Russia says its forces have made major territorial gains in Ukraine over the past month, but Ukraine disputes those claims. According to reports, Russian Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov tells President Vladimir Putin that Russian troops have taken more than 1,800 square kilometers of Ukrainian territory and captured nearly 100 settlements since early September, including towns in the east.
Ukraine dismisses the figures as false and characterizes the messaging as aimed at Russia’s domestic audience. The outlets report that Ukraine rejects the term “illusion” used by Russian officials, arguing that the battlefield reality does not match Moscow’s announcements. While Russia presents the advances as rapid progress, Ukraine’s response emphasizes that Russian claims are propaganda rather than confirmed control.
The coverage reflects a continuing information contest alongside the fighting, with both sides issuing competing narratives about who holds territory and how quickly it is changing.
