There is intense fighting in southeastern Ukraine, particularly around the strategic town of Huliaipole in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, where Russian forces have been pressing a sustained offensive as part of their broader campaign in the region.

Ukrainian commanders are struggling to hold the sprawling frontline, with manpower shortages forcing them to shift limited forces to critical sectors while facing heavy pressure from Russian assaults and drone attacks, reports Constant Méheut and Olha Konovalova of The NY Times.

The situation reflects broader challenges Ukraine faces in containing Russian advances, even as peace talks continue and diplomatic efforts seek to curb the nearly four-year war. They write:

As their lines began to buckle, the Ukrainian units hunkered down in the small town of Huliaipole, bracing for an assault.

It came under cover of fog, with Russian troops slipping into the town by moving along a river that bisects it. Drawn by the hum of a generator, they charged into a Ukrainian command post. […]

Read more here.