Ukraine war briefing: Russian troops inside Dnipropetrovsk region, Ukraine says

"Ukraine acknowledged for the first time on Tuesday that Russia's army had entered the Dnipropetrovsk region, a central administrative area previously spared from intense fighting. Yes, they have entered, and fighting is ongoing as of now, said Viktor Tregubov, a spokesperson for Ukrainian forces in Dnipro, Ukraine's fourth-largest city. Russian forces have slowly gained ground in costly battles for largely devastated areas in eastern and southern Ukraine, normally with few inhabitants or intact buildings left."

"Ukrainian men aged 18 to 22 are now allowed to cross the border freely in either direction under martial law, the prime minister, Yulia Svyrydenko, has announced. This applies to all citizens in this age group. The decision also concerns citizens who, for various reasons, are located outside Ukraine, said Svyrydenko. We want Ukrainians to maintain a maximum of links with Ukraine. Previous regulations introduced after Russia's February 2022 invasion barred men aged 18-60 from leaving the country."

Russian forces have entered parts of the Dnipropetrovsk region and fighting is ongoing, according to Ukrainian military spokespeople. Russian troops have made gradual, costly gains in largely devastated eastern and southern areas where few civilians or intact buildings remain. Ukrainian general staff rejected Moscow's claim to have fully captured Zaporizke and Novogeorgiivka, while battlefield monitor DeepState reported Russian occupation, consolidation and accumulation of infantry for further advance. Dnipropetrovsk is not among the regions Moscow claims to have annexed. The Ukrainian government now permits men aged 18 to 22 to cross the border freely under martial law. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with military leadership to review frontline and border-area needs, with attention to Sumy, Kharkiv, Donetsk and Zaporizhia regions.

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