The advance of the Russian army in Ukraine has slowed down nearly by half.

In January 2025, the Russian army occupied 430 sq. km of Ukrainian territory and is currently attacking the logistics center of Ukrainian forces in Pokrovsk, Donetsk region, which is only two kilometers away.

Source. This is reported by AFP based on data from the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW). In November of last year, Russian troops occupied 725 sq. km of Ukrainian land.

The agency notes that the pace of Russian advancement has slowed compared to December, when 476 sq. km of Ukrainian territory was captured.

More than 80% of the areas occupied by Russia in January were in the Donetsk region. Additionally, Russian forces advanced approximately 50 sq. km on the northeastern front near the city of Kupiansk. These units are establishing positions on the western bank of the Oskol River, which has long served as a line of demarcation.

According to ISW, Russia's progress in Ukraine slows during winter months: in January 2023, it captured 285 sq. km, while in January 2024, only 146 sq. km. The current acceleration of the Russian offensive indicates that the advantage of Russian forces over the Armed Forces of Ukraine has been maintained since the summer of 2024, notes AFP.

The Ukrainian OSINT project DeepState reported recently that in January, Russian units managed to gain control of only 325 sq. km of Ukrainian territory. According to their data, in December 2024, Russian troops captured 394 sq. km, in November – 730 sq. km, and in October – 503 sq. km of the country.

According to ISW, over the past year, Russian troops captured 4,168 sq. km – mostly fields and small settlements in Ukraine and the Kursk region. At the same time, annual Russian losses amounted to 420,000 personnel.

ISW estimates that last year, the Russian army lost an average of 102 soldiers for every sq. km of captured territory. The greatest progress for Russia was achieved from September to November, accounting for 56.5% of territorial gains while losing approximately 125,800 military personnel.

Background. Recall that on January 31, Reuters reported that Russians are tightening the noose around Pokrovsk. The enemy has significantly more infantry, attacks in small groups, and is prepared to suffer very high losses.