DeepState: Russian troops advance near Pishchane and Rodynske
Soldiers of the 12th Azov Special Forces Brigade attack Russian positions in Donetsk region (Photo: REUTERS/Sofiia Gatilova)
Russian forces advanced in parts of Kharkiv and Donetsk oblasts, analysts from the Ukrainian battlefield monitoring project DeepState reported on May 5.
Russian gains were recorded near the village of Pishchane in Kharkiv Oblast and near Rodynske in Donetsk Oblast, analysts said.
Analysts from the Institute for the Study of War reported on May 2 that Russian forces suffered a net territorial loss in April 2026 for the first time since Ukraine launched its Kursk Oblast operation in August 2024.
Russian troops lost control of 116 square kilometers (45 square miles) of territory in April 2026, ISW analysts said. Russia’s rate of advance has been slowing since November 2025 amid Ukrainian ground counterattacks, mid-range strikes, the blocking of Starlink terminals used by Russian forces, and Kremlin restrictions on access to Telegram, which analysts said worsened existing problems within the Russian army.
DeepState reported on May 1 that Russian forces captured 141 square kilometers (54 square miles) of Ukrainian territory in April, down 11.9% from March, when Russian troops seized 160 square kilometers (62 square miles).
Russian assault activity increased by 2.2% last month, DeepState said. Occupying forces needed an average of 36 assaults to capture one square kilometer of territory, according to the analysts.
The largest territorial gains in April were recorded in Donetsk Oblast, where Russian troops captured 53 square kilometers (20 square miles), or 36% of the total area seized during the month. That figure was nearly half the amount captured in March and 6.5 times lower than in December.
Russian forces also advanced 44 square kilometers (17 square miles) in Sumy Oblast, accounting for 30% of total territorial gains. Kharkiv Oblast accounted for 22%, while Zaporizhzhya Oblast made up 12%, DeepState reported.
Russian forces also lost control of territory in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast in April, with the occupied area shrinking from 105 square kilometers (41 square miles) to 98 square kilometers (38 square miles).
Ukraine’s Defense Forces have reduced the occupied zone in the region by 89 square kilometers (34 square miles) over the past three months, DeepState said. Russian troops controlled 187 square kilometers (72 square miles) of the oblast in January.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in early April that the situation on the front line was currently the best it had been for Ukraine in the past 10 months.
Will you support Ukraine’s free press?
Dear reader, as all news organizations, we must balance the pressures of delivering timely, accurate, and relevant stories with requirements to fund our business operations.
As a Ukrainian-based media, we also have another responsibility – to amplify Ukraine’s voice to the world during the crucial moment of its existence as a political nation.
It’s the support of our readers that lets us continue doing our job. We keep our essential reporting free because we believe in our ultimate purpose: an independent, democratic Ukraine.
If you’re willing to support Ukraine, consider subscribing to our Patreon starting from 5$ per month. We are immensely grateful.
Please help us continue fighting Russian propaganda.
Truth can be hard to tell from fiction these days. Every viewpoint has its audience of backers and supporters, no matter how absurd.
If conscious disinformation is reinforced by state propaganda apparatus and budget, its outcomes may become deadly.
There is no solution to this, other than independent, honest, and accurate reporting.
We remain committed to empowering the Ukrainian voice to push against the muck. If you’re willing to stand up for the truth – consider supporting us on Patreon starting from 5$ per month. Thank you very much.
Will you help tell Ukraine’s story to the world?
Twenty years ago, most people hadn’t even heard of Ukraine. Today, the country is on everyone’s lips and everyone’s headlines. War pushed us on the front page. But there are many other things we do that we are proud of – from music and culture to technology.
We need your help to tell the world Ukrainian story of resilience, joy, and survival. If you’re willing to back our effort, consider supporting us on Patreon starting from 5$ per month. We are immensely grateful.
Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Google News
