Russian Defense Ministry

In this photo taken from video released by Russian Defense Ministry Press Service on Thursday, July 25, 2024, A H-6K long-range bomber of the Chinese air force, upper left, is seen escorted by a Su-30 fighter of the Russian air force during a joint Russia-China air patrol.

Ukraine said Thursday its forces had withdrawn from a district in the key eastern town of Chasiv Yar, where Russian forces have recently claimed several advances.

The fall of the small hilltop town is a worrying prospect for Ukraine because it would likely accelerate Russian advances towards large civilian hubs in the wider eastern Donetsk region.

The eastern city of Pokrovsk in Donetsk region is currently the focal point of hostilities between Russian and Ukrainian forces, with Russian troops attempting to breach Ukrainian defense lines. According to the 47th Mechanized Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, cited by DPA, the situation is critically serious.

Overnight, Ukrainian sources reported a series of new attacks in Russian-occupied Crimea, where there were at least eight explosions and a fire across different settlements. According to Russian authorities, these incidents resulted in six fatalities and over 120 injuries from Ukrainian missile and drone strikes the previous day.

Airports in the Russian cities of Kazan and Nizhnekamsk have implemented temporary flight restrictions for security reasons, according to a representative from Rosaviatsia. Unverified videos circulating on social media depict drones flying over the Tatarstan region, where these cities are located.

The Russian army has announced the capture of two more villages in Ukraine, claiming control over Ivanivka in the Kharkiv region and Netailove in the Donetsk region. However, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces reported that Ukrainian forces had repelled an attack near Ivanivka, located east of the city of Kupiansk.

For 16 hours, the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv remained under air alert, the longest duration since the war began. The alert was lifted a few hours after midnight.

The Russian Defense Ministry announced on Wednesday that 10 long-range ATACMS missiles launched from Ukraine were intercepted and shot down over Crimea during the night. Mikhail Razvozhaev, the governor of Sevastopol, reported that debris from the intercepted missiles fell in a residential area.

Russian forces have seized control of two villages in Ukraine, according to a statement released by the Russian Defense Ministry. The captured villages include Kyslivka in Ukraine's Kharkiv region and Novokalynove in the Donetsk region, marking a troubling development in the region's security landscape.

Reports from AFP and Reuters have revealed that Russia is set to conduct military exercises in the near future, involving the use of tactical nuclear weapons. The maneuvers, ordered by President Vladimir Putin, aim to test the readiness of non-strategic nuclear forces and will include preparation and deployment drills.