Ukraine Faces Headwinds: Deadly Strike in Kherson

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Despite diplomatic momentum linked to peace efforts, the war in Ukraine continues unabated, marked by reciprocal strikes and daily casualties.

A Russian artillery bombardment on Kherson killed an elderly woman and injured two people, according to officials in the southern Ukrainian city.

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The Prosecutor General stated in a Facebook post that preliminary investigations indicated Russian forces shelled Kherson with artillery fire at around 4:45 a.m. (2:45 GMT).

The attack killed an 81-year-old woman and wounded another civilian who was taken to hospital.

Meanwhile, the regional military administration reported that a 56-year-old man was injured in a drone strike on central Kherson.

The Russian army, which occupies about 20 percent of Ukrainian territory in the east and south, has accelerated its advances in recent months.

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Russian Incursion in Dnipropetrovsk

Yesterday, Kyiv acknowledged for the first time that Russian troops had entered the Dnipropetrovsk region, previously spared from heavy fighting.

“Yes, they have entered, and the fighting continues,” said Viktor Brigubov, spokesman for the Dnipro Operational Strategic Group, to Agence France-Presse.

However, the Ukrainian military denied Moscow’s claims that it had fully taken control of the villages of Zaporijske and Novogorivka.

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Russia had already announced in July that its forces were advancing in the area without officially declaring control but confirmed the capture of some settlements.

The “Deep State” battle monitoring group, close to the Ukrainian army, reported on Tuesday that Russian troops were indeed occupying these areas. According to the group, Moscow is strengthening its positions and mobilizing infantry for further advances.

Dnipropetrovsk is not among the five territories — Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Crimea — that Russia has declared annexed.

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An Uncertain Stalemate

Kyiv’s first acknowledgment of territorial losses in the region comes amid intensified talks about a potential peace agreement.

U.S. President Donald Trump met first with Russian President Vladimir Putin, then with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, hoping to achieve a breakthrough toward ending the war. However, Moscow has dismissed for now the prospect of a direct meeting between the Russian and Ukrainian leaders.

Vladimir Putin demands that Ukraine withdraw from certain territories still under its control as a precondition for a ceasefire, an ultimatum Kyiv firmly rejects as unacceptable and unfeasible.

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