Camilla Jessen
With Victory Day looming, Vladimir Putin is pushing his troops to cross into Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region at any cost.
As Russian President Vladimir Putin prepares to host his annual Victory Day parade in Moscow, his military is pushing hard for a symbolic breakthrough in Ukraine’s war-torn Donetsk region — not to gain strategic ground, but to create the illusion of momentum.
According to Ukrainian military officials, as cited by Digi24, Russia is attempting to force its way into the Dnipropetrovsk region before May 9, the day Russia celebrates the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany.
It’s a region with no immediate strategic importance, but immense propaganda value — especially since it includes the hometown of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Kryvyi Rih.
“Everything is for Victory Day,” said Colonel Andrii Nazarenko of Ukraine’s 72nd Brigade.
The enemy is throwing everything they have at the border — non-stop attacks, motorcycles, cars — just to say they got there. They’re taking huge losses, but they don’t care.
A Battle for Headlines, Not Terrain
Ukraine confirms that Russian troops are just three kilometers from the Dnipropetrovsk border in some areas, supported by massive bombing and drone strikes.
In towns like Pokrovsk, apartment blocks lie in ruins, black smoke curls into the sky, and civilians are being forcibly evacuated — especially children.
“This is not a large-scale operation,” said Ivan Tymocko, a senior Ukrainian ground forces official.
This is about Putin needing a photo opportunity to wave in front of his people on May 9.
Even if Russian troops manage to cross the border, officials stress the move would be militarily meaningless.
“It’s just a line on a map,” said Victor Tregubov, spokesperson for Ukraine’s Hortizia Strategic Group. “No towns, no rivers — just symbolism.”
“We’ve Moved On From Peace”
Putin’s demand for a narrative win has had bloody consequences. Ukrainian commanders say the Russian army outnumbers their forces ten to one in some areas, fueling fears that a breakthrough could happen purely through attrition.
“Russia wants to report to Putin: ‘We’ve taken something.’ That’s the goal,” said Illia Petrina, deputy commander of Ukraine’s 25th Airborne Brigade.
For civilians, the war’s expansion means relocation — again.
Katerina, a mother of two, recently fled a frontline village in Dnipropetrovsk after a kamikaze drone hit a nearby school.
“They told us the Russians had been pushed back,” she said. “Then a drone flew over our heads while we were planting potatoes.”
Kursk and Moscow Under Fire
Ironically, while Putin eyes Dnipropetrovsk, Ukrainian forces launched their own operation across the Russian border in the Kursk region — despite the Kremlin previously claiming Ukraine had been driven out.
Pro-Russian bloggers said Ukrainian troops blew up bridges and crossed minefields, reportedly catching Moscow by surprise.
That same night, roughly 100 drones targeted Moscow.
While no casualties were reported, state media showed damage to buildings and civilian areas — a jarring image ahead of Victory Day.
Four months into President Donald Trump’s second term, hopes that his presidency would bring a negotiated peace have all but vanished in Ukraine.
Everyone was hoping for an end, but it’s not happening,” said Aliona, another displaced resident. “Russia is pressing on all fronts. They’re just destroying everything.
For many Ukrainian soldiers, thoughts of peace have been replaced with a grim resolve. “We don’t think about when it will end anymore,” said Petrina. “We just know there’s work to be done. And it’s up to us to do it.”