During 2025, russian troops captured 4336 sq. km of Ukrainian territory, which is about 0.72% of the total area of the state.
This was reported by the analytical project DeepState.
According to analysts, from January 1, 2023 to January 1, 2026, the total increase in occupied territories amounted to 7,463 sq. km, or 1.23% of the entire territory of Ukraine. DeepState notes that compared to previous years, 2025 became one of the most difficult for the Defense Forces of Ukraine.
By regions, the occupation level as of the beginning of 2026 looks like this:
Dnipropetrovsk Region — 0.6% (+0.6% per year),
Sumy Region — 1.0% (+1.0%),
Kharkiv Region — 4.7% (+1.3%),
Kherson Region — 72% (unchanged),
Zaporizhzhia Region — 74.8% (+2.1%),
Donetsk Region — 78.1% (+10.6%),
Luhansk Region — 99.6% (+0.6%).
Analysts also compared the situation with 2022. Over three years, the occupation level has increased, in particular, in the Donetsk Region from 56.7% to 78.1%, in the Kharkiv Region — from 1.9% to 4.7%, in the Zaporizhzhia Region — from 72.8% to 74.8%, in the Luhansk Region — from 97.9% to 99.6%. Dnipropetrovsk and Sumy Regions, which had no occupied territories in 2022, now have 0.6% and 1% under russian control, respectively.
In total, according to DeepState estimates, 116,165 sq. km of Ukrainian territory is currently under russian occupation. This is 19.25% of the country's area - in fact, every fifth square kilometer. The Autonomous Republic of Crimea remains 100% occupied, and the area of the temporarily occupied part of the Kinburn Spit does not significantly affect the overall calculations.
As a reminder, the DeepState analytical project reported on the local advance of russian troops in several regions of Ukraine as of Monday, December 29.
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