Russia claims capture of 5,300 sq km of Ukrainian territory

The Russian Ministry of Defense claims its military has captured 5,300 square kilometers of Ukrainian territory since the beginning of 2026, encompassing more than 220 localities. According to the ministry, Russian troops seized over 670 square kilometers and 27 localities in September alone within four Ukrainian regions annexed by Moscow in 2022.

These claims come amid disputes from Kyiv and independent experts, who suggest the Russian offensive stagnated between December 2025 and June of this year. While Russian units reportedly made marginal gains in July and August, Ukrainian forces saw success in September by taking the Liman salient, a strategic area in Donetsk near the Luhansk border.

Despite these developments, the Russian Ministry of Defense maintains that its forces are currently “clearing” the cities of Liman and Sviatoguirsk. This follows a previous announcement by Vladimir Putin regarding the capture of Sviatoguirsk, a claim that was contested by a Ukrainian general and supported by some Russian military bloggers.