Lost territories of Ukraine in 2023
- Avdiivka: Ukrainian troops have withdrawn from the town of Avdiivka and the nearby coke factory, marking the biggest change on the 1,000km-long front line since the fall of Bakhmut in May 2023. Russia has claimed this as a significant victory after months of relentless attacks.
- Robotyne and Verbove in Zaporizhzhia: Russia has made slow progress further south near these villages, an area where Ukraine had seen some success during its counter-offensive in 2023.
- The loss of Robotyne was hoped to complicate Moscow’s supply lines, but recent reports indicate that Russian forces have advanced to the western and southern outskirts of the village.
- Territory on the eastern bank of the Dnipro river around the village of Krynky: Russia appears to have retaken some territory in this area, after Ukraine first announced a breakthrough in Krynky in mid-November 2022.
Despite Ukraine’s counteroffensive efforts, Russia remains in control of around 18% of Ukrainian territory, and the conflict has reached a stalemate, with little progress made on the ground by either side.
Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine
Areas of Ukraine controlled by Russia during the Russo-Ukrainian War
Start of Occupation
2014, following Russia‘s annexation of Crimea and takeover of Donbas
Full-scale Invasion
2022, leading to additional territories being occupied
Withdrawal Announcement
Early April, Russian withdrawal from Chernihiv, Kyiv, Sumy, and Zhytomyr oblasts.
The major Ukrainian cities that have been completely or largely destroyed by Russian forces since the 2022 invasion are:
- Mariupol (Donetsk region): The city was under siege and bombardment by Russian forces, leading to the destruction of much of the city. The bombing of the Mariupol Drama Theater, where hundreds of civilians were sheltering, was one of the most horrific incidents.3
- Sievierodonetsk (Luhansk region): After months of intense fighting, the city was reportedly destroyed by 90% due to massive bombardment by Russian forces.3
- Popasna (Luhansk region): This town was nearly completely destroyed by Russian artillery and bombardment, leading to the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces. The city was later “wiped from the map” by Russian occupation authorities.2
- Rubizhne, Volnovakha, Lyman (Donetsk region): These cities have also suffered greatly at the hands of the Russian occupiers and been largely destroyed.3
- Bakhmut (Donetsk region): After months of intense fighting, much of this city has been reduced to ruins due to the relentless Russian bombardment.2
- Avdiivka (Donetsk region): Ukrainian forces recently withdrew from this town after months of defending it, as they faced dwindling ammunition, overwhelming Russian numbers, and military mismanagement.5
Russia’s invasion has led to the near-complete destruction of several major Ukrainian cities, with thousands of civilian casualties and immense damage to infrastructure. Many other towns and settlements have also suffered greatly under the Russian occupation.
