Zaporizhzhia counteroffensive
Ukraine's 2026 southern push; 460 sq km reclaimed, first net territorial gain since 2023.
Last refreshed: 13 April 2026
Can Ukraine hold its Zaporizhzhia gains against Russia's concentrated response?
Timeline for Zaporizhzhia counteroffensive
Mentioned in: Russia loses 100 sq miles in four weeks
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Russia-Ukraine War 2026Mentioned in: 619 attacks over four days at Pokrovsk
Russia-Ukraine War 2026Mentioned in: 286 clashes on 18 March — 2026 record
Russia-Ukraine War 2026Mentioned in: Russia loses net ground for first time
Russia-Ukraine War 2026- What is the Zaporizhzhia counteroffensive?
- A Ukrainian military operation launched in late January 2026 in northern Zaporizhzhia Oblast. It recaptured 460 sq km and eight settlements, the first sustained Ukrainian territorial gain since 2023.Source: Institute for the Study of War
- How much territory did Ukraine recapture in Zaporizhzhia?
- Ukrainian forces reclaimed 460 sq km and eight settlements since late January 2026. The Air Assault Forces alone recaptured 285.6 sq km in February.Source: ISW / Harvard Belfer Center
- Did the Zaporizhzhia counteroffensive work?
- Yes. ISW confirmed Russia recorded net territorial losses across the entire front for the first time since 2023. Russia was forced to redeploy reserves from its Donetsk offensive to contain the advance.Source: ISW
- Why did Russia redeploy troops from Donetsk?
- Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia advance forced Russia to move elite airborne and naval infantry from the eastern Donetsk axis to the southern front, weakening its offensive elsewhere.Source: Institute for the Study of War
- Is Russia still advancing in Ukraine in 2026?
- Russia's advance rate decelerated fivefold, from 130-150 sq km per week in mid-2025 to 33-50 sq km per week by February 2026. It recorded net territorial losses for the first time since 2023.Source: ISW / Harvard Belfer Center
- What did Zelenskyy say about the Zaporizhzhia offensive?
- On 16 March 2026, Zelenskyy stated Ukrainian forces had 'disrupted a Russian strategic offensive operation that the enemy had planned for this March,' crediting the southern counteroffensive.Source: Zelenskyy statement
Background
In late January 2026, Ukrainian forces launched a counteroffensive in northern Zaporizhzhia Oblast, advancing 10-12 km in two drives through Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. By mid-March they had reclaimed 460 sq km and eight settlements, the first sustained net Ukrainian territorial gain since the 2023 counteroffensive. Ukraine's Air Assault Forces alone recaptured 285.6 sq km in February, more than the roughly 120 sq km Russia seized that month.
The offensive forced Russia to redeploy elite airborne and naval infantry away from the Donetsk axis. The Institute for the Study of War assessed the advance had "significantly complicated Russia's plans" for a spring offensive toward Orikhiv. ISW data showed Russia recorded net territorial losses across the entire front for the first time since 2023, its advance rate decelerating fivefold from 130-150 sq km per week in mid-2025 to 33-50 sq km per week by February 2026.
Zelenskyy claimed on 16 March that the counteroffensive had "disrupted a Russian strategic offensive operation that the enemy had planned for this March." Commander-in-Chief Syrskyi confirmed Russia had responded by making Zaporizhzhia its primary axis, concentrating "large numbers of troops and resources." The operation gave Kyiv its strongest negotiating position since 2023 ahead of Washington talks.
