In April 2026, Russian forces suffered net territorial losses on the Ukrainian front for the first time since the Ukrainian operation in the Kursk region in August 2024. This is stated in a report from the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW) dated May 2.
Analysts estimate that Russian troops lost control of an area of approximately 116 km² during April. However, these data do not take into account areas where Russian units could only penetrate without establishing full control.
ISW notes that the rate of advance of the Russian army has been steadily declining since November 2025. Among the reasons are active Ukrainian counterattacks, medium-range strikes, restrictions on the use of Starlink terminals in Ukraine by Russians, as well as internal problems aggravated by the Kremlin’s restrictions on Telegram.
In total, from November 2025 to April 2026, Russia captured approximately 1,443 km², which is significantly less than 2,368 km² in the same period a year earlier.
Analysts also noted that the daily rate of advance had also fallen significantly: in the first four months of 2026, Russian troops captured an average of 2.9 km² per day, compared to 9.76 km² in the same period in 2025.
ISW also notes that since the fall of 2025, the Russian army has increasingly used infiltration tactics in small groups. This makes direct comparisons with previous years difficult because such actions do not amount to complete control of the territory, the report said.
