Russia’s advance in Ukraine has dropped to its lowest level since April — just 38 square kilometers over the past week. Near Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad, Russian forces have stalled, while Ukrainian troops regained positions in the Sumy and Donetsk regions.
The Russian military in Ukraine is losing momentum. Over the past week, Russian forces captured only 38 square kilometers of territory — figures last seen in late April. Experts say Russia’s command overestimated its capabilities and is now taking losses without notable gains, reports the Russian outlet Agentstvo.
The largest Russian advance was observed in the south of Donetsk region, where forces are pushing toward Dnipropetrovsk region. About 40 square kilometers came under their control there. Another 9 square kilometers were taken near Lyman and Kupyansk. At the same time, Ukrainian forces recaptured some ground: more than 3 square kilometers near Pokrovsk and Kostiantynivka, as well as 7 square kilometers in Sumy region.
Reports also say Russian losses are heavy amid the slowdown.
According to OSINT analysts, Russia’s command underestimated the scale of the operation near Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad. As a result, troops had to be urgently redeployed from other directions, which immediately improved Ukraine’s position in Sumy region. Analysts with Conflict Intelligence Team note the Russian army is effectively bogged down in a large battle without visible gains.
Analysts do not rule out that Moscow may try to turn the tide by throwing airborne (VDV) and marine forces concentrated in Donetsk region into the fight. For now, however, Ukraine’s military is stabilizing the front and launching counterstrikes. The slowdown in the offensive has been recorded for the third week in a row, undermining the image of a “successful offensive” the Kremlin is trying to project in the West.
