During the last week of July, Russia mounted its largest assaults in eight months in eastern Ukraine's Donetsk region, seizing a string of settlements in an apparent bid to cut off key supply routes and force a mass Ukrainian retreat. At the same time, Ukraine scored a high number of hits on Russian energy infrastructure and occupied Crimea, suggesting that its strategy of degrading Russian air defences is working. Russian assaults focused on central and southern Donetsk – from areas west of Bakhmut, which fell in May last year, to areas west of Avdiivka, which was lost in February, down to areas west of the city of Donetsk, which pro-Moscow separatists have controlled since 2014 – a line about 130km (80 miles) long. Russian forces have pressed their advantage in these areas to prevent Ukraine from digging entrenched defences, and they have inched forward for months, swallowing settlements at a staggering cost to their own troops. British military intelligence estimated that Russian casualties in May and June reached record daily highs of about 1,200 – about 70,000 soldiers for just those two months.

Ukraine's top commander Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskii said Kyiv's troops fell back to new positions west of three villages on the eastern front, as the situation on the front line worsened. Syrskii said the "most difficult" areas were west of Russian-occupied Maryinka and northwest of Avdiivka, the town captured by Russian forces in February. Syrskii also said his forces were closely monitoring an increase in the number of Russian troops in the area of Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city and just 30km (19 miles) from the Russian border. "In the most threatening directions, our troops have been reinforced by artillery and tank units," he said. Russia's Ministry of Defence said its troops had captured the village of Novobakhmutivka in the Donetsk region, about 10km (six miles) north of Avdiivka.

Four people in two villages in Ukraine's northern Sumy region near the Russian border were killed in Russian shelling, while a woman died in a new assault on the devastated eastern Ukrainian town of Avdiivka, according to local officials. Three people were also reported injured after Russian drones hit Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, according to local officials. The attack also started a fire and caused damage to apartment blocks and infrastructure. Ukraine's Air Force said Russia launched a total of 35 attack drones and two guided missiles targeting energy and military infrastructure near the front line and other Ukrainian regions, with air defence systems destroying 15 of the 35 drones. Russia said it brought down 11 drones launched by Ukraine over Crimea, which it occupied and annexed in 2014 in a move that was not recognised internationally.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said troops face "difficult" defensive operations on parts of the eastern front as the bitter winter cold sets in, but forces in the south continued to conduct offensive actions. Offensive actions in the south," Zelenskyy said on Telegram messenger. In its evening report, Ukraine's General Staff said 22 Russian attacks had been beaten back in and around Avdiivka. In its account of the fighting, Russia's Defence Ministry said its forces had struck Ukrainian troops and equipment near Bakhmut, another devastated town north of Avdiivka. The Ukrainian general prosecutor's office said one man died when Russian forces shelled Avdiivka, another in an attack on Chasiv Yar to the north, and a third in the southern city of Kherson. In the town of Selydove in the east, another body was pulled from the rubble lifting the death toll from Tuesday's Russian missile strike to three. The Ukrainian Air Force said it brought down 14 attack drones and an X-22 cruise missile fired from southern Russia, as authorities in the southern region of Odesa said they had destroyed a rare Iranian-built Mohajer-6 attack and reconnaissance drone. Russia bought 30 of the drones last year, they added. Russia's Defence Ministry said anti-aircraft units destroyed three Ukrainian drones over the Crimean peninsula, as well as four sea drones. Separately, the Defence Ministry said a group of Russian journalists came under a Ukrainian drone attack in the southern Zaporizhia region. A reporter from the Rossiya 24 state TV channel suffered minor injuries, the ministry added. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said troops face "difficult" defensive operations on parts of the eastern front as the bitter winter cold sets in, but forces in the south continued to conduct offensive actions. Offensive actions in the south," Zelenskyy said on Telegram messenger.

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu has visited a command post near the front lines in eastern Ukraine as fighting in the region intensifies in advance of the harsh winter season. He travelled to the "Vostok" command post in the east to be briefed on developments at the front as Russian forces stepped up attacks, according to footage posted by the Ministry of Defence on Wednesday. The minister was briefed on preparations for combat for the forthcoming winter and the training of drone operators, the Ministry of Defence said, according to AFP. "The situation today suggests the enemy has fewer and fewer opportunities. And they will continue to be reduced, thanks exclusively to your combat work," Shoigu told Russian soldiers as he sought to raise morale. The Ministry of Defence, whose video showed Shoigu arriving at the post via helicopter, added that the minister "drew special attention to the timely and sufficient provision of new winter uniforms and insulated footwear for all personnel" before winter, when temperatures plunge below freezing.

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigou has visited a command post near the front lines in eastern Ukraine as fighting in the region intensifies in advance of the harsh winter season. He travelled to the "Vostok" command post in the east to be briefed on developments at the front as Russian forces stepped up attacks, according to footage posted by the Ministry of Defence on Wednesday. The minister was briefed on preparations for combat for the forthcoming winter and the training of drone operators, the Ministry of Defence said, according to AFP. "The situation today suggests the enemy has fewer and fewer opportunities. And they will continue to be reduced, thanks exclusively to your combat work," Shoigou told Russian soldiers as he sought to raise morale. The Ministry of Defence, whose video showed Shoigou arriving at the post via helicopter, added that the minister "drew special attention to the timely and sufficient provision of new winter uniforms and insulated footwear for all personnel" before winter, when temperatures plunge below freezing.