--- description: Russian forces moved at least six miles deeper into the Donetsk region in a move that appeared designed to pressure Kyiv ahead of talks. title: Russia Makes Battlefield Advance Ahead of Trump-Putin Summit image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltdcee52b390f0a098/698a3b18e6e84a49ee2afe6c/russia-ukraine-genocide-2.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [World](/section/world/) ## World Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [Ukraine](/tag/ukraine/) ## Ukraine Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Russia Makes Sudden Battlefield Advance in Ukraine Ahead of Trump-Putin Summit  by [Solcyré Burga](/author/solcyre-burga/)  ## Solcyré Burga Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Reporter Aug 12, 2025 4:35 PM CUT  This aerial photograph taken on March 10 shows crater holes in the fields in Dolyna village, Donetsk region, Ukraine, following strikes amid the Russian invasion. This aerial photograph taken on March 10 shows crater holes in the fields in Dolyna village, Donetsk region, Ukraine, following strikes amid the Russian invasion.Ihor Tkachov—AFP/Getty Images  by [Solcyré Burga](/author/solcyre-burga/)  ## Solcyré Burga Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Reporter Aug 12, 2025 4:35 PM CUT Russian troops have advanced deeper into eastern Ukraine in a surprise attack ahead of [upcoming ceasefire negotiations](https://time.com/7308684/trump-putin-alaska-talks-ukraine/ "undefined") between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Russian forces moved at least six miles deeper north into the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine by Tuesday, according to _Reuters_. The move by Russia appeared designed to give it leverage over Kyiv in any [potential land swap agreements](https://time.com/7308731/europe-ukraine-trump-putin-summit/ "undefined") in the upcoming peace talks in Alaska this week. “We see that the Russian army is not preparing to end the war. On the contrary, they are making movements that indicate preparations for new offensive operations,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky [said](https://x.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/1955189164644635058 "undefined") on Tuesday. The Russian military appeared to be moving near Dobropillia, a coal mining town, and is launching efforts to approach Kostyantynivka and Pokrovsk. Ukraine's military said on Tuesday that it had sent in reserves to block advances by small groups of Russian troops and was engaged in “difficult” combat. **Read more**: [_The Secret White House Backchannel That Paved the Way For Trump’s Summit With Putin_ ](https://time.com/7308021/lukashenko-belarus-minsk-backchannel-trump-putin/ "undefined") Speaking last week ahead of his talks with Putin, Trump said that an eventual peace deal would likely include “some swapping of territories to the betterment of both.” Putin has long called for Ukraine to give up territory captured by the Russian military in eastern Ukraine, including Crimea. Zelensky has [fiercely rejected](https://time.com/7308731/europe-ukraine-trump-putin-summit/ "undefined") the idea of handing over Ukrainian territory to Russia, which is [reportedly](https://time.com/7308684/trump-putin-alaska-talks-ukraine/ "undefined") seeking to take over the eastern Donbas region and Crimea, the latter of which was illegally annexed by Russia more than a decade ago. “Ukrainians will not gift their land to the occupier,” Zelensky said in response to Trump's suggestion of land swaps. European leaders have [stood firmly by the Ukrainian president](https://time.com/7308731/europe-ukraine-trump-putin-summit/ "undefined"), criticizing the Trump Administration for facilitating negotiations without the presence of Ukraine and for considering granting Putin’s demand for more land. “We remain committed to the principle that international borders must not be changed by force,” a [statement](https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/statement%5F25%5F1952 "undefined") released on Saturday and signed by the leaders of France, Italy, the U.K., Germany, Poland, and Finland read. The White House is [reportedly](https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-administration/white-house-considering-inviting-zelenskyy-alaska-rcna224070 "undefined") considering inviting Zelensky to the summit, though plans have not been finalized. The White House did not respond to TIME’s request for comment about the matter on Monday. Trump vowed to help negotiate a peace deal between the Kremlin and Kyiv within the first 24 hours of his second presidential term, though he has faltered as Russian troops continue to launch strikes against Ukraine. Putin and Trump’s Friday meeting in Alaska marks the first time the sitting presidents of Russia and the U.S. have met since 2021, and the first time these two in particular have met since 2019\. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/7309066/russia-ukraine-war-advance-summit-putin-trump/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/7309066/russia-ukraine-war-advance-summit-putin-trump/"},"headline":"Russia Makes Sudden Battlefield Advance in Ukraine Ahead of Trump-Putin Summit","datePublished":"2025-08-12T16:35:58.000Z","dateModified":"2026-03-11T01:43:15.227Z","description":"Russian forces moved at least six miles deeper into the Donetsk region in a move that appeared designed to pressure Kyiv ahead of talks.","url":"https://time.com/7309066/russia-ukraine-war-advance-summit-putin-trump/","keywords":["Ukraine","News","News Desk"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltdcee52b390f0a098/698a3b18e6e84a49ee2afe6c/russia-ukraine-genocide-2.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Solcyré Burga","jobTitle":"Reporter","url":"https://time.com/author/solcyre-burga/"}],"articleSection":"World","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltdcee52b390f0a098/698a3b18e6e84a49ee2afe6c/russia-ukraine-genocide-2.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"russia-ukraine-genocide-2","caption":"This aerial photograph taken on March 10 shows crater holes in the fields in Dolyna village, Donetsk region, Ukraine, following strikes amid the Russian invasion.","creditText":"Ihor Tkachov—AFP/Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/world/","name":"World"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/ukraine/","name":"Ukraine"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/7309066/russia-ukraine-war-advance-summit-putin-trump/","name":"Russia Makes Sudden Battlefield Advance in Ukraine Ahead of Trump-Putin Summit"}}]}] ```