Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi said Ukraine’s Defense Forces have liberated more than 600 square kilometers of territory since the beginning of 2026. According to him, the balance of liberated versus lost territory in May alone amounted to nearly 100 square kilometers.
Oleksandr Syrskyi presented the results of the Armed Forces of Ukraine’s operations in May following a monthly review meeting.
According to the commander-in-chief, the situation on the front line remains difficult and dynamic. Russian forces continue attempts to advance in eastern and southern Ukraine, while the number of combat engagements has increased significantly. The heaviest fighting is taking place in the Pokrovsk, Oleksandrivka and Huliaipole sectors.
At the same time, Syrskyi said Ukraine’s Defense Forces continue to maintain the initiative in certain areas. In May, the balance of liberated versus lost territory amounted to nearly 100 square kilometers, while more than 600 square kilometers of Ukrainian land have been liberated since the start of the year.
Syrskyi said that during May, unmanned systems units struck more than 88,000 targets and, according to the Unmanned Systems Forces Command, neutralized more than 30,500 Russian servicemen.
He added that Deep Strike capabilities hit 111 facilities belonging to Russia’s military-industrial complex, energy sector and fuel infrastructure during the month. The direct and indirect economic damage inflicted on Russia through these operations is estimated at about $1.058 billion.
The commander-in-chief also said that, for the first time, a coordinated series of strikes was carried out against military-industrial and fuel-energy facilities in Moscow and the Moscow region as part of a single operational plan.
Syrskyi separately highlighted the work of Ukraine’s air defense forces, which destroyed more than 59,000 aerial targets and repelled 25 missile and air attacks during May. He stressed that Ukraine continues to require additional modern air defense systems and missiles.
According to Syrskyi, the Ukrainian Navy conducted about 1,500 operations in May to ensure the safety of civilian shipping, enabling 633 vessels to reach the ports of Greater Odesa and the Danube River.
Following the meeting, Syrskyi set tasks for all branches of the Armed Forces of Ukraine for the coming period and thanked Ukrainian service members for their resilience, professionalism and daily combat work.
