Russia captures largest Ukrainian territory since 2022 invasion

Saturday 03 January 2026 - 07:50

By: Dakir Madiha

Russia captures largest Ukrainian territory since 2022 invasion

Russian forces seized more than 5,600 square kilometers of Ukrainian land in 2025, the biggest annual advance since the full-scale invasion three years earlier, according to an analysis by the Institute for the Study of War. This gain amounts to nearly 1 percent of Ukraine's total area, surpassing the combined territorial progress of 2023 and 2024 combined, though it pales against the over 60,000 square kilometers taken in 2022. The advances come as Kyiv hosts security advisors from allied nations on Saturday to discuss peace talks, even as Moscow maintains relentless strikes on Ukrainian cities.

Russian troops faced their strongest monthly push in November, capturing around 701 square kilometers, before slowing to 244 square kilometers in December, the smallest monthly gain since March. Ukrainian forces endured mounting pressure throughout the year from sustained Russian bombardments and ground assaults, gradually yielding ground amid shortages of manpower and ammunition. Institute for the Study of War data shows Russian casualties reached about 391,270 from January to early December, averaging roughly 83 losses per square kilometer gained. Russia now controls just under one-fifth of Ukraine and insists Kyiv withdraw from the eastern Donbass region as a precondition for peace.

A Russian missile strike on central Kharkiv on January 2 killed a three-year-old child and injured at least 31 others, including an infant. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy denounced the "heinous" attack, while Russia's Defense Ministry denied conducting strikes within the city limits. The incident followed a presumed Ukrainian drone strike on a hotel and cafe in the Russian-occupied village of Khorly, which killed 28 people on New Year's Eve, according to Moscow-appointed governor Vladimir Saldo; Ukraine claimed it targeted a prohibited military gathering excluding civilians.

Zelenskyy appointed 39-year-old military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov as his new chief of staff on Friday, replacing Andriy Yermak, who resigned in November amid a corruption scandal. The president also nominated 34-year-old Digital Transformation Minister Mykhailo Fedorov for defense minister, pending parliamentary approval. "Ukraine must prioritize security issues, the development of its defense and security forces, and the diplomatic path in negotiations," Zelenskyy stated. In his New Year's Eve address, he claimed a U.S.-brokered peace deal was "90 percent ready," though territorial disputes remain unresolved. Security advisors from about 15 countries, plus European Union and NATO representatives, gathered in Kyiv on Saturday, with a U.S. delegation joining via video link.