Ukraine Regains Territory for First Time Since 2023 as Drone Edge Disrupts Russian Lines
Updated
Updated · The Bulwark · Jun 25
Ukraine Regains Territory for First Time Since 2023 as Drone Edge Disrupts Russian Lines
2 articles · Updated · The Bulwark · Jun 25
Summary
Last month, Ukrainian forces recaptured more ground than they lost for the first time since the 2023 counteroffensives, according to independent mapping group Deep State.
Ukrainian drone superiority drove that shift: elite FPV teams hunted Russian infiltrators around the clock, while longer-range systems using Starlink struck logistics routes once considered safe.
Those attacks have made Russian assaults increasingly costly and less effective, with officials in occupied areas closing key highways as supply lines came under pressure.
The gains still rest on a fragile base, as Russia continues glide-bomb strikes and attritional attacks while Ukraine struggles to replace exhausted drone crews and infantry.
The report portrays a battlefield more favorable to Kyiv than in recent years, but argues any durable advantage will depend on sustaining manpower and pressure through 2026.
Can Ukraine's sophisticated AI drones defeat Russia's mass before its own army collapses from exhaustion?
If Russia no longer seeks victory, what is its true endgame for a permanent war footing against Europe?
As Ukrainian soldiers face burnout, can new military reforms solve the manpower crisis threatening its defense?
Ukraine’s First Net Territorial Gains Since 2023: How Drone Warfare Is Reshaping the Battlefield and Russian Logistics
Overview
Ukraine has achieved its first net territorial gains since 2023 by strategically deploying reserves to vulnerable front-line positions, especially in politically sensitive areas of Kharkiv and Dnipropetrovsk. This progress is closely linked to Ukraine’s growing drone superiority, with short- and medium-range drones proving highly effective. In May alone, Ukrainian drones struck 180,000 targets, a 12.7 percent increase from April. These advances highlight how Ukraine’s escalating and sophisticated drone warfare is playing a critical role in shaping battlefield dynamics and enabling territorial gains against Russian forces.