Russia has been targeting multiple points along the 600-mile front line in Ukraine, gaining ground against a Ukrainian army waiting for more troops and weapons to arrive.
Russia seizes more land than Ukraine liberated in 2023 counteroffensive
While Russia’s gains over the last several weeks have been comparatively small, analysts say they are straining Ukraine’s military over a broad geographic area.
While Russia’s gains have been comparatively small, analysts said they are still significant as they pressure Ukraine’s military over a broad geographic area.
“They’re looking to create vulnerabilities on the Ukrainian side, pressing the enemy on all sides,” said Max Bergmann, director of the Europe, Russia, and Eurasia program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
Russia's weekly net territory
gains since Ukraine’s
2023 counteroffensive
Assessed territory in square miles
10k
0
15k
Feb.
2022
June
2023
Ukraine’s
counteroffensive
begins
May
2024
Detail
below
50
250
250
50
0
June
2023
Ukraine
launches
counteroffensive
SEIZED
by Russia
LIBERATED
by Ukraine
Dec.
2023
Russia launches
several attacks
along the front line
May
2024
50
250
250
50
0
Russia's weekly net territory gains
since Ukraine’s 2023 counteroffensive
Assessed territory in square miles
10k
0
15k
Feb.
2022
June
2023
Ukraine’s
counteroffensive
begins
Detail
below
May
2024
250
150
50
0
50
150
250
June
2023
Ukraine
launches
counteroffensive
seized
by Russia
liberated
by Ukraine
Dec.
2023
Russia launches
several attacks along
the front line
May
2024
250
150
50
0
50
150
250
Russia's weekly net territory gains
since Ukraine’s 2023 counteroffensive
Assessed territory in square miles
Ukraine’s
counteroffensive
15,000
Detail below
0
10,000
Feb.
2022
June
2023
May
2024
Russia launches
several attacks along
the front line
250
150
SEIZED
by Russia
50
0
50
LIBERATED
by Ukraine
150
Ukraine
launches
counteroffensive
250
June
2023
Dec.
2023
May
2024
Russia's weekly net territory gains since Ukraine’s 2023 counteroffensive
Assessed territory in square miles
Ukraine’s
counteroffensive
15,000
Detail below
0
10,000
Feb.
2022
June
2023
May
2024
Russia launches
several attacks along
the front line
250
150
seized by Russia
50
0
50
liberated by Ukraine
150
Ukraine
launches
counteroffensive
250
June
2023
Dec.
2023
May
2024
The amount of territory Russia has occupied over the last several weeks is about as large as the territory Ukraine retook during its lackluster spring counteroffensive in 2023.
Territory liberated
by Ukraine during 2023
counteroffensive
June to Dec. 2023
199 sq mi
Territory seized
by Russia since
April 2024
April to May 2024
294 sq mi
553 sq mi
Russia’s gains in
the past year
Territory liberated
by Ukraine during 2023
counteroffensive
Territory seized
by Russia since
April 2024
April to May 2024
June to Dec. 2023
199 sq mi
294 sq mi
553 sq mi
Russia’s gains in
the past year
Territory liberated by Ukraine
during 2023 counteroffensive
Territory seized by Russia
since April 2024
June to Dec. 2023
April to May 2024
199 sq mi
294 sq mi
553 sq mi
Russia’s gains in
the past year
Analysts said this Russian push could be tied to a lack of mobilization in Ukraine: Many of the soldiers called up still need to be trained. They also cited Washington’s seven-month delay in approving more aid to Ukraine. Stocks of artillery shells and other long-range munitions are running low, impeding Ukraine’s defenses.
This new assault from Russia means Ukraine will have to move forces around, especially to the north, said Gian Gentile, a senior historian at Rand. This could hamper any Ukrainian efforts to prepare for an offensive of their own.
As Russia presses deeper into Ukraine, civilians living on the front lines are again faced with the all-too-familiar decision of whether to leave their homes or risk living under Russian occupation. Older residents, who waited out the first Russian push in small villages and towns such as Vovchansk are fleeing this time as Russian shelling intensifies.
“Do you think they need these villages?” Valentina Ilyenko, 73, said of the Russians to The Washington Post. “There’s nothing left. They’re going to keep going. They’re just clearing us all out of there for whatever they’re planning next.”
Data from the Institute for the Study of War, as of May 15. Calculations were done using territory control files and do not include assessed advances.
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Isabelle Khurshudyan, Serhii Korolchuk and Michael Birnbaum contributed to this report.