Putin claims Russia seized 1,301 square kilometers of Ukrainian territory in September, sharply diverging from ISW data

This is reported by the ISW (Institute for the Study of War), according to Ukrinform. Analysts drew attention to Putin’s statement on October 1 during a meeting of the Valdai Club. He claimed that in September 2026 alone, Russian troops seized 1,301 km² of Ukrainian territory—2.5 times more than Russia’s claimed territorial gains in previous months. At the same time, the ISW analyzed the available evidence and concluded that in September 2026, Russian forces suffered net territorial losses of 80.81 km². And if one also takes into account the Russian troops’ advances into areas over which they have not established full control, Russia’s net territorial losses in September amounted to 175.18 km², analysts note.