Ukraine Regaining Tactical Initiative in War Against Russia, ISW Analysis Finds

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Ayia Napa, Cyprus, on April 23, 2026. Petros Karadjias/AP PhotoUkraine is “regaining tactical initiative” in its war against Russia, building on gains made in April and achieving its first net territorial gain in two years, according to analysis from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) published on May 20.“Ukrainian forces have conducted a series of counterattacks in different areas across the theater in recent months, having made their most significant gains on the battlefield since Ukraine’s incursion into Kursk Oblast in August 2024,” the ISW report showed.