Ukrainian forces have successfully retaken 400 square kilometers of territory in the southeastern region since late January, marking a significant battlefield victory. The gains come as Ukraine seeks to demonstrate its military effectiveness amid ongoing pressure from Washington to consider peace negotiations with Russia.
Ukrainian military leadership announced Monday that their forces have successfully reclaimed 400 square kilometers of land, encompassing eight communities, in the southeastern Dnipropetrovsk region since the final weeks of January.
Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi revealed these territorial victories, which represent an unusual bright spot for Ukrainian forces amid what has largely been a pattern of gradual Russian territorial expansion over the conflict’s duration.
The announcement comes as Ukraine approaches the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale military assault, which began on February 24, 2022. Ukrainian officials appear eager to demonstrate military progress to international observers, especially to U.S. President Donald Trump, as Washington increases diplomatic pressure for peace negotiations.
Syrskyi’s announcement left unclear whether the recaptured areas had been under direct Russian occupation or were part of contested “grey zone” territories where neither military maintained firm control.
Ukrainian military officials have not yet provided additional details when asked for clarification about the nature of the reclaimed territory.
Modern warfare conditions have made frontline boundaries increasingly fluid, with thousands of unmanned aircraft operating daily overhead, forcing ground troops to seek underground shelter and creating areas where neither army maintains complete authority.
President Trump has previously argued that Ukraine should consider territorial concessions, suggesting the country risks defeat in the ongoing conflict.
Ukrainian leadership and European partners have contested this assessment, emphasizing that Russian forces have secured barely more than 1% of Ukrainian territory since 2023, while suffering substantial casualties and facing increasing threats to Moscow’s critical petroleum facilities from Ukrainian drone operations.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz commended Ukraine’s February territorial successes as “astonishing” on Monday, arguing these victories prove Ukrainian military resistance remains more capable than commonly believed.