Russia’s land gains in Ukraine dwindle as its diesel reportedly goes unsold

Russia’s battlefield gains in Ukraine have fallen to almost nothing this year, according to the latest figures from independent observers and Kyiv’s military.Territory seized by Russian forces in the first 10 months of 2026 amounts to 117.38 sq km (45.32 sq miles), according to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), a Washington-based think tank that uses open-source geolocated footage.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4Russia to UAE, Iran steps up diplomacy amid Trump threats: What we knowlist 2 of 4Ukraine raises Zaporizhia aid strike death toll to at least 50list 3 of 4Claims of a Ukrainian ‘torture chamber’ went viral. What really happened?list 4 of 4European troops prepare for possible post-ceasefire deployment to Ukraineend of listBy comparison, gains in 2025 were 5,304 sq km (2,047.95 sq miles), including 473 sq km (182.63 sq miles) of Russian territory recaptured in the Kursk region, while in 2024 they were 3,604 sq km (1,391.31 sq miles).That means Russia advanced at a rate of 0.38 sq km (0.15 sq miles) a day this year, compared with 13.25 sq km (5.12 sq miles) a day in 2025 and 9.9 sq km (3.82 sq miles) a day in 2024.(Al Jazeera)In addition, Russia is suffer...