ISW Report: The Ukrainian army has regained more territories than it lost in the last two weeks of February.

In the last two weeks of February 2026, the Ukrainian army managed to liberate more territories than it lost, for the first time since the summer of 2023, according to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

President Volodymyr Zelensky announced the recapture of 460 km², while ISW estimates 257 km², highlighting the difficulties in accurately assessing the front line. The greatest progress was recorded in the Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhia regions, where the presence of Russian troops has significantly decreased. Zelensky emphasized that the success of the UAF is due to the massive losses suffered by Russia, estimating that it loses between 30,000 and 35,000 soldiers monthly. Additionally, the Kremlin is facing difficulties in recruiting new soldiers, being forced to resort to foreigners, including North Korean soldiers and mercenaries from various countries. Another factor that contributed to the Ukrainian advance was the loss of access to modern communications after SpaceX disconnected the Starlink terminals used by Russia. This led to confusion and panic among Russian troops, who relied on these technologies for coordinating operations. Following the disconnection, the Ukrainian army was able to quickly recover territories, recording a decrease in the intensity of Russian attacks.