Russia's advance in Ukraine has slowed significantly, Air Assault Forces commander says

Russia's advance on the battlefield has slowed significantly, with heavy casualties limiting Moscow's ability to sustain its offensive despite its manpower advantage, Maj. Gen. Oleh Apostol, commander of Ukraine's Air Assault Forces, said during a meeting with journalists.

"It has slowed down very significantly," Apostol said of Russia's offensive, saying that the capture of small areas of territory does not necessarily translate into meaningful military gains.

"If they capture one tree line in a month, that's hardly an operational success they can build on," he said.

His assessment comes as Russian forces continue offensive operations near Dobropillia, Pokrovsk, and Kostiantynivka in Donetsk Oblast, but have struggled to achieve significant territorial gains.

According to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Russian forces suffered a net territorial loss of approximately 27 square kilometers (10 square miles) in October, marking the second consecutive month in which Moscow lost more territory than it gained in Ukraine.

Apostol also described how Russian troops plant flags in contested areas to create the impression of territorial gains, even when they have not established control over those positions.

He suggested that the practice was partly driven by inaccurate battlefield reports within Russia's military command, with lower-ranking officers potentially misleading their superiors about the situation at the front.

The Ukrainian General Staff, meanwhile, reported that Russia suffered 54,400 casualties in October alone, its highest monthly total since the beginning of the full-scale invasion.

Apostol acknowledged that Russia continues to rely on its numerical superiority to sustain offensive operations, but argued that its heavy losses have undermined its ability to achieve breakthroughs.

The commander also pointed to Ukrainian counteroffensive operations, saying Ukrainian forces had regained control of more than 800 square kilometers (309 square miles) of territory across two operations.

Apostol said the military had revised some earlier figures for liberated territory after changing how it counted areas where Russian troops had infiltrated Ukrainian positions without establishing lasting control.

The commander also explained why Ukraine chooses to launch counteroffensives in certain areas while prioritizing defensive operations elsewhere.

"You have to attack where there is an opportunity, where you can achieve success," Apostol said.

He argued that launching offensives against well-prepared, numerically superior Russian forces may yield little progress, while defensive operations can instead focus on containing and exhausting the enemy.

Despite the dominance of drones on the battlefield, Apostol insisted that infantry remains essential to securing and holding territory.

"Without infantry, nobody can do anything: neither clear the front line, nor advance, nor hold a position," he said.

Apostol also argued that Ukrainian counteroffensives carry significance beyond the battlefield by demonstrating to international partners that Ukraine remains capable of resisting Russian forces and reclaiming territory.

He pointed to the Ukrainian operation near Dobropillia, where he said Ukrainian troops had halted an offensive involving substantial Russian marine forces.

According to Apostol, such operations strengthen Ukraine's position in discussions with Western partners and counter Russian claims that continued Ukrainian resistance is futile.

His remarks come as negotiations over ending Russia's war against Ukraine remain stalled over territorial disputes. The latest round of U.S.-brokered talks in Abu Dhabi concluded on Nov. 11 without a breakthrough on the central question of territory.