In March 2026, the Russian army reported almost no territorial gains in Ukraine, according to an analysis by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). This stagnation marks the first time in two and a half years that Russia has failed to make significant advances. The data indicates that Russian forces only seized 23 square kilometers during the month, a stark decline from 319 square kilometers in January and 123 square kilometers in February. The ISW attributes this slowdown to effective Ukrainian counter-offensives and restrictions imposed by the Kremlin on communication tools, including a ban on Starlink terminals and limited access to the popular messaging app Telegram. Furthermore, the analysis reveals that Russia lost ground along the southern front line between the Donetsk and Dnipropetrovsk regions, with occupied territory decreasing from over 400 square kilometers at the end of January to just 144 square kilometers by March. As of April 2026, Moscow occupies just over 19% of Ukraine, with much of this territory seized during the initial stages of the conflict, while 7% was already under Russian or pro-Russian control before the full-scale invasion began.