Putin has failed to meet any of the 15 deadlines for seizing the Donetsk region
The Russian army has been given another deadline to fully capture the Donetsk region—by December 31, 2026.
A report by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) indicates that the main operational targets for Russian forces remain Kostiantynivka, Sloviansk, and Kramatorsk, which are part of Ukraine’s “Fortress Belt” defense line.
ISW analysts note that since the start of the full-scale invasion, Vladimir Putin has set specific deadlines for the capture of the entire Donetsk Oblast 15 times.
However, Russian forces have failed to meet any of the Kremlin’s objectives regarding the complete capture of the region.
The new demand calls for establishing control over the entire Donetsk region by the end of 2026.
According to ISW, Russia currently controls approximately:
- 21,170 square kilometers, or 79.89% of the territory of the Donetsk region;
- 26,624 square kilometers, or 99.77% of the territory of the Luhansk Oblast.
Despite the significant amount of occupied territory, Russian forces have not yet established full control over the Donetsk Oblast.
The ISW believes that the Kremlin’s new deadlines once again do not reflect the actual situation on the battlefield.
Analysts assess the likelihood of Russia capturing the entire Donbas by the end of 2026 as extremely low.
This was reported by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Russia is already losing the war it started against Ukraine, and its economy and military capabilities are gradually being depleted due to the costs of the aggression, sanctions, and Ukrainian strikes.
As of August 25, the Russian army had lost another 1,230 soldiers over the past 24 hours. Russia’s total combat losses since the start of the full-scale invasion have reached approximately 1,479,300 people.
Russia must end the war against Ukraine by 2030 due to the alleged readiness of NATO countries for a direct confrontation with Moscow. This statement was made by Russian State Duma Deputy Lieutenant General Viktor Sobolev.
