Ukraine retakes more land than it loses for first time since 2023 - ISW reports
Photo: Ukraine liberates more territory than it loses for the first time since 2023 (Getty Images)
During the final two weeks of February 2026, Ukrainian forces liberated more territory than they lost for the first time since the summer counteroffensive of 2023, according to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
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Analysts obtained evidence indicating that since January 1, Ukrainian forces have liberated approximately 257 square kilometers.
“Ukrainian forces achieved a net gain of nearly 33 square kilometers between February 14 and 20 and about 57 square kilometers between February 21 and 27,” the report states.
The last time Ukrainian troops recorded a net territorial gain was during the summer 2023 counteroffensive, when they liberated 377 square kilometers in June, 257 square kilometers in July, and 1.47 square kilometers in September.
ISW also noted that its mapping methodology may underestimate Ukraine’s successes, as it reflects maximum estimates of Russian advances until “sufficient open-source evidence allows ISW to confidently assess that Russian forces no longer hold those positions.”
Analysts added that the front line in Ukraine has become porous due to the lack of contiguous defensive lines, complicating assessments of true control of territory (COT). Despite discrepancies between Zelenskyy’s figures and ISW’s data, experts emphasized that Ukraine’s gains in February 2026 are “noteworthy.”
Photo: Assessment of the advance of Ukrainian troops (ISW)
At the same time, they cautioned that localized counterattacks in recent weeks are unlikely to evolve into a large-scale counteroffensive, and Russian forces will likely stabilize their positions.
“However, Ukraine’s recent battlefield successes have disrupted Russia’s efforts to set conditions for a spring-summer 2026 offensive and will force Russian troops to establish a stable defense before attempting to retake lost positions,” ISW stressed.
De-occupation of Ukrainian territory
Recently, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in an interview with Corriere della Sera that Ukraine has liberated 460 square kilometers of territory since the beginning of the year.
Earlier, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrskyi, made a similar statement, noting that in February the Defense Forces regained control of more territory than Russian troops had captured.
