Ukraine’s military chief says it regained up to 400 sq. km and eight settlements in the south, though some military correspondents question the scale and methodology of the figures.
Feb. 23, 2026
Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) Oleksandr Syrsky said that since the end of January, the Airborne Assault Forces group and adjacent units have regained control of 400 square kilometers (over 154 square miles) of territory and eight settlements in the Oleksandrivsky direction.
“I am working directly in the areas where combat missions are being carried out in the Southern Operational Zone,” he wrote on Telegram on Monday, Feb. 23.
Syrsky reported that during another working trip, he visited units advancing on the front line as well as those holding defensive positions in one of the key sectors.
“I held a substantive meeting with commanders. We discussed the status of combat mission execution, problematic issues, and proposals for their resolution. We identified priority steps to strengthen defense and support our units,” the AFU chief wrote.
Syrsky described the situation in the area as difficult, adding that Russian forces continue to apply pressure, actively using small assault groups for infiltration, artillery, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and, in some areas, armored vehicles.
“But our soldiers are not only holding the defense but are also successfully conducting offensive operations,” he wrote.
According to Syrsky, Ukraine’s plan remains unchanged: to effectively carry out assigned tasks while preserving the lives of Ukrainian servicemembers to the maximum extent possible, strengthening defensive capabilities, and building capacity along every section of the front.
“We are working systematically and cohesively to liberate Ukrainian land,” he added.
Notably, on Sunday, Feb. 22, the Airborne Assault Forces group issued its own statement regarding the operation in the same direction.
“With the start of the operation, the Airborne Assault Forces group, together with adjacent units, restored control over more than 300 square kilometers (116 square miles) of territory (cleared of enemy sabotage and reconnaissance groups) across eight settlements,” the statement reads.
This suggests that the reported gains may largely concern areas of the so-called “gray zone” that were cleared of Russian military personnel.
The paratroopers emphasized that despite Moscow’s active assault operations, Ukrainian forces are repelling all attacks and successfully conducting offensive actions.
“The situation can be described as very dynamic. The enemy clings to every meter of captured territory, using all available human and technical resources, but the units of the group are fulfilling their tasks and liberating their native land step by step,” the report stated.
The forces added that their primary objectives are to disrupt Russian plans for further advances in the Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhia regions, defeat Russian troop groupings, and push them beyond the administrative border of the Dnipropetrovsk region.
However, the statement also stressed that while the active phase of the operation is ongoing, it is premature to draw conclusions about its final results.
President Volodymyr Zelensky told AFP on Feb. 20 that Ukrainian forces had recently liberated large areas in southern Ukraine.
“I won’t go into too many details, but today I can congratulate our army first and foremost – all the defense forces – because as of today, 300 square kilometers have been liberated,” Zelensky said.
AFP noted at the time that it was unable to independently verify the claim.
While the Airborne Assault Forces confirmed figures similar to those announced by Zelensky, some military correspondents and servicemembers have questioned the reliability and interpretation of such large-scale territorial gains.
Military correspondent Diana Butsko, commenting on Zelensky’s statement, wrote on Facebook:
“The president said that the Defense Forces liberated 300 square kilometers in the south. Wow! This is the territory of four Khersons together with Hulyaipole. Or Kharkiv. Or approximately Zaporizhzhia. I wonder who makes such calculations and how.”
Butsko acknowledged that Ukrainian forces are indeed making progress in the Oleksandrivsky direction, but emphasized that these advances appear to be at the tactical level.
“Assault units and paratroopers are clearing previously lost territories. But the Russians are also counterattacking in Vyshneve and Ternove. Difficult battles are ongoing. Our pilots are working actively and successfully,” she wrote.
“But this does not mean that we have liberated Hulyaipole. Or four Khersons. The numbers are impressive, but what exactly do they represent?” she added.
It is worth recalling that earlier last week, several Western media outlets reported that from Feb. 11 to 14, Ukraine had recaptured about 201 square kilometers (78 square miles) of territory in five days – its largest gain in 2.5 years – according to an AFP analysis of data from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
ISW experts suggested that Ukraine may have taken advantage of a recent disruption in Russian forces’ access to Starlink.
However, AFP later issued a correction containing significantly revised figures.
“Ukraine recaptured a net total of 63 square kilometers (24 square miles) from Russia between Wednesday and Sunday… Overall, Ukraine recaptured 91 square kilometers (35 square miles), including 86 square kilometers (33 square miles) in an area about 80 kilometers (50 miles) east of the city of Zaporizhzhia,” the updated AFP report stated.
The Russian army, meanwhile, captured about 28 square kilometers (11 square miles) in other sections of the front, resulting in a net territorial gain of 63 square kilometers (24 square miles) for Ukraine.
AFP nevertheless emphasized that Ukrainian forces had not recaptured so much territory in such a short period since the June 2023 counteroffensive.
The Russian army advanced by about 123 square miles along the front in January.
The latest ISW assessment, dated Feb. 21, states that available open-source evidence indicates Ukrainian forces have liberated “multiple settlements around the Dnipropetrovsk-Zaporizhzhia region administrative border in recent weeks.”
“ISW has observed evidence to assess that Ukrainian forces have liberated at least about 168.9 square kilometers (65 square miles) of territory in southern Ukraine since Jan. 1, 2026,” the report said.
A Ukrainian military source reported on Feb. 18 that Ukrainian forces advanced to northwestern Verbove, suggesting that Ukrainian troops likely liberated Orestopil, Vovche, Novooleksandrivka, and Hai (all southeast of Oleksandrivka) in recent days.
https://www.kyivpost.com/post/70611