Ukraine Frontline: Putin Has Barely Gained Ground

The frontline in the war in Ukraine has spanned roughly 1,200 kilometers as of July 2026, with Russia controlling approximately 18 to 20 percent of internationally recognized Ukrainian territory, according to data from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) and DeepState UA. Over four and a half years after the full-scale invasion launched on February 24, 2022, military analysts report that the conflict has settled into a grinding war of attrition defined by trench warfare, extensive minefields, and near-constant drone and artillery exchanges.

A Static Frontline and Transparent Battlefield

Military experts emphasize that territorial changes along the ground have slowed to a near halt. According to Lars Peder Haga, an associate professor at the Royal Norwegian Air Force Academy and an expert on Russian air and military power, any movement requires a magnifying glass to spot. While Ukraine has clawed back some territory at the front, overall progress has effectively gone to zero.

Palle Ydstebø, a senior lecturer in land power at the Norwegian Military Academy, agrees that conditions have remained at a standstill. In a text message to Nettavisen, Ydstebø stated that the front has been practically static for the past six months, noting that Russia has barely taken any ground while Ukraine has reclaimed much of the area captured by Russian forces prior to the new year. Furthermore, Ydstebø describes the front as completely transparent, explaining that any movement is immediately spotted and targeted by drones, turning additional Russian troop deployments into what he terms drone fodder rather than effective reinforcements.

The Geography of Active Combat Zones

Combat operations remain concentrated across several key sectors mapped by conflict monitors:

• The Donbas Region: Located in eastern Ukraine, this area continues to experience the most intense fighting.
• North-East Ukraine: Border clashes and engagements persist around the cities of Kharkiv and Sumy.
• Southern Ukraine: Active fighting continues around Zaporizjzja and Kherson, stretching along the Dnipro River and open agricultural plains.

Mounting Casualties Documented by Independent Media

Human costs continue to rise on the Russian side. According to an updated dataset released on July 31 by the independent Russian media outlet Mediazona, in collaboration with BBC Russia and volunteers, 236,066 Russian soldiers have been confirmed dead in the war. Mediazona compiles these figures using publicly available sources, including social media posts from grieving relatives, local media reports, and statements from regional authorities. The organization notes that these figures are not exhaustive because many deaths remain officially undisclosed.

The Evolution of the ‘Death Zone’ and Trench Warfare

Both sides face severe obstacles to advancing due to the establishment of heavily monitored “death zones” flanking the frontlines. Haga notes that while Russian forces have occasionally managed to breach these zones, such advances are limited to minor gains of a few kilometers, with no major operational breakthroughs occurring since Ukraine’s Kursk offensive in 2024.

Tactics have also adapted to the constant threat from the skies. Ydstebø previously explained that traditional trench networks have frequently become death traps. When drones locate a trench, operators routinely deploy an initial drone to blow a hole in the earth before sending subsequent drones directly into the opening. Because of this vulnerability, soldiers on both sides have largely abandoned extensive trench systems in favor of traditional two-man pits that are easier to dig and effectively camouflage.

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