Ukrainian Forces Make Fastest Gains Since 2023
Ukrainian forces have made their fastest battlefield advances since 2023, according to recent analysis. The gains come as Ukraine ramps up its counteroffensive, even as Russian forces continue to press offensives on multiple fronts. Reports from February 16 confirm the shifting control of terrain in the conflict.
- The advance saw Ukraine recapture 201 square kilometers between February 11 and 15, with the main thrust occurring approximately 80 kilometers east of the city of Zaporizhzhia. This area regained is nearly equivalent to all the territory Russian forces captured during the entire month of December 2025. - Analysts at the Institute for the Study of War assess the gains were likely enabled by the disruption of Russian forces' access to Starlink satellite communication terminals, which began around February 5. This reportedly caused significant command-and-control issues for Russian troops, who had been using the terminals to help drones circumvent Ukrainian electronic warfare systems. - While Ukraine advanced in the south, Russian forces continued their own offensive operations, intensifying efforts to encircle the key logistics hub of Pokrovsk and its sister town Myrnohrad in Donetsk Oblast. Russian strategy in the area has involved attempts to bypass Ukrainian defenses with small assault groups. - In addition to the Zaporizhzhia front, Ukrainian forces also reportedly regained territory on the Kharkiv, Kostiantynivka, Pokrovsk, and Novopavlivka fronts. - Russia is actively working to improve its drone warfare capabilities through specialized units like the BARS-Sarmat Center, which is developing a "soldier technologist" role and detachments focused on long-range drone operations (up to 35km) and drone-based air defense. - The Ukrainian gains contrast with a Russian information strategy of publicly overstating the capture of small villages to influence negotiations. Some Russian military bloggers have also reportedly fabricated claims of Ukrainian counterattacks to explain why their forces failed to hold previously claimed positions.
