PUBLISHED on August 14, 2025, 1:46 PM EDT – Key Points and Summary: Just days before a high-stakes summit between Presidents Trump and Putin, Russian forces have made their most significant daily territorial gains in Ukraine in over a year, capturing 110 square kilometers in a single day.
-The aggressive push in the Donetsk region, targeting the vital Dobropillia–Kramatorsk highway, is seen as a strategic move by Moscow to strengthen its negotiating position.
-While President Zelenskyy has downplayed the advance, the timing has intensified fears that Ukraine will be pressured into accepting a peace deal that formalizes Russia’s battlefield victories.
Putin Winning the Ukraine War?
Russian forces have made their most significant daily gains in Ukraine in more than 12 months, capturing or claiming 110 square kilometres of territory in a single day, according to battlefield data analysed by the US-based Institute for the Study of War.
Alaska Summit Looms
The push came on August 12, just days before US President Donald Trump is due to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska — a summit that could well shape this war’s next phase. European leaders, who held video talks with Trump on Wednesday, are keen to show unity, but the timing of Moscow’s advance is difficult to ignore.
In a conflict where frontlines have often shifted at a snail’s pace, the sudden leap is striking. Over the past year, Russian troops have typically taken nearly a week to gain as much ground. Now, they appear to be accelerating. Moscow, which currently controls around 19% of Ukraine, announced the capture of two villages near Dobropillia, a coal mining hub in Donetsk region.
More Families Flee Donetsk
The escalation has triggered a mandatory evacuation of families with children from Bilozerske and over a dozen surrounding settlements. Donetsk governor Vadym Filashkin said about 1,150 children are still in the affected area.
Zelensky Admits Russian Gains
President Volodymyr Zelensky acknowledged that Russian forces had advanced up to 10 kilometres in the sector but vowed Ukraine would “destroy them.”
He warned that Moscow’s troop movements indicate preparation for “new offensive operations,” not de-escalation.
Overnight, Ukraine’s military reported intercepting 49 drones and two ballistic missiles, though strikes on the southern Kherson region killed at least three people.
Russian units also appear to be eyeing Pokrovsk, a logistics hub in eastern Donbas whose loss could disrupt Ukraine’s supply lines.
Analysts say seizing the city before the Alaska talks would hand Putin a symbolic and strategic victory.
Ukraine has struck back across the border, targeting an oil pumping station in Russia’s Bryansk region.
The facility, part of a network that can handle up to 60 million tons of oil annually, reportedly suffered a large fire following a drone strike by Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces and military intelligence.
About the Author: Georgia Gilholy
Georgia Gilholy is a journalist based in the United Kingdom who has been published in Newsweek, The Times of Israel, and the Spectator. Gilholy writes about international politics, culture, and education.
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