Russian forces have made a sudden thrust into eastern Ukraine east of the mining town of Dobropillia in a move that Ukrainian and Russian military bloggers say could become a serious problem for Kyiv if left unchecked.
Ukraine's authoritative DeepState war map showed on Tuesday that Russian forces had quickly advanced north in two prongs covering as much as 10 kilometers (6.2 miles), part of their drive to take full control of Ukraine's Donetsk region.
DeepState said they had advanced near three villages on a section of the frontline associated with the two Ukrainian cities of Pokrovsk and Kostyantynivka.
The Russian thrust comes days ahead of a summit in Alaska on Friday between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, where the two leaders are expected to discuss a possible deal to end the war in Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed on Tuesday that Russia was preparing for new offensive operations just days before the meeting between Trump and Putin.
"We see that the Russian army is not preparing to end the war. On the contrary, they are making movements that indicate preparations for new offensive operations," he wrote on X, without elaborating on the location.
Russian move could 'escalate dangerously'
"In such circumstances, it is important that the unity of the world is not threatened."
Tatarigami_UA, a former Ukrainian army officer whose Frontelligence Insight analysis tracks the conflict closely, said the Russian move had the potential to escalate dangerously if not nipped in the bud.
"This is critical. In both 2014 and 2015, Russia launched major offensives ahead of negotiations to gain leverage. The current situation is serious, but far from the collapse some suggest," Tatarigami wrote on X.