Russian leader has made a key battlefield advancement in Ukraine as Vladimir Putin ramps up efforts to secure as much as land as possible before Friday’s Alaska summit with US President Donald Trump that could finally end war after three gruelling years.

So far, Moscow has reportedly already seized more than 10 kilometres (six miles) of land in its lightning offensive. 

The Ukrainian military estimates some 110,000 Russian troops are advancing in the direction of Pokrovsk in what may prove to be a major breakthrough for Vladimir Putin.

‘Our units are waging heavy defensive battles against superior enemy forces,’ the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine wrote on Telegram, adding: ‘The situation is difficult and dynamic, but the Defence Forces are taking all necessary measures to detect and destroy enemy groups.’

Kyiv has diverted special forces units to hold off the Russian advance on the ground in an effort to avoid Putin’s forces from gaining ground ahead of the anticipated summit with Donald Trump in Alaska on Friday.

The gains came just days before Trump was to meet Russian counterpart Putin in Alaska for talks on the war, the first meeting between a sitting US and Russian leader since 2021.