Russian forces gain ground: Largest offensive since 2022
In the past month, the Russians have occupied 280 square miles of Ukrainian territory. This exceeds the gains in October when they seized 235 square miles, reported AFP, citing data from the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
1:38 PM EST, December 2, 2024
The main Russian offensive is concentrated in the Donetsk region, where Pokrovsk is located. This key city serves the Ukrainian army as a logistical hub, allowing for further defensive actions.
According to AFP, 267 square miles, or 90% of the territory taken by the Russians in November, is located in this region.
In recent weeks, Moscow has declared the capture of many localities south and east of Pokrovsk, with the Russian army now within less than 3 miles, calculated AFP.
The Ukrainian army controls less than one-third of the Donetsk region. In January 2024, Ukrainian forces occupied 40% of this region.
The Russian offensive has gained momentum: the biggest since the start of the war
The Russian offensive only gained speed in the spring of 2024. Including the territories seized in November, Moscow managed to occupy 1,351 square miles of Ukraine in 2024. This is six times more than in 2023.
The last time Russia captured Ukrainian territory this quickly was at the start of the invasion. In March 2022, Moscow controlled 17,544 square miles of Ukraine, but at that time the front line was much more flexible, and the aggressors were at the gates of Kyiv, noted AFP.
In total, from the start of the full-scale aggression in February 2022 to November 30, 2024, Russia has occupied 26,266 square miles of Ukraine. Including Crimea and part of the Donbas, Moscow currently controls 18.4% of Ukraine's territory.
