Ukrainian Forces Show First Net Gain In Land Retaken Since 2023

Not only are Ukrainian forces advancing, but they have attained a net gain in territory - eg, subtracting Russian gains from Ukrainian, the result is a net gain for the Ukrainians. 

The significance is less in the total amount of territory than in the fact that the Russians no longer appear capable of major strategic breakthroughs. JL

The Kyiv Post reports:

Ukrainian forces liberated more territory than they lost during the last two weeks of February 2026, marking the first net territorial gains since Ukraine’s summer counteroffensive in 2023. Ukrainian forces achieved a net gain of nearly 33 square kilometers between Feb. 14 and Feb. 20, followed by another 57 square kilometers between Feb. 21 and Feb. 27.

Ukrainian forces liberated more territory than they lost during the last two weeks of February 2026, marking the first net territorial gains since Ukraine’s summer counteroffensive in 2023, according to a report by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

ISW analysts said available evidence suggests Ukrainian troops have retaken roughly 257 square kilometers since Jan. 1.

According to the report, Ukrainian forces achieved a net gain of nearly 33 square kilometers between Feb. 14 and Feb. 20, followed by another 57 square kilometers between Feb. 21 and Feb. 27.

 

The last time Ukraine recorded similar net territorial gains was during the summer 2023 counteroffensive, when Ukrainian troops regained 377 square kilometers in June, 257 square kilometers in July, slowing to 1.47 square kilometers in September, ISW said, or notably two to three orders of magnitude less than the first two months of summer.

 

In an interview published on March 3, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukrainian forces have regained 460 square kilometers since the start of 2026.

“I won’t go into too many details,” Zelensky said, “but today I can congratulate our army first and foremost – all the defense forces – because as of today, 300 square kilometers have been liberated.”

ISW stated that its mapping methodology may underestimate Ukrainian advances because analysts depict the furthest confirmed extent of Russian control until open-source evidence shows that Russian forces no longer hold those positions.

 

The think tank also pointed out that the frontline in Ukraine has become increasingly porous, with a lack of continuous defensive lines complicating assessments of territorial control.

Despite differences between Zelensky’s figures and ISW’s estimates, analysts described Ukraine’s recent battlefield successes as notable.

However, ISW said the localized Ukrainian counterattacks are unlikely to develop into a large-scale counteroffensive. The report added that Russian forces will likely stabilize their positions and attempt to resume advances. 

However, Ukraine’s recent gains have disrupted Russian efforts to prepare for a planned spring-summer 2026 offensive, forcing Russian troops to focus on establishing stable defenses before attempting to retake lost ground.

Kyiv’s troops still control around one-fifth of the Donetsk region, while Russia has seized roughly the entire Luhansk region – the two are together referred to as the Donbas.