Russia’s military advance in Ukraine accelerated for a fourth straight month in July, its greatest since November, according to AFP’s analysis of data from the US-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
In one month, the Russian army took 713 square kilometres (275 square miles) of Ukrainian territory, while Kyiv reclaimed 79 square kilometres.
This has resulted in a net gain of 634 square kilometres for Russia compared with 588 square kilometres in June, 507 square kilometres in May, 379 square kilometres in April, and 240 square kilometres in March.
These figures include territories fully or partially controlled by Russia and those claimed by it.
Moscow’s advance had slowed during the winter.
Except for the early months of the war in 2022, which began when Russia invaded Ukraine in February, only November (725 square kilometres) of last year saw larger Russian advances than those of July.
Nearly three-quarters of Russian advances in July were in the eastern Donetsk region, the main area of Russia-Ukraine clashes for the past two years.
Moscow fully or partially controlled 78 percent of the Donetsk region at the end of July, compared to 62 percent a year ago.
About 31 percent of this region was already under the control of pro-Russian separatists before the start of the Russian offensive.
It is in this region that the former military stronghold of Chasiv Yar is located, which Moscow said Thursday it had captured — a claim immediately denied by Kyiv.
The town, located near Bakhmut which Russia captured in May 2023, had been a strategically important military hub for Ukrainian forces in the east.
It overlooks two cities Kramatorsk and Sloviansk, important logistical bases for the Ukrainian military and home to many civilians who have not fled the fighting.
The Russian army has also made progress over the past year in other regions, covering nearly 170 square kilometres.
In the northeastern Kharkiv region, the Russian army has taken nearly 120 square kilometres, crossing for the first time since October 2022 the threshold of five percent of territory controlled or claimed in this area.
The southern Zaporizhzhia region also saw an advance of 42 square kilometres during the month.
Russian forces have also claimed advances in the Dnipropetrovsk region, in central-eastern Ukraine. They recently announced the capture of two villages there, accounting for territorial gains of 22 square kilometers since the launch of this offensive on June 8, according to AFP’s analysis, which accounts for claimed areas.
Kyiv denies any Russian presence in the area.
The only region where the Russian army has retreated is in northeastern Sumy. Moscow conceded some 11 square kilometres there in July after taking over 130 square kilometres in June.
More broadly, the last 12 months have shown significant Russian army progress in Ukraine.
From August 2024 to July 2025, the Russian army captured nearly 5,900 square kilometres against 1,360 square kilometres in the previous 12 months.
However, these Russian advances account for less than one percent of pre-war Ukraine’s territory, including Crimea and Donbass.
At the end of July, Russia exercised full or partial control over nearly 19 percent of Ukrainian territory.
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© Agence France-Presse
