Russia said its forces seized two more settlements in eastern Ukraine—Kolodyazi in Donetsk and Vorone in Dnipropetrovsk—while Kyiv countered that it has blunted advances and retaken positions, with President Volodymyr Zelensky emphasizing strengthened defenses and mounting Russian losses as Moscow seeks leverage for future talks. The claims came as a high-profile Trump-Putin summit in Anchorage on August 15–16 ended without a cease-fire or substantive progress, with the U.S. president later urging Kyiv to consider a deal even as European partners signaled continued pressure on Russia. On the battlefield, Ukraine’s air force reported downing large numbers of incoming drones and missiles in recent nights, including dozens during August 6–7 and additional Shahed-type drones on August 13–14, underscoring the conflict’s persistent intensity and the growing role of air defenses.