The analytical project DeepState reported on 26 August that Russian forces have occupied the villages of Zaporizke and Novogeorgiyivka in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, marking the first occupied settlements in the region.

According to DeepState analysts, Russian troops established control over the two villages, while Russian forces also advanced near Shevchenko, Bila Gora, and in Oleksandro-Shultyne.

The occupied villages lie at the junction of Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, and Zaporizhzhia oblasts’ borders. They became the first settlements in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast to fall under Russian army control.

This development contradicts earlier intelligence assessments. NATO member countries’ reconnaissance data suggested Russia was not planning a major offensive in either Sumy or Dnipropetrovsk oblasts of Ukraine.

Russian forces had repeatedly claimed incursions into Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, but the Ukrainian General Staff consistently denied these assertions. Head of the Main Intelligence Directorate Kyrylo Budanov previously assured that the city of Dnipro faced only threats from Russian missile and drone attacks, with combat operations occurring solely along Dnipropetrovsk Oblast’s perimeters.

The General Staff reported on 2 July that the settlement of Dachne in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast had not been captured by Russians, as claimed by RF propagandists, and remained under Armed Forces control.

DeepState reported on 5 July that the Russian forces had occupied the settlements of Zeleny Kut and Novoukrayinka near the administrative border between Dnipropetrovsk and Donetsk oblasts and was attempting to advance further.

On 11 August, the DeepState analytical center reported that Russian forces had intensified their advance toward Dobropillya over recent days, particularly attempting to establish positions near the Dobropillya-Kramatorsk highway. The “Dnipro” operational-strategic group added that Russian forces were infiltrating in small groups past the first line of Ukrainian positions in this direction.