Zelenskyy: Russia has captured 890 sq km and lost 270,000 people in 2026, Ukraine has liberated 800 sq km
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said Russia has captured 890 sq km of Ukrainian territory in 2026 in its war of aggression, while Ukraine has retaken 800 sq km, with Russian losses amounting to 270,000 people.
Source: Zelenskyy in an interview with The Wall Street Journal
Quote: "He [Russian ruler Vladimir Putin – ed.] occupied about 890 km this year, and we deoccupied 800 [km]. So that means that in different directions he has 90, okay, let's say an additional 100 km over the year. It is many times less than it was before, when they [the Russians – ed.] were occupying about 3,000-4,000 [km] a year."
Details: Zelenskyy said Russian losses amount to 270,000 people. "You can understand the price of 100 km – high price. He [Putin – ed.] is neither winning nor losing," the president said.
Zelenskyy noted that almost everything has come to a standstill on the battlefield, despite the Kremlin leader talking about Russia's successes. Asked if he believes that Russian generals are not telling Putin the truth about the current situation on the battlefield, Zelenskyy replied in the affirmative.
The president added that, for Putin, losing people in the war is not a loss. But Russian society is losing people and money, paying a high price for the sake of capturing 100 km of Ukrainian territory.
Background:
- At the start of talks with Donald Trump in New York on 22 September, Zelenskyy said he hopes that the US president will help end the war in Ukraine before winter.
- Zelenskyy also said at a press conference following the talks that he is prepared to meet Putin and that the US president could help arrange a trilateral meeting.
- Trump, for his part, said he is prepared to use the Graham Act on sanctions against Russia if necessary.
- He also called on Putin to end the war against Ukraine. On his way to the UN General Assembly meeting, Trump briefly stopped to speak to journalists and was asked what message he had for Putin. "Settle the war!" the US president replied.
- Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the current circumstances do not allow the negotiations to move towards peace, but reiterated once again that Zelenskyy could come to Moscow for negotiations.
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