# Russia-Ukraine territorial conflict

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/russia-ukraine-territorial-conflict
> Updated: 2026-09-27T22:00:49.000Z. Sources: 4. Developments: 2.

In September 2026, the Russian Ministry of Defense claimed its military had captured 5,300 square kilometers of Ukrainian territory since the start of the year, including 670 square kilometers and 27 localities during the month of September. These claims were contested by Kyiv and independent experts, who noted that while Russian gains were marginal in mid-2026, Ukrainian forces had seen success in September by taking the Liman salient in the Donetsk region.

By late September, reports indicated a Russian military withdrawal from 532 square kilometers of territory near Sviatohirsk, with forces retreating behind the Zherebets River. Analysts suggested this movement might be a deceptive operation to divert Ukrainian reserves. Concurrently, Ukraine launched a regional offensive in the eastern sector known as the ‘Vivaldi’ operation, challenging Russian efforts to conquer the Donbas region.

## Timeline

### 2026-09-27: Russian military withdraws from 532km2 of Ukrainian territory

Russian forces have withdrawn from 532km2 near Sviatohirsk in a move analysts suggest may be a deceptive tactic, while Ukraine continues its ‘Vivaldi’ offensive in the eastern Donbas region.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/russian-military-withdraws-from-532km2-of-ukrainian-territory

### 2026-09-19: Russia claims capture of 5,300 sq km of Ukrainian territory

Russia's Ministry of Defense claims its forces have captured 5,300 square kilometers of Ukrainian territory in 2026, including over 220 localities, despite claims of offensive stagnation by Kyiv.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/russia-claims-capture-of-5300-sq-km-of-ukrainian-territory

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Cite as: Russia-Ukraine territorial conflict. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/russia-ukraine-territorial-conflict