"In October, our defense forces liberated more territory than the enemy captured," Zelenskyy said

In October 2026, the Russian army suffered its heaviest personnel losses since the start of the full-scale war, with 54,400 soldiers killed or seriously wounded. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported that October 21 also saw an all-time daily record for enemy casualties—2,250 people.

The head of state noted positive developments on the front lines: Over the past month, the Defense Forces have liberated 96.2 square kilometers of Ukrainian territory, which is 10.4 square kilometers more than the area captured by Russian occupation forces during the same period. 

Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked Ukrainian defenders and emphasized that to put an end to Russia’s colossal losses, all it needs to do is agree to a ceasefire and pursue a diplomatic path.

Source: The President of Ukraine’s official Telegram channel.

Zelenskyy stated that there has been no de-escalation on Russia’s part in the energy sector.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy asked the leaders of Finland and Norway to convey certain messages to Vladimir Putin during their phone calls. These contacts with the Russian side were previously coordinated with Kyiv.