According to the Institute for the Study of War data analyzed by Russia Matters as of April 7, 2026, Russia presently controls approximately 20% of Ukrainian territory (about 45,795 square miles), which includes Crimea and parts of Donbas that Russia occupied before its full-scale invasion in February 20221.
Russia's territorial control peaked at approximately 27% in March 2022 shortly after the invasion began, but Ukrainian forces have since liberated significant territory, and the current figure has remained well below 25% for years2.
In the weeks leading up to May 12, 2026, Russian forces experienced a net loss of 45 square miles of Ukrainian territory, further demonstrating that the control percentage is not approaching 25%3.
The claim of 25% overstates the current extent of Russian occupation by roughly 5 percentage points, making it a substantial numerical inaccuracy for a present-day assessment.