Russia announced on Sunday that its forces had made significant advances in Ukraine’s southeastern Zaporizhzhia region, capturing two settlements as part of a broader offensive aimed at seizing full control of the area.
Ukraine, with a smaller army, has been struggling to strengthen its defences in the Donetsk region while trying to maintain stability across other fronts under relentless Russian artillery fire and drone assaults from highly mobile units.
Since pushing into the Dnipropetrovsk region in late June, Russian troops have been advancing there and in neighbouring Zaporizhzhia, gaining around 30 kilometres (19 miles) over the past six weeks, according to pro-Ukrainian mapping sources.
The Russian defence ministry reported that its forces had taken Rivnopillya, placing the southern town of Huliaipole at risk of encirclement. It also said troops had captured Mala Tokmachka, located roughly nine kilometres (six miles) from Orikhiv.
“It is difficult to overstate the importance of this village for Orikhiv’s defence,” wrote Yuri Podolyaka, a prominent Russian military blogger, describing Mala Tokmachka as “the gateway to Orikhiv”.
Ukraine has yet to issue a response. However, its top general said last week that fighting had intensified along parts of the Zaporizhzhia front, particularly near Huliaipole. Separately, Kyiv’s military confirmed that its forces had withdrawn from several villages in the region.
Ukrainian soldiers and commanders say a shortage of personnel is hindering their ability to maintain defensive lines, despite the extensive use of drones by both sides, which makes territorial gains costly.
Currently, Russia controls about 19% of Ukraine’s territory, equivalent to 115,476 square kilometres, an increase of just one percentage point in two years. Moscow’s declared goal remains to seize the entirety of the Donbas region, comprising Donetsk and Luhansk, as well as the whole of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia.
According to Russia, its forces now hold roughly 75% of the Zaporizhzhia region, leaving Ukraine in control of around 7,000 square kilometres, including the regional capital, Zaporizhzhia, which had a pre-war population of over 700,000.
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In a sweeping diplomatic push in Baku, Georgia and Azerbaijan have signed a landmark package of energy and transport agreements, cementing a partnership set to shape the South Caucasus corridor for decades to come.
The first-ever “WUF13 NGO Forum” in the history of the World Urban Forum (WUF) was held on 19 May 2026 at Azerbaijan’s initiative in Baku.
Germany will deploy a Patriot air-defence battery to Türkiye in the coming weeks as part of a NATO mission aimed at strengthening the alliance’s south-eastern flank, German officials have said.
Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has called for closer security coordination between Central Asia and China, warning that expanding trade and infrastructure links are exposing the region to increasingly sophisticated cross-border threats.
The World Urban Forum (WUF13) continues in Baku, Azerbaijan on 18 May, addressing the global housing crisis. The day’s agenda includes the official opening press conference, the WUF13 Urban Expo opening and a ministerial dialogue on the Nairobi Declaration to advance Africa's urban agenda.
United Nations World Urban Forum 13 continues in Baku, Azerbaijan on 19 May with sessions and roundtable discussions focused on strengthening dialogue and advancing cooperation in urban development. Organisers say there are nearly 3 billion people globally who face some form of housing inadequacy.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday he had paused a planned attack on Iran after appeals from the leaders of Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, allowing negotiations to continue over a possible deal to end the conflict.
A 5.2 magnitude earthquake struck China’s Guangxi region early on Monday, killing two people and forcing more than 7,000 residents in Liuzhou to evacuate as rescue efforts continued.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), warning that the situation poses a significant risk of cross-border spread in Central Africa.
Germany will deploy a Patriot air-defence battery to Türkiye in the coming weeks as part of a NATO mission aimed at strengthening the alliance’s south-eastern flank, German officials have said.
Estonia said on Tuesday (19 May) that a NATO fighter jet shot down a suspected Ukrainian drone over its territory, in the latest reported airspace violation in the region amid ongoing Ukrainian strikes against Russia.
Sweden has agreed to buy four naval frigates from France’s Naval Group in a deal worth more than $4 billion, as Stockholm moves to strengthen its defence capabilities in the Baltic Sea, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said on Tuesday.
Spanish police said on Tuesday they had detained a 25-year-old man suspected of killing his two parents and injuring four other people, including his son, in a shooting in the southern city of El Ejido in Almeria province overnight.
European Union negotiators are expected to agree on Tuesday (19 May) on legislation removing import duties on U.S. industrial goods, in a move aimed at implementing last year’s trade agreement with the United States and avoiding higher tariffs threatened by U.S. President Donald Trump.
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