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Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on Tuesday that Russian forces have captured nearly 5,000 square kilometers (around 1,930 square miles) of Ukrainian territory this year, asserting that Moscow maintains overall strategic control on the battlefield. Addressing top military officials via video conference from the Novo-Ogaryovo residence outside Moscow, Putin claimed Ukrainian troops are retreating across all sectors of the front line. He added that Kyiv continues to attempt deep strikes into Russian territory, but he believes these efforts will not alter the course of the more than three-and-a-half-year-long conflict.
“Currently, the Russian armed forces hold the full strategic advantage,” Putin stated during the meeting, according to a transcript from the Kremlin. “This year alone, we’ve liberated nearly 5,000 square kilometers — that’s about 4,900 — along with 212 localities.”
He further claimed that Ukrainian forces are pulling back along the entire contact line, despite fierce resistance. The Russian Defense Ministry reported yesterday the seizure of two additional villages along the front, which now stretches over 1,250 kilometers (about 775 miles), according to Ukraine’s top commander.
Ukrainian officials dispute Putin’s account, noting recent gains in Donetsk and Sumy regions. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has acknowledged regaining territory near Dobropillia in Donetsk and also highlighted advancements in the Sumy border region, where Russia has established a foothold.
Russia’s Chief of General Staff, Army General Valery Gerasimov, stated at the meeting that Russian forces are advancing in “almost all directions,” while Ukrainian troops are focusing on slowing the Russian march forward. Gerasimov also said Russian units are approaching key cities such as Siversk and Kostiantynivka in Donetsk, and are working to clear Ukrainian forces from Kupiansk in the northeast—focused on gaining ground in Zaporizhzhia and Dnipropetrovsk regions further south. Russian forces are also establishing buffer zones in Sumy and Kharkiv areas to the north.
In his remarks, Putin reiterated that Russia’s aims remain unchanged since the start of what Moscow calls a “special military operation” in February 2022. The official objective, he claimed, continues to be the “demilitarization and denazification” of Ukraine.
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