Russian forces made significantly smaller territorial gains in July compared with the same period last year.

Axar.az reports that according to a report by the U.S.-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Russian troops captured approximately 122 square kilometers of territory during the month. By comparison, they seized about 456 square kilometers in July 2025.

The ISW also said July was the Russian military's most difficult month of 2026.

According to Ukraine's General Staff, Russian forces suffered 42,860 casualties during the month, marking the highest monthly total since the start of the full-scale war.

The battlefield claims made by the ISW and Ukraine's General Staff could not be independently verified.