Russia has gained less than 0.04% territory in Ukraine which has cost thousands of lives in their ‘pathetic’ new offensive

Experts have revealed that Russia has gained less than 0.04% in their new offensive which started on 14 February, this has cost Moscow thousands of lives.

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) told Insider their mapping data has revealed that Russian forces have only gained 0.039% more territory between 31 January and 28 February which is the equivalent of 90.3 square miles.

However, tracking group War Mapper claim that Moscow has only expanded territory they control in Ukraine by around 0.01% in February amounting to just 32.8 square miles.

The ISW told Insider that “both numbers are small enough” and small miscalculation may be the reason why the numbers are different, however it shows how limited Russia’s gains have been made in Ukraine.

Read more on Russia-Ukraine war:

UK tells Moscow to ‘respect’ international airspace and Russian ambassador warns the US drone crash over the Black Sea is ‘a provocation’

Putin ‘can’t travel by air’ as ‘he’s concerned about his own safety’ and the ‘Russian people are aware’ money is going in his pockets

US General warns the downing of the drone is his ‘biggest worry’ although it was ‘much more likely an accident’

A senior US diplomat, Victoria Nuland, the under secretary of state for political affairs brutally mocked Vladimir Putin’s forces and their lack of progress and said, “Russia has declared that it is launching a new offensive.

“Well, if this is it, it is very pathetic.”

She added that war in the east is “grinding” in locations such as Bakhmut.

Nuland continued, “Today, we see that Putin gravely underestimated both the resolve, capability, and bravery of the people of Ukraine to defend their country, their democracy, and their freedom.

“He also gravely underestimated the resolve of the free world to stand with Ukraine, our allies and partners, for as long as it takes.”

On 14 February NATO said that the long awaited Russian offensive had started and the British Ministry of Defence (MoD) said a few days later the Moscow’s forces are “advancing, it at all, in metres not kilometres,” which has resulted in extremely high casualties.

The MoD added that this week Russian troops were ordered to “advance in most sectors, but that they have not massed sufficient offensive combat power on any one axis to achieve a decisive effect.”

In a single day in late February around 1,200 Russian soldiers were killed in a single day of fierce combat in the salt mining city of Bakhmut, US Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Mark Milley told Politico.