English Section

What is the exact state of Ukrainian progress against Russia?

27.07.2023 21:59
American Secretary of State Blinken said on Sunday 23rd July that Ukraine had regained "50%" of territory lost to Russia. This figure has since been made more precise.
Russian lines being pushed back - but how much progress has Ukraine made?
Russian lines being pushed back - but how much progress has Ukraine made?TT@UKRINFORM/FB/Генеральний штаб ЗСУ / General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

Detailed maps of Ukrainian territory, illustrating who is currently controlling exactly which areas are provided by the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW):

Since the beginning of the Ukrainian counteroffensive the maps have mostly shown modest progress for Ukraine, with some areas left without change and some where Russia has made progress.

On Sunday 23rd July, Secretary Blinken provided an overall status report, stating that an important milestone had been achieved. In an interview for CNN, Blinken said that Ukraine had "already taken back about 50% of what was initially seized".

However, he cautioned against premature triumphalism: "These are still relatively early days of the counteroffensive. It is tough," adding that it would take time to see more definitive results. 

Although this is a significant achievement, the statement caused some concern in the Ukrainian press as it is not clear whether the "50%" takes into account Crimea or not. 

As a result, Matthew Miller, spokesperson for the Department of State, issued the following correction: Ukraine has liberated about 45% of the total Russian-occupied territories. If we exclude Crimea (which was invaded in 2014) and only consider territories attacked since 2022, Ukraine has liberated 61% of these lands.

Sources: CNN, pravda.com.ua, ISW

pt