2 September 2026
In the spring, Russian military leadership promised Vladimir Putin they would capture all of Donbas by the fall, and he himself repeatedly publicly stated that victory was imminent. That deadline has arrived, but the capture of Donbas remains far off: in August, according to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), the occupiers once again surrendered more territory than they captured this year.
Moreover, for the second month in a row, their losses exceeded 40,000 soldiers, ISW analysts note. In August, an estimated 42,020 people were killed and wounded on the front (versus 42,860 in July). On average, the army “lost” 465 troops to capture each square kilometer, ISW writes, noting that there are still not enough new contract soldiers to replace current losses, “and it remains unclear how long the troops can maintain the current pace of advance… without some form of mobilization.”
Russia has been unable to recruit more than 30,000 troops per month this year; at the beginning of the year, the figure fell to 24,000, according to Janis Kluge of the German Institute for International Security Studies, which calculates the figure based on budgetary payment data. Kyiv previously set a goal of bringing the aggressor’s monthly losses to 50,000 troops, and the Ukrainian Armed Forces are confidently moving toward that goal. Back in March, Russian losses were over 10,000 soldiers lower, totaling 31,960, according to ISW.
Russian army losses in Ukraine, March–August 2026
Source: Institute for the Study of War
In terms of territory, Russian troops took control of 90.35 square kilometers in August. If we take into account infiltration tactics, where groups of several people advance (according to z-bloggers, only 1-2 out of 10 manage to survive and gain a foothold), this figure could be increased to 123.53 square kilometers. These seizures were primarily made in the Donetsk region, but the troops have not yet managed to fully capture the important Ukrainian outpost of Kostiantynivka, which has been under attack for months. According to ISW, they control approximately 72% of the city.
The pace of the offensive has dropped significantly compared to August 2025: then, more than 505 square kilometers were captured.
Moreover, due to counteroffensive operations by the Ukrainian Armed Forces throughout the theater of operations, Russian forces surrendered at least 129.8 square kilometers, more than they had captured. This figure is likely an underestimate, ISW clarifies, as its methodology underestimates the scale of the Ukrainian army’s likely successes during its unfolding offensive in the Liman sector of Donetsk Oblast.
In April and May, the Russian army also lost more territory than it gained.
In July, Putin claimed that Russia had seized over 3,000 square kilometers and 133 settlements in Ukraine since the beginning of the year. However, according to ISW calculations, the actual figures by that time were 621.7 square kilometers and 64 settlements.
In the spring, the top military command convinced Putin that they would secure the capture of the entire Donbas by the fall, the Financial Times reported . However, in the summer, according to Bloomberg, they had already promised to achieve this by winter.
Putin has repeatedly stated that no peace negotiations are possible until Donbas is fully captured. However, since the invasion of Ukraine began, he has set the military deadlines 15 times , but none have been met.
The russians must be slaughtered in industrial numbers. There are countless animals that feed off of their dead bodies.