The pace of the Russian offensive has dropped sharply: the ISW reported a new record low
The Russian army continues its offensive operations in Ukraine, but the pace of its advance has slowed significantly. According to analysts, over the past year, the rate at which the occupying forces have seized territory has decreased by approximately 16 times.
In June, Russian troops managed to advance only a few dozen kilometers, one of the lowest figures in a long time. The U.S. think tank ISW notes that the Russian Federation’s current tactics increasingly resemble a so-called “step-by-step advance,” in which progress occurs at a very slow pace.
Throughout June 2026, Russian troops captured or advanced into Ukrainian territory covering a total area of approximately 30.42 square kilometers. On average, they advanced 1.01 square kilometers per day.
For comparison, analysts cited data from June 2025. At that time, the Russian army captured 481.25 square kilometers of Ukrainian territory, advancing an average of 16.04 square kilometers per day.
Thus, the pace of the Russian offensive has slowed by approximately 16 times over the past year.
The ISW also noted that for over a year now, Russia’s territorial gains have remained slow and gradual.
Moreover, even the significantly higher rates of advance recorded in 2025 were characterized by analysts as a slow, gradual advance rather than a rapid offensive. So this year, the situation for Russian troops has deteriorated even further—they have set a new “anti-record” for the pace of their advance.
According to analysts, the Russian army has effectively slipped into a gradual, “step-by-step” advance. It lacks sufficient forces for deep breakthroughs on the front, so it is advancing in small increments—hundreds of meters or a few kilometers at a time.
This opens up new opportunities for the Ukrainian Defense Forces. Specifically, Ukrainian troops can more effectively eliminate enemy personnel and resources, as well as launch new counteroffensive operations.
The Northern Front: Will Chernihiv Oblast Become a New Springboard for an Offensive on Kyiv?
On June 30, Ukrainian defenders eliminated another 1,350 Russian soldiers. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine also released updated data on the losses of Russian occupation forces in the war against Ukraine on June 29, 2026.
