Russia Hit a Record 7,000 Times in May—and Still Lost Ground to Ukraine — UNITED24 Media
Ukraine’s Defense Forces regained control of more territory than Russian forces captured during May 2026, marking the first month since Ukraine’s 2023 counteroffensive in which Russia’s net territorial gains became negative.
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According to Militarnyi on June 6, citing sources within Ukraine’s Defense Forces, Russian troops captured approximately 130 square kilometers of Ukrainian territory during May, down from an estimated 150–160 square kilometers in April.
Over the same period, Ukrainian forces reportedly restored control over or eliminated Russian footholds across roughly 250 square kilometers, resulting in a net territorial balance of around 120 square kilometers in Ukraine’s favor.
The reported gains came despite a sharp increase in combat activity along the front. According to Ukraine’s General Staff, 7,008 combat engagements were recorded during May, a 37% increase compared with 5,085 clashes in April. The most intense day of the month was May 26, when Ukrainian military officials reported 317 separate engagements.
According to Militarnyi, Ukrainian advances during the month included operations near Stepnohirsk in the Zaporizhzhia region involving special units of Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence Directorate (HUR), actions by the 23rd Assault Regiment on the Vovchansk axis, the liberation of the village of Odradne in the Kharkiv region by the 129th Heavy Mechanized Brigade, and reported progress on the Oleksandrivske axis.
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In a statement cited by Militarnyi, the monitoring group DeepState said: “Although it is worth understanding that for security reasons we show the advancement of the Defense Forces of Ukraine with a delay, so without specifics, we are ready to state that this is the first month in recent years after the ‘2023 Counteroffensive’ when the increase in occupied territory for the Russians became negative.”
Ukraine’s Commander-in-Chief, General Oleksandr Syrskyi, previously told Militarnyi that May included at least one day when the number of Ukrainian offensive actions exceeded those conducted by Russian forces.
According to Syrskyi, the trend reflected sustained efforts to reduce Russia’s offensive capabilities through strikes against personnel and military assets.
At the same time, Russian aerial attacks remained at a high level. According to Ukraine’s General Staff, Russian forces dropped approximately 7,500 guided aerial bombs during May.
The figure represents the second-highest monthly total since the start of the full-scale invasion, surpassed only by March 2026, when 7,987 guided bombs were reportedly used. In April, Russia employed nearly 7,000 such munitions.
The data suggests that while frontline combat intensity reached record levels in May, Ukrainian forces were able to improve their territorial position despite continued Russian offensive pressure and sustained aerial bombardment.
Earlier, Ukraine’s Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said Kyiv’s goal is to inflict at least 200 Russian casualties for every square kilometer of territory captured by Russian forces. According to Fedorov, the cost of Russia’s advances reached 254 casualties per square kilometer in March and 179 in April, reflecting what Ukrainian officials describe as a growing attrition burden on Moscow’s offensive operations.
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