“Analysts of the Institute for the Study of War pointed out that the Chief of the Russian General Staff, General Valery Gerasimov, greatly exaggerated the data on the Ukrainian territories occupied by the Russian army in 2024.”, — write: www.pravda.com.ua
Analysts of the Institute for the Study of War pointed out that the Chief of the Russian General Staff, General Valery Gerasimov, greatly exaggerated the data on the Ukrainian territories occupied by the Russian army in 2024. ISW has published its own data on this matter.
Source: ISW
Literally: “Chief of the Russian General Staff, Army General Valery Gerasimov, significantly exaggerated the alleged statistical data on Russian territorial gains (in the war of aggression against Ukraine – ed.) in 2024.”
Details: Gerasimov said on December 18 that Russian forces had captured approximately 4,500 square kilometers in 2024.
However, ISW found confirmation that Russian forces captured only 3,306 square kilometers in 2024.
Analysts point out that Gerasimov’s exaggerated figures contrast with the more precise statements of Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov at a December 16 meeting of the Russian Defense Ministry’s collegium.
For example, Belousov claimed that the average daily rate of advance of Russian troops is about 30 square kilometers.
Literally: “ISW monitored geolocation data to estimate that in November 2024, Russian troops were advancing at a rate of approximately 27.96 square kilometers per day.”
Details: Belousov also claimed that Russian forces captured approximately 99 percent of Luhansk Oblast, 70 percent of Donetsk Oblast, approximately 74 percent of Zaporizhzhia Oblast, and approximately 76 percent of Kherson Oblast.
Literally: “According to ISW estimates, Russian forces occupied approximately 99 percent of Luhansk Oblast, 66 percent of Donetsk Oblast, and 73 percent each of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson Oblasts.”
ISW key findings for 18 December:
- According to reports, on December 18, Ukrainian troops struck a chemical plant in the Rostov region of the Russian Federation.
- Ukraine’s European allies continue to provide financial and defense-industrial support to support Ukraine’s military efforts.
- The head of the Russian General Staff, General Valery Gerasimov, significantly exaggerated the alleged statistical data on Russia’s territorial gains in 2024.
- The Federal Security Service of Russia announced on December 18 that Russian authorities had detained a suspect who planted an improvised explosive device that killed the head of Russia’s nuclear, biological and chemical defense forces, Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov, and his aide, Major Ilya Polikarpov, in Moscow on December 17.
- Recently, Russian troops advanced near Kupyansk, Kreminnaya and Pokrovsk.
- The Russian Ministry of Defense is increasingly forcing conscripts to sign military service contracts to participate in hostilities in Ukraine, probably with the aim of creating more assault forces and maintaining the pace of Russian offensive operations in Ukraine.