Russia made some substantial advances in Donetsk oblast today, seizing Kostyantynivka (the one by Vuhledar). Russia also pushed towards Vodyane, located between the two. Put together, the small Ukrainian stronghold of Vuhledar is at risk of being encircled in the future. Russia has launched several massive assaults at the city, but each and every one so far has been rebuffed. The city is small yet dense, and Russian shelling of the city has dof sr failed to soften it up enough for Russian forces to advance on the city. Russia famously lost large quantities of armored vehicles in the past trying to take the city, but they never held Kostyantynivka, which will give them a new way to restrict necessary Ukrainian supply lines.
Russian forces have also pushed into the edge of Selydove, a town south of Pokrovsk. Russia seems to be pivoting south first before gunning for Pokrovsk. Selydove, which sits on some important roads in the area, is the likely target of their diversion. With Russian troops already contesting the town, it likely won't delay the battle for Pokrovsk by that much. With Russian troops rushing south, it's worth noting that this will soon collapse another one of Ukraine's defensive points. For months, Ukraine has held Russia west of Pervomaiske and Netailove at Karlivka. The rather unique geography around Karlivka makes the town very difficult to assault from the east. However it sits at the southern edge of a reservoir, which Russian troops are now on the western side of. Karlivka is far more vulnerable from the west. Karlivka also forms the northern end of a defensive line stretching from there down to Maksymilyanivka, at which point the front is more or less the Vuhledar sector. In short, Karlivka is a crucial village and Russian forces potentially arcing behind it could be disastrous for the Ukrainian defensive line in the region.
Russian milbloggers have reported on an alleged Ukrainian breakthrough into Belgorod oblast. But so far, there is no evidence to back this up, beyond the occasional miniscule incursion that ukrainianntroops have been conducting a few hundred feet across the border.
Nuclear energy in Russia and Ukraine made a couple of headlines today. The head of the IAEA visited the Kursk nuclear power plant, and reiterated their support for a ceasefire, and to stop using nuclear plants as military bases. Meanwhile, Ukraine has discussed continuing construction at one of their nuclear power plants to help boost their energy grid.
Also as a result of Russia's massive strike against Ukrainian infrastructure yesterday, Ukraine stated that they would income consultations with the NATO-Ukraine council. Furthermore, Ukraine threatened to hit back and far into Russia; with it without western approval, but using Ukrainian weapons systems. The newly unveiled Palyanitsya missile-drones would likely be part of such an operation. Zelenskyy also announced that Ukraine had carried out their first successful test of a ballistic missile. He did not provide details, but the system may have been the Hrim-2, which has been in development since before the full scale war. The Hrim-2 has previously been labeled as a potential culprit for some deep strikes on Crimea, particularly before the west (at least publicly) provided long range weaponry. Zelenskyy's statement thus implies that the west quietly provided Ukraine with some long range missiles before making it known to the world.