Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has reported intense battles between Ukrainian troops and the advancing Russian army in two border areas. The death toll from a Russian apartment building collapse attributed to Ukrainian shelling has risen to 15. Zelenskyy described the ongoing battles as 'fierce' near the eastern and northeastern borders of Ukraine, where Ukrainian soldiers are facing a significant Russian ground offensive.
Analysts suggest that the Russian forces are attempting to exploit Ukrainian vulnerabilities before a substantial amount of new military aid from the U.S. and European partners reaches Kyiv in the coming weeks and months. This period is seen as a critical window of opportunity for Moscow and a perilous time for Kyiv in the two-year war.
