Ukraine front line remains largely static in July

Analysis by the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW), cited by AFP, shows that the front line in Ukraine changed very little during July. Russian forces captured fewer than 40 sq km of Ukrainian territory, while Ukrainian troops reclaimed about 28.5 sq km, mainly in the Dnipropetrovsk region.

The gains are far below the average of 405 sq km per month that Russian forces achieved in 2022. After a loss of roughly 403 sq km in April‑May, Russian advances slowed to about 30 sq km in June and remained minimal in July, with most activity in Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Sumy provinces. ISW’s open‑source estimates do not verify Russian claims of territorial progress. Russia continues to occupy roughly 19 % of Ukraine, including Crimea and parts of the industrial Donbas region, a situation that has caused extensive casualties since the invasion began in February 2022.