UK intelligence says Russian forces' advance in Ukraine slowed down since beginning of year

Since the beginning of 2025, Russian forces' advance in Ukraine has been slowing down, and the number of attacks has been decreasing.

Source: UK Defence Intelligence update dated 5 April on X (Twitter), as reported by European Pravda

Details: UK intelligence estimates that in March 2025, Russian troops most likely seized 143 square kilometres of Ukrainian territory, which is an average of less than 5 square kilometres per day.

"Russia's rate of advance has dropped month by month since November 2024, when its forces seized more than 700 sq km," the report says.

In March, the Russian forces made the most gains in the central part of Donetsk Oblast, but they failed to improve their operational positions, UK intelligence noted.

"Ukrainian forces also carried out tactical counter-attacks, reversing some of Russia's gains around Pokrovsk," it added.

The update notes that at the end of March, the Russians increased the number of ground attacks, which had been falling throughout the month, but they "have not resulted in a higher rate of advance".

Background:

• On 4 April, the Estonian Defence Forces' operational report on the fighting in Ukraine stated that over the past week, the average number of attacks by Russian forces had approached 200 per day, indicating an increase in pressure.
• Meanwhile, North Atlantic Alliance intelligence and analysts believe that Russian troops have no significant chance of breaking through the Ukrainian defence line.

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