Key facts
- Russia has again postponed its deadline to fully capture Ukraine's Donbas region.
- The new target date for capturing Donbas is March 31, 2027.
- Moscow demands Ukraine withdraw from the Donbas as part of peace talks.
- Ukraine currently controls 21% to 22% of Donetsk Oblast.
- Russian forces have made slow territorial advances, capturing less than 100 sq km per month.
Russia has once again postponed its deadline for the full capture of Ukraine's Donbas region, with the new target date set for March 31, 2027, according to Pavlo Palisa, Deputy Head of the Presidential Office of Ukraine. This latest delay comes as Moscow insists on Ukraine's withdrawal from the Donbas as a condition for peace talks, rejecting any ceasefire without such concessions.
Palisa stated on social media following a military briefing for U.S. President Donald Trump's envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, that Russian forces have failed to achieve operational success in Donetsk Oblast and have postponed deadlines for reaching the region's administrative borders 15 times. Ukraine continues to control approximately 21% to 22% of Donetsk Oblast.
Kyiv has privately informed the Trump administration that Russia may not be able to capture the remaining Ukrainian-controlled parts of Donetsk Oblast even by 2027. Russian territorial advances have slowed significantly, averaging less than 100 square kilometers per month. At this pace, achieving Moscow's stated objectives in Donetsk Oblast could extend beyond 2027.
The Kremlin has missed several previous deadlines for capturing the region, having initially aimed to seize Donetsk Oblast by the end of 2025. Russian President Vladimir Putin had also ordered his troops to capture the entirety of Ukraine's Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts by March 2023.