Ukraine's Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi declared that Ukrainian forces endured the "battle for the winter," reporting that Ukraine eliminated more Russian soldiers over three months than Russia recruited and that Ukraine in February recaptured more territory than Russia seized. The reversal marks the first net territorial gain for Ukraine since the Kursk incursion in August 2024.
Russia's winter losses outpaced recruitment
Russian forces suffered about 92,850 killed and wounded across the three winter months, averaging 1,031 casualties per day, Syrskyi said. He stressed that this total exceeded the number of troops Russia managed to recruit into its ranks over the same period.
The Commander-in-Chief stated that Russia's equipment losses over the three months included 322 tanks, 430 armored combat vehicles, 2,967 artillery systems, 110 multiple launch rocket systems, and 55 air defense systems. Russia also lost five aircraft, one helicopter, one ship, and one submarine.
According to Syrskyi, Ukrainian forces destroyed 65,269 operational-tactical UAVs across three months. Russia also lost 11,927 vehicles and 65 pieces of special equipment, the top general stated.
In February 2026, Ukrainian Defense Forces regained control over more territory than Russia managed to seize — the first time this has happened since the 2024 Kursk offensive operation, Syrskyi said.
Earlier, the DeepState monitoring project reported that Russian territorial gains in February fell to 126 km² — half of January's 245 km² and the lowest figure since July 2024 — while assault intensity dropped only 4%.
Active operations on multiple fronts
Syrskyi said Ukrainian forces are conducting effective active actions in the Oleksandrivka and Huliaipole directions in southeastern Ukraine. He directly contradicted repeated Russian claims about Kupiansk, saying Ukrainian troops are "only strengthening control" over the city and "reducing the enemy's saboteur headcount" there.
Ukraine continues to hold the line near the Pokrovsk-Myrnohrad urban agglomeration, Syrskyi added.
Earlier, Russian forces have gradually fought their way into both cities over months of attritional fighting.
