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Ukrainian Counteroffensive Breaks Russian Lines, Reclaims 460Km² as Moscow Bleeds 35,000 Troops a Month
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![Photo of Vlad Litnarovych]( "Photo of Vlad Litnarovych")
Ukraine’s Defense Forces have reclaimed 460 square kilometers of territory since the start of 2026, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in an interview with the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, published March 3.
“We have regained 460 square kilometers since the beginning of the year,” he stated.
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Addressing Russia’s demographic advantage over Ukraine, Zelenskyy emphasized that Kyiv is seeking peace while simultaneously strengthening its military position.
“In reality, we are seeking dialogue, we want peace,” he said. But at the same time, “we are trying to be strong, producing technical resources and more drones that compensate for the shortage of soldiers.”
He argued that Ukraine is adapting its approach to warfare in order to withstand Russia’s larger manpower pool.
“We are diversifying the forms of war, which allows us to resist. We are not losing, and Russia is still not satisfied. They are losing many people, up to 35,000 per month. That is a gigantic figure,” Zelenskyy said.
According to the president, Russian leader Vladimir Putin is preparing to mobilize an additional 400,000 troops. However, he suggested that Russia’s military growth has stalled.
“His army has stopped growing, losses are equal to the number of new recruits, they are blocked, close to a crisis. Serious negotiations will begin when his army starts shrinking,” Zelenskyy said.
He acknowledged that Ukraine is also facing manpower shortages, adding that “that is why we want to end the war.”
At the same time, Zelenskyy said Russia’s winter campaign had failed to achieve its objectives.
“But in the meantime, Putin lost his winter offensive. He attacked power plants in the middle of freezing temperatures, he wanted to divide us, tried to turn civilians against the army to force it to stop fighting. But he failed: with the arrival of warmth, hope is being reborn,” he said.
Looking ahead, Zelenskyy predicted renewed Russian attempts in the spring.
“Now the Russians will try spring offensives, but I think they will lose again, many soldiers will die in vain,” he concluded.
Earlier, Ukrainian special forces from the Defense Intelligence Directorate’s “Artan” unit, working alongside other formations of Ukraine’s Armored Forces, regained control of several frontline positions near the settlement of Stepnohirsk in the Zaporizhzhia region.
-c439b7bd9030ecf9d5a4287dc361ba31.jpg "Photo of Katherina Popilnichenko")
-111f0e5095e02c02446ffed57bfb0ab1.jpeg "Photo of Roman Kohanets")