Ukraine says it foiled Russian plans to encircle Sloviansk and Kramatorsk

Maksym Zhorin, deputy commander of Ukraine's Third Army Corps, says Russian forces hoped to catch the two cities in a pincer movement and push Ukrainian units out.

"Now the Russians in our units' zone are thinking not about offensive action, but only about defence."

— Maksym Zhorin, Ukrainian Third Army Corps

Background

Zelenskyy has said that if Sloviansk and Kramatorsk fall, the war could spread further, toward Pavlohrad and Dnipro. Authorities have widened the forced evacuation of children in both communities.