Ukraine Russia war live: Putin’s forces ‘make sudden thrust’ into eastern Ukraine ahead of Alaska summit

In Ukraine, a Russian missile attack on a Ukrainian military training facility left one soldier dead and 11 others wounded, the Ukrainian Ground Forces posted on Telegram.

Soldiers rushing to shelters were hit with cluster munitions, according to the Ukrainian Ground Forces. Meanwhile, Russia appeared close to taking an important city in the Donetsk region, as its forces were reported to be rapidly infiltrating positions north of Pokrovsk.

Military analysts using open source information to monitor the battles say the next 24-48 hours could be critical. Losing Pokrovsk would hand Russia an important battlefield victory ahead of the summit. It would also complicate Ukrainian supply lines to the Donetsk region, where the Kremlin has focused the bulk of its military efforts.

Ukraine’s military said its forces are fending off Russian infantry units trying to infiltrate their defensive positions in the Donetsk region. The region’s Ukrainian military command posted on Facebook yesterday that enemy soldiers penetrating Ukrainian lines to capture more territory «face inevitable death» but acknowledges that the situation remains «difficult, unpleasant and dynamic.»

Elina Beketova, a fellow at the Center for European Policy Analysis, has told The Independent that the latest land swapping proposals are a cause for concern ahead of the Putin-Trump summit in Alaska on Friday.

A number of conflicting reports have suggested Ukraine may be asked to cede land in Crimea, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk.

“Even in Donetsk, Russia doesn’t control the entire region. It’s taken them 11 years to try to gain full access there, and giving up this territory would force Ukraine to abandon its fortifications and defense lines. For Russia, that would mean the ability to advance deeper into central and western Ukraine.

“That’s why this is so dangerous. Even though Ukrainians understand they can’t fully regain control of some regions right now, agreeing to such a deal would be like handing those areas to Russia as a neatly wrapped gift.”

Speaking to reporters on Monday, Trump said there would “be some land swapping going on,” adding that this would involve «some bad stuff” for both countries.

Trump also expressed frustration with Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky’s insistence that Kyiv would need to hold a national referendum on any peace deal which grants Russia control over territory it has illegally occupied since the start of its invasion in 2022.

Spanish prime minister Pedro Sanchez has reaffirmed support for Ukraine following a statement from European leaders this morning.

“The priority is to end the war,” he said on social media. “Achieve a just and lasting peace and security for Ukraine.

“The Ukrainian people have the support of Spain and the European Union. United in favor of a diplomatic solution that protects the vital security interests of Ukraine and Europe.”