In almost a year and a half, Russia has advanced only 60 km in Ukraine – CSIS

The pace of Russian advance since January 2024 has been extremely slow, with Russian troops advancing only 60 km in the Donetsk region at most. In the Kharkiv direction, the front has moved 8 km, and in other areas it is almost stationary. This is stated in a report by the US Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).

In the east of the Donetsk Front, Russia launched an offensive in October 2023 and captured the city of Avdiivka in February 2024. From then until April 2025, Russian forces advanced about 60 kilometers westward toward the city of Pokrovsk – an average of only 135 meters per day, analysts say.

The Russian advance was even slower near Kharkiv. In November 2024, Russian forces launched an offensive around the city of Kupyansk, crossing the Oskil River and advancing westward with the aim of encircling the city.

Over the next five months, they advanced about 8 kilometers at their furthest point, averaging only 50 meters per day.

Elsewhere along the front line, Russia has made little progress in pushing back Ukrainian forces since January 2024.

Analysts compared this data with the rates of advance in different wars and found a match only in the events of World War I. During the Somme offensive (1916), French and British troops advanced an average of 80 meters per day.

As a result of that offensive, the objectives were not achieved, and more than 1.3 million people died on both sides.

• In early March, information spread online about an alleged mass breakthrough by Russians on the border of the Sumy region. The Central Border Guard denied this .
• In April, the State Border Service of Ukraine reported that the situation in Sumy region had not changed dramatically. The Russians were trying to cross the border and gain a foothold with the help of small assault groups .