Feb 22, 2026
3 min read
Russia controls a fifth of the Ukrainian regions, and in the last two years attacked less than 1.5%.
Map |Four years of war in Ukraine: an immobile front
Russia controls one-fifth of Ukraine's territory, and in the past two years has encroached on less than 1.5 percent.
Four years after the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the front line is in a long battle without decisive changes.Moscow controls about 20% of Ukraine's territory, an area slightly larger than two years ago: in 2024, despite enormous efforts and allocated resources, it controls only 1.5% more territory, just over 6,000 square kilometers.Peace talks moderated by the United States resumed in 2026, but negotiations collapse when the territorial transfer point is reached.The next map follows the front line.
Russian troops are advancing rapidly, 15 to 70 meters per day, in the main offensive area, near Pokrovsk, in Donbass, an area formed by Donetsk and Lugansk regions and located in the heart of the "New Russia" desired by Vladimir Putin.The Kremlin has put a third of the invasion force there, 150,000 people, but the defense forces are resisting more than expected because control in this area depends on national sovereignty, the spirit of the Ukrainian forces, the pride of the population and the future of military strength.According to a new report from the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington, it was slower than any major campaign in any war in the last century."A war of attrition is characterized by a high casualty rate, a large waste of materials and limited movement on the front line," the organization notes.The graph below illustrates how Moscow has been clinging to Kyiv since the start of the war.
February 24 marks the fourth anniversary of the invasion.In 2022, surprise allowed Moscow to seize large areas, although the response of the Kiev military was soon enough to regain lost ground.In 2023, the front stabilized, with a significant reduction in progress.Permanent but gradual.
Russian-held territory and new areas were invaded last year
Attacks on energy infrastructure are increasing
Russia has stepped up attacks on Ukraine's power and distribution infrastructure in recent months, deliberately crashing the grid during one of the coldest winters on record in 16 years.
One of the last attacks on energy infrastructure recorded by the international organization ACLED was on February 16.More than 420 Russian drones attacked Ukraine overnight, mostly targeting energy infrastructure.About 28,000 people in Kharkiv and tens of thousands in Odesa remained without electricity.Kiev launched an attack on the Ilsky refinery in Krasnodar, a Russian city east of Crimea.
The American money stopped coming
The aid of the United States to Ukraine is almost complete by 2025: The transfer of the United States decreased last year by almost 99% compared to 2024.Transfers and military aid from Europe to Ukraine increased by 67 percent in 2025, and another 59 percent in financial and social aid, according to a report by the Kiel Institute for the World Economy, which monitors ongoing aid since the beginning of the invasion.
Among the European countries, the Kiel company says that the Nordic and Western European countries, led by Germany and the United Kingdom, collect almost 95% of military aid, far from the southern region where Spain is located - The Spanish Government did last November, during Zelensky's visit to Madrid, 817 million, 75% in weapons - and neighboring Ukraine.
Deadly victims of war
The invasion of Ukraine left nearly 15,000 civilian deaths and 40,600 injured, according to the UN, which highlights that 2025 was the deadliest year since 2022, with 2,514 deaths. Military deaths, meanwhile, are much higher. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky recently said in an interview on France 2 television that 55,000 Ukrainian soldiers had died since thestart of the invasion, while the Russian government does not provide official figures.
The number of dead, wounded and missing soldiers in Russia is more than one million.The BBC has confirmed the number of Russian casualties in the fighting in Ukraine at around 160,000, but CSIC estimates put the number at 325,000.
