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Poland's aid to Ukraine if Russia invades - part 27 [394]
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Google AI is your friend;
Over the past 24 months (from December 2023 to December 2025), Russia has gained several thousand square kilometers of Ukrainian territory, but the net change in total occupied land has been marginal relative to the overall area of Ukraine.
As of early December 2025, Russia controls approximately 20% of Ukraine's territory, or roughly 45,510 square miles (117,875 sq km) in total (including Crimea and parts of the Donbas seized in 2014). In December 2023, Russia controlled about 17.5%-18% of Ukraine, or around 41,000 square miles (106,000 sq km).
The key trends over the last two years are:
Slow, steady Russian advances: Russian forces have made slow, incremental gains, primarily in the eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions, through attritional warfare.
Net positive for Russia: Despite Ukraine's 2023 counteroffensive and an incursion into Russia's Kursk region in mid-2024, the net change over the full two-year period has been in Russia's favor.
Significant annual gains: In 2024, Russia gained over 4,000 square kilometers (about 1,544 sq miles) of territory. In 2025, as of early December, Russia has gained an estimated 4,562 square kilometers (about 1,761 sq miles), a slightly faster pace than the previous year.
Current situation: Russia continues offensive operations and is making small, consistent advances, particularly around the critical city of Pokrovsk in the Donetsk region.
Overall, Russia has captured a few thousand additional square miles over the past two years, increasing its total control from roughly 18% to 20% of Ukrainian territory.