A destroyed apartment in a frontline village in Donetsk on the 12th (local time) [Photo courtesy of AFP/Yonhap News, for reproduction and database use only]

(London=Yonhap News) Reporter Kim Ji-yeon = Even with the US-Russia summit just around the corner on the 15th (local time), the sounds of war continue in Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on X (formerly Twitter) that day that troops had been reinforced in the east, where Russian attacks are fierce, and expressed hope that the upcoming summit would lead to a just peace.

According to AFP, Vadym Filashkin, governor of Donetsk, issued an additional evacuation order for five villages, including Druzhkivka, where a total of 1,879 children remained. On the 13th, an evacuation order was issued for the village of Bilozerske.

Russia has intensified its offensive to expand its occupied territory in eastern Ukraine before and after the proposed summit between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The previous day, Russian forces claimed to have captured the villages of Iskra and Shcherbynivka in the Donetsk region.

According to the American think tank Institute for the Study of War, Russian forces advanced up to 10 km on a narrow front section near Dobropillia-Druzhkivka on the 12th, achieving their largest gain in a single day in the past year.

President Zelensky claimed, "On the Pokrovsk front, we are successfully repelling Russian attempts to gain a foothold. We are operating effectively in Dobropillia."

He added, "Today, we decided to reinforce this area of Donetsk and other regions. The Russian forces are suffering heavy losses in their attempt to secure a more favorable political position for the Russian leadership from Alaska," he emphasized.

The Ukrainian army announced on the evening of the same day that they had recaptured some villages recently occupied by Russia's attacks, AFP reported.

The Ukrainian army added, "Over the past three days, Ukraine's Azov 1st Army Corps, along with adjacent and affiliated units, has blocked the enemy's advance in the defense sector in the direction of Pokrovsk," and stated that they had recaptured six villages in the area.

The Ukrainian army has intensified airstrikes on Russian military targets.

The Ukrainian military announced that it had conducted airstrikes the previous night on a ship transporting Iranian-made drone parts and ammunition in Olya, a port city in the Astrakhan region of southern Russia. The Ukrainian military explained that this port is used by Russia as a major logistics hub.

Additionally, they conducted airstrikes on a refinery in Syrzhan, a city in central Russia located about 800 km from the front lines. The General Staff explained this as retaliation for Russia's nighttime airstrikes on Ukrainian cities and energy grids.

Images of flames and smoke rising from the facility spread on social media.

Drone exchanges also continued. Russia stated that Ukrainian forces launched 53 drones overnight, while Ukraine announced that Russian forces launched 97.

In an apartment building in the Kursk region of Russia, a 45-year-old woman was killed and 10 people were injured due to Ukrainian airstrikes, according to Kursk Governor Alexander Khinshtein.

Trump, Zelensky, and Putin [Photo courtesy of AP/Yonhap News, for reproduction and database use only]

The world's attention is focused on the US-Russia summit taking place in Alaska on this day.

President Zelensky, who was not invited, demanded that the summit should open the way for a just peace and a future trilateral summit between the US, Russia, and Ukraine.

He stated on X, "Today, we expect reports from our intelligence agencies on the current intentions of the Russian side and the preparations for the Alaska meeting. What is important is that this meeting should pave the way for substantive discussions between leaders and a genuine path towards a just peace in a trilateral format of Ukraine, the United States, and Russia."

He added, "It is time to end the war, and Russia must take the necessary steps. We are counting on the United States, and we are ready to work as productively as possible, as we always have."

In a Telegram message, President Zelensky further stated, "Russia is committing murders even on the day of negotiations. We expect a strong stance from the United States."

President Zelensky continued his diplomatic efforts until the night before.

After returning from the UK, where he showcased solidarity with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, President Zelensky had a phone call with Argentine President Javier Milei.

He wrote on X, "I conveyed our clear position that Ukraine needs a just peace and reliable security guarantees, and Javier is ready to personally work towards this. Thank you."

cherora@yna.co.kr

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