After slowing Russia’s rate of advance over the past several months, Ukraine may have tipped the scales in April and recaptured more of its land than it lost, according to an analysis of battlefield positions.The Institute for the Study of War, a Washington-based think tank, said it had observed evidence that Russian forces suffered a net loss of 116 square kilometres (45 square miles) during the month.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of listThat figure counted only territory firmly held by each side, not what it called “grey zones”, where both Russian and Ukrainian soldiers held positions.“Russian forces have been using infiltration tactics in part to create the perception of continuous Russian advances across the front and to support Kremlin cognitive warfare efforts to exaggerate Russian successes,” the ISW said. “Russian forces, however, do not control these infiltration areas.”The ISW has observed a progressive slowing of the Russian rate of advance by at least two-thirds over the past 18 months.It found that Russian forces seized an average of 2.9sq km (1.1sq miles) a day in the first third of 2026, compared with an average of 9.76sq km (3.77sq miles) in the same period in 2025. (Al Jazeera)Russian President Vladimir Putin has prioritised capturing the remainder of Donetsk, in eastern Ukraine, which contains a “fortress belt” of heavily fortified cities, Sloviansk, Kramatorsk, Konstiantynivka and Druzhkivka.Russian assaults here “noticeably increa …
