Putin's warning shot to Trump ahead of Zelensky meet? Russia moves to encircle Kramatorsk, Slavyansk

Russian President Vladimir Putin received a battlefield briefing from Centre Group of Forces Commander Valerii Solodchuk, who claimed Russian troops had fully “liberated” several settlements in eastern Ukraine, including Dimitrov, Rodinskoye and Artyomovka. Solodchuk said operations were ongoing to clear urban areas, evacuate civilians and advance toward key Ukrainian defensive lines near Konstantinovka, Kramatorsk and Slovyansk. He also claimed heavy Ukrainian losses during repeated counterattacks and said Russian forces were expanding operations toward the Dnipropetrovsk region to establish what Moscow calls a security buffer zone. Ukraine has not commented on the claims, which could not be independently verified.