Putin credited the Russian military with seizing territories larger than the area of Ukraine
Kremlin dictator Vladimir Putin claimed that Russian troops are advancing daily along various fronts and have allegedly taken control of significant swathes of Ukrainian territory.
During a meeting with the heads of international news agencies, he claimed that “approximately 2,440,000 square kilometers” of Ukrainian territory is under the control of the Russian army. At the same time, the word “thousand” was omitted from this quote in the transcript on the Kremlin’s website, which significantly alters the meaning of the statement.
Putin also claimed “full control” over the self-proclaimed “LPR” and further advances in the Donetsk region. According to him, Ukraine previously controlled about 25% of the territory of the so-called “DPR,” and now controls less than 15%. In addition, he claimed that Russia controls about 80% of the Zaporizhzhia region.
At the same time, the statement emphasized that the Russian offensive “continues daily.”
However, according to estimates by analysts at the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), the actual dynamics on the front are different: in April, Russian forces lost control of 116 km², and in May—another 281.1 km². Overall, from December 2025 to May 2026, the advance of Russian troops, according to ISW estimates, slowed significantly compared to the previous period.
Putin rejected the idea of EU mediation in the negotiations and outlined his demands – Bloomberg.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy published an open letter to Russian dictator Vladimir Putin. The document formally proposes ending the war through direct bilateral talks between the leaders and implementing a full ceasefire.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that Moscow is allegedly ready for negotiations to end the war against Ukraine, but sees no willingness for dialogue on the Ukrainian side.
Putin is not changing course and continues to finance the war.
