Moscow:  Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced that Russian forces have captured nearly 5,000 square kilometers of Ukrainian territory this year, asserting that Russia maintains full strategic initiative in the ongoing war. The statement came during a meeting with top military commanders in St. Petersburg on Putin’s 73rd birthday.

Putin claimed that Ukrainian forces are retreating across multiple fronts and stressed that Kyiv’s attempts to strike deep into Russian territory would not change the overall situation. He reiterated Moscow’s narrative that the conflict, which began in February 2022, is aimed at the “demilitarization and denazification” of Ukraine.

Russia’s top military commander, General Valery Gerasimov, supported Putin’s statements, saying that Russian troops were advancing in several key areas, including Pokrovsk, Siversk, Kostyantynivka, and Kupiansk, while establishing buffer zones in the Sumy and Kharkiv regions.

However, Ukraine has disputed these claims, reporting territorial gains near Dobropillia and parts of the Sumy region. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy also accused Russia of using oil tankers for intelligence operations and sabotage, including launching drones from these vessels, while stressing that Ukraine is coordinating with allies to counter these activities.

In August, Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov noted that Russian forces had accelerated their territorial advances, moving 600–700 square kilometers per month compared to 300–400 square kilometers earlier in the year. He also claimed that Russia had inflicted significant damage on Ukraine’s military-industrial infrastructure through targeted strikes, though these figures have not been independently verified.

Despite Russia’s assertions, Ukrainian cities such as Kramatorsk and Sloviansk remain under Ukrainian control. Residents in frontline areas continue their daily lives despite the threat of drone attacks, displaying resilience and defiance in the face of ongoing conflict.

The war, now approaching its fourth year, continues to create uncertainty and human suffering, with both sides reporting territorial gains and losses while the broader outcome remains unpredictable.