Overview

• Russia’s defense ministry claimed June 8 that tank units breached from Donetsk into Dnipropetrovsk, describing it as a significant advance into the region’s industrial and mining areas.
• Ukraine’s southern army command and Lt. Col. Oleksandr denied any substantial Russian incursion and characterized the reports as part of Moscow’s disinformation campaign.
• Russian media circulated photos of troops raising the flag over Zorya village near Dnipropetrovsk’s border without independent verification.
• Peace talks in Istanbul have stalled after Moscow demanded Kyiv recognize its control over five Ukrainian regions, a demand Ukraine has rejected.
• Both sides plan a prisoner exchange next week under Ukrainian intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov’s oversight, marking the only recent diplomatic progress.