Ukrainian forces have regained control of eight settlements and liberated 400 square kilometers (154 square miles) of territory from Russian occupation since the end of January 2026, Ukraine's Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said on Feb. 23.
Following the visit to Ukraine's Southern operational zone, Syrskyi said the Airborne forces and adjacent units regained control over the occupied territories in the Oleksandrivka direction, located at the intersection of three oblasts — Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, and Dnipropetrovsk.
Syrskyi added that, despite successful offensive operations, the situation in the area remains "complicated," as Russian forces continue to apply pressure with artillery, drones, armored vehicles, and small assault groups attempting infiltration.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Feb. 22 that Ukrainian forces liberated 300 square kilometers (116 square miles) of territory from Russian occupation in a southern counteroffensive.
Zelensky added that Ukraine was advancing along the southern front line but did not specify the sector or timing of the counteroffensive.
Russia launched a renewed ground offensive against Ukraine in 2025, concentrating the bulk of its forces in eastern Donetsk Oblast. As part of the campaign, Russia also intensified operations in Ukraine's southern Zaporizhzhia Oblast and broke into the southern part of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast.
Zelensky said in September 2025 that Ukrainian counteroffensive operations successfully liberated 160 square kilometers (60 square miles) of territory in Donetsk Oblast and another 170 square kilometers (65 square miles) elsewhere on the front lines — though he did not provide further details about these additional 170 kilometers.
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