Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, speaking at a meeting with journalists, stated that the country expects to reach parity with the Russian Federation in terms of the amount of temporarily occupied and liberated territory by the end of 2026. According to him, since January Russia has seized approximately 990 square kilometers of Ukrainian territory, while the Ukrainian Armed Forces have regained control of roughly 820 square kilometers. “We believe that in 2026 we will reach an equal amount of square kilometers of Ukrainian territory temporarily occupied by Russia and liberated by us,” the head of state emphasized.
Frontline dynamics: the Aleksandriivka direction and the Dnipro region
Zelensky separately addressed the situation in the Dnipropetrovsk region. The President reported that the region has been almost entirely liberated from Russian forces, with only about 10 square kilometers remaining under their control. “That is three small villages. There is effectively no enemy there anymore,” he noted. Thus, in his assessment, the deoccupation of the Dnipro region is in its final stage. In a broader context, Zelensky pointed out that in 2026 the Ukrainian Armed Forces are carrying out active offensive operations in the Aleksandriivka direction. Since the beginning of the year, Ukrainian military forces have liberated 26 settlements in the Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, and Zaporizhzhia regions. The DeepState mapping project has already updated the map of combat operations in this sector, reflecting the results of the defense forces' advance.
Political and diplomatic significance of parity
Zelensky emphasized that achieving territorial parity is significant not only in military terms. In his words, this indicator carries substantial political and diplomatic weight: it forms the basis for negotiations and demonstrates to international partners that Ukraine is capable not only of defending itself but also of systematically recovering lost positions. The President also reported that Ukrainian military forces continue to conduct operations at various sectors of the front and that the outcome of another “deal” is expected by the end of August 2026. Specific details of this deal were not disclosed in the public statement.
Context and expert assessment
Zelensky's statement came against the backdrop of ongoing hostilities and debates over the prospects for a peaceful settlement of the conflict. Reaching parity on territories, if achieved, will mark the first case in years of war in which the pace of deoccupation matches the pace of Russian forces' advance. This could influence the negotiation dynamics and Kyiv's positions in dialogue with Western partners. At the same time, experts note that quantitative parity is not equivalent to strategic advantage: the quality of held positions, logistical lines, and the depth of defense remain key factors that are not reflected in the simple arithmetic of square kilometers.
