Ukrainian forces are regaining tactical initiative across multiple sectors of the front line, according to a new assessment by the Institute for the Study of War.
In its report, the ISW said Ukrainian forces have conducted a series of counterattacks in different areas across the theater in recent months, having made their most significant gains on the battlefield since Ukraine's incursion into the Kursk region in August 2024.
Analysts noted that Ukrainian counterattacks recaptured much of Kupiansk starting in November 2025, liberated over 400 square kilometers in southern Ukraine in winter and spring 2026, and most recently liberated several settlements in western Zaporizhzhia region since late April 2026.
The report states that Ukrainian counterattacks in the south "have created cascading operational and strategic effects against Russia's ongoing Spring-Summer 2026 offensive against the Fortress Belt, which has forced Russia to choose between defending against Ukrainian counterattacks or allocating manpower and resources to priority sectors."
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