The Russian army kept advancing in eastern Ukraine throughout August, though at a slightly slower pace than in previous months, AFP analysis of data provided by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) showed.
August saw a flurry of fresh diplomatic efforts, with US President Donald Trump meeting both his Russian and Ukrainian counterparts in a bid to end the three-and-a-half-year war, which has killed tens of thousands and devastated much of eastern and southern Ukraine.
AFP analysis shows Moscow’s forces captured a total of 594 square kilometres (229 square miles) from Ukraine over the month.
That was slightly down on the 634 square kilometres captured in July and ended four straight months of accelerating gains.
The data includes territory assessed by ISW as being totally or partially controlled by Russian forces, as well as unverified claims of advances made by Moscow.
Ukraine has repeatedly said Russia is not serious about halting its invasion and is playing for time by engaging with Trump’s diplomatic initiative.
Three rounds of direct Russia-Ukraine peace talks alongside the Trump meetings have failed to yield any concrete progress towards peace.
In total, Russia controls 19 percent of Ukraine.
Moscow on 12 August achieved one of its biggest single-day gains in recent months, seizing more than 110 square kilometres in a rare breakthrough on the heavily fortified front lines.
But in a sign of increased movement on the front, Ukraine was also able to recapture significant chunks of land — advancing around 30 square kilometres a day on at least three occasions during the month.
Nearly 70 percent of Russia’s advances were concentrated in the eastern Donetsk region, which Moscow claims to have annexed and is fighting to take full control of.
Russia controls 79.6 percent of the region, according to the analysis — up from 63 percent a year ago and around 31 percent that was controlled by Moscow-backed separatists before Russia launched its invasion in February 2022.
Moscow’s forces also gained 76 square kilometres in the central Dnipropetrovsk region, where Ukraine conceded for the first time last week that Russia had managed to gain a foothold.
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© Agence France-Presse
