikhiv direction in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, near the settlements of Mali Shcherbaky, Lobkove, and Stepove.
"The enemy is trying to break through the line of contact there, reach the bridgehead and capture it, which is not far from Zaporizhzhia. From there, they (Russian forces) can exert fire on our logistics routes that go from Zaporizhzhia to the east of Zaporizhzhia Oblast, and to shell Zaporizhzhia itself and its suburbs," Voloshyn said.
According to the spokesperson, the situation has also deteriorated in the Kherson sector of the front line, where Russian troops have made more frequent attempts to seize islands on the Dnipro River.
Though Ukrainian forces sank most Russian boats, some Russian soldiers managed to land on the islands, he added.
"(Russian soldiers) cannot be evacuated from there, and their command is dropping ammunition, water, and food from drones. They stay there for several days. There are cases where they even surrender to our forces," Voloshyn said.
Andrea Januta
(Updated: )
