Russia took 196.1 square km of Ukrainian territory over the week of October 20-27, making it the swiftest weekly advance for Russian forces this year.
Analysis Of Open Source Maps
Russian media group Agentstvo which analysed Ukrainian open source maps has reported this.
Uncertainty Over The War
The 2-1/2-year-old war in Ukraine is entering what Russian officials say is its most dangerous phase.
These forces continue to advance and the West is worried how the war will end.
President Vladimir Putin ordered Russian forces into Ukraine in February 2022.
These forces advanced in September at their fastest rate since March 2022, according to open source data.
Rapid Weekly Advance
“The Russian Army has not had such a rapid weekly advance since at least the beginning of this year,” Agentstvo said on its Telegram channel.
It said it had used raw data from Ukraine’s Deep State open-source intelligence analysts to make the conclusion.
Ukrainian Territory Taken By The Russian Army
Agentstvo said that last week, the Russian Army took 95 square kilometers near the town of Vuhledar and 63 square kilometers near the town of Pokrovsk.
Both are in the Donbas area of eastern Ukraine.
Ukrainian Defences In The Donbas Area
Agentstvo said that Ukrainian defences in the Donbas were weakened by Kyiv’s decision to sent troops into Russia’s Kursk region as Russia did not transfer troops from Donbas to Kursk.
The advance of Moscow’s forces has underlined Russia’s vast numerical superiority in men and materiel.
These forces control just under a fifth of Ukraine
Need For More Weapons
Ukraine is pleading for more weapons from the Western allies that have been supporting it.
It wants to use western long-range weapons to strike targets inside Russia.
Russia controls Crimea and about 80% of the Donbas – a coal-and-steel zone comprising the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
It also controls over 70% of the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions.
