Ukraine’s military says its forces have regained more than 600 square kilometres of territory since the start of 2026, suggesting a possible shift in momentum after years of steady Russian advances.
Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said on Monday that Ukrainian troops had recovered over 600 square kilometres of land this year.
He added that in May alone, Ukraine regained about 100 square kilometres more territory than it lost.
Syrskyi did not specify where the gains were made but said Ukrainian forces continue to hold the initiative in several sections of the roughly 1,200-kilometre frontline.
The figures echoed comments made last month by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who also stated that Ukraine had recaptured around 600 square kilometres in 2026.
Reuters noted that it could not independently verify the claims. Determining control of territory along the front has become increasingly difficult because extensive drone warfare has created large, dangerous buffer zones between opposing forces.
However, independent battlefield monitoring groups have also reported that Russia’s territorial gains have slowed considerably in recent months and, in some areas, have even been reversed. If confirmed, it would mark the first significant slowdown in Russian advances since Ukraine’s unsuccessful counteroffensive in 2023.
Despite the reported gains, Syrskyi warned that the battlefield remains highly active. Russian forces continue to press attacks in eastern and southern Ukraine, and the number of daily clashes has risen sharply.
One of the fiercest battlegrounds remains around the eastern city of Pokrovsk, which Russia has been attempting to fully capture since mid-2024.
Syrskyi also highlighted the areas around Oleksandrivka and Huliaipole as among the most intense zones of combat.
Ukraine initially pushed Russian forces back in several successful counterattacks during the early months of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022. But after a major counteroffensive failed in 2023, Moscow gradually regained the initiative and made steady territorial gains.
Military analysts say Ukraine’s recent operations in the south and southeast may have disrupted Russia’s planned spring offensive, helping Kyiv regain some momentum on the battlefield while slowing Russian progress in key sectors.
