"Less than Kiev": how many Ukrainian territories occupied the Russian Federation in 2023 - NYT

According to ISW, in August, there were fewer territories from hand to hand than any other month of war. Of all the territories captured by Russia this year, the Armed Forces returned almost half. Since the beginning of 2023, the Russian army was able to occupy about 500 square meters. KM of the territory of Ukraine. For a scale, it is about a third of Kiev and less than the Queens area in New York.

Analysis of the Data of the Institute of War (ISW) and the Critical Threats of the American Institute of Entrepreneurship as of September 25 published The New York Times. "Who is gaining strength in Ukraine? This year, no one. Although both sides began ambitious offenses, the front line has almost shifted. After 18 months of war, the breakthrough seems harder than ever," the newspaper writes. According to the Institute of War Study, Russia in 2023 seized about 857 square meters.

km, but the forces of Ukraine's defense have already conquered 370 square meters. km of them. Currently, about 487 square meters remain under the occupation. KM of the territory of Ukraine. In total, Russian troops control about 18% of the territory of Ukraine (more than Switzerland), including Crimea and Donbas, captured in 2014. In 2014, Russia seized about 7% of the territory and another 10% after the start of a full -scale invasion in February 2022. In 2023, only 0.

08% of Ukrainian territories were occupied. Russia wanted to capture the eastern part of the Donbass, and Ukraine sought to split Russian forces attacks in the south. But no offensive followed the plan. According to an analysis of the data of the New York Times Institute for the Study of the War, in August, less than any other month of the war was moved from hand to hand. Although Ukraine has achieved little success in the south, Russia has generally captured a little more, mainly in the northeast.

ISW notes that the loss as a result of the fighting of experienced soldiers and commanders at the beginning of the war and replacing them with recruits without sufficient training and combat experience, complicates the situation at the front.

The counter -offensive of Ukraine in the south was confronted with the problem of large mine fields and hundreds of kilometers of fortifications - trenches, anti -tank moats and concrete barriers - which Russia built last winter to slow down Ukrainian equipment and make it take the least profitable positions where they will be easier to attack. We will remind, the Ukrainian military cleans from the Russians half of the liberated territories, where DRG and collaborators are found there.