Independent
2026 so far, four ways
How much of Ukraine has Russia taken this year? The Kremlin's answer is about 65 times ISW's. Kyiv's claims get the same scrutiny below.
Russian-held territory added in 2026, by who's counting
Square kilometers, January 1 to the date of each figure.
September alone, net change
Square kilometers. Above zero means Russia gained ground; below zero means it lost ground.
Every territorial claim since July, and the map that day
As you scroll, the chart marks each claim's date on DeepState's map of the occupied area. DeepState is a Ukrainian open-source mapping group. It also withholds some Ukrainian gains for security, so if anything its map overstates Russian control.
Twenty-two months of the front
The occupied area on DeepState's map, month by month since January 2025, ending on October 20. Bright red is ground Russia has added since then. Drag the slider or press play.
Monthly change on DeepState's map
TMI calculation from DeepState's map geometry: occupied area on the first available day of each month, and on October 20, rounded. DeepState revises its maps after the fact; for September it first reported +66 km², then +154 km².
Kostiantynivka
Russia's General Staff declared the city "liberated" on July 3 and repeated the claim on Oct 16. Ukraine's General Staff says its positions remain and fighting continues. ISW reports Ukrainian positions in the north and center of the city and makes no control call.
Grids, bridges, and buses
With the front stalled, Russia has turned its missiles and drones on Ukraine's energy system and cities. Zelensky counted 76 attacks on energy facilities in the week after Trump's Oct 11 "energy ceasefire" post. Ukraine is hitting Russia's oil.
Three weeks, Sep 30 – Oct 20
Civilians killed in Ukraine, by month, 2026
UN-verified minimums (OHCHR), as revised in its September update. January–September: .
Ukraine's campaign against Russian oil
One night, three Russian counts
Ukrainian drones over the Moscow region, Oct 5–6, as reported by three Russian officials.
Russian officials reported two people killed. Their drone counts can't all be right.
Soldiers killed, by who's counting
Neither government publishes verifiable figures. Independent estimates run far apart. Every figure is attributed, and none should be added to another.
Europe now carries the load
Most new aid now comes from Europe, which still depends on American weapons. Europe keeps adding sanctions; this month Washington eased its own.
Where diplomacy stands
Washington wanted technical talks with all three governments by the end of October. Instead came a Trump–Putin call, a diesel deal, and talks in Oslo on Oct 20. The core dispute hasn't moved.
How we got here
From the invasion to this week. Filter by who acted.
What the record can't settle yet
Where credible sources disagree, and what would settle each question.
How we built this
Method
Every statement traces to a named, linked source we read in full. Quotes are verbatim; where we restate a claim in our own words, the card says so. Official claims from Moscow and Kyiv are labeled as such and set against independent assessments.
Occupied-area figures are TMI's calculation from DeepState's map geometry. DeepState is a Ukrainian open-source group that withholds some Ukrainian gains for operational security.
Data
Occupied area: DeepState daily maps via the open cyterat/deepstate-map-data archive, first available day of each month from January 2025, and every day from October 8 to October 20, 2026. Civilians: OHCHR monthly updates. Base map: Natural Earth, drawn with Ukraine's internationally recognized borders, including Crimea.
This report covers claims, decisions, costs and published data. TMI does not publish tactical or weapons detail. Places are mapped at city level. Map places © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).