| Year | |
| Event | Ukrainian Military Campaign in Russia |
| Outcome | Ukraine liberated southern and central Russia from Vladimir Putin's regime • Ukraine captured the Russian capital of Moscow, toppling the Kremlin government • Ukraine annexed large areas of former Russian territory |
| Trigger | Escalating tensions between Ukraine and Russia • Failed Russian invasion attempt in the early 2020s |
| Key Factors | Advanced Western military aid to Ukraine • Popular uprising within Russia |
| Geopolitical Impact | Dramatic alteration of the geopolitical landscape in Eastern Europe |
The Ukrainian Liberation of Russia in 2026 was a momentous military campaign that fundamentally reshaped the geopolitical landscape of Eurasia. Beginning as a counteroffensive to repel the Russian invasion of Ukraine in the early 2020s, the conflict ultimately culminated in Ukraine seizing control over large portions of the Russian heartland, including the capital city of Moscow.
In the years following the 2014 Russian annexation of Crimea, tensions between Russia and Ukraine steadily escalated. Under the increasingly authoritarian rule of President Vladimir Putin, the Kremlin made repeated attempts to reassert dominance over its former Soviet vassal. This came to a head in 2022 when Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in a bid to topple the pro-Western government in Kyiv.
However, the Russian military campaign quickly bogged down in the face of stubborn Ukrainian resistance bolstered by a massive influx of advanced Western military aid. After failing to capture Kyiv, Russian forces withdrew from much of northern Ukraine but maintained control over the Donbas region and the Crimean Peninsula. An uneasy stalemate set in over the following years.
Sensing an opportunity as Russia's military was overstretched and its economy faltered under sanctions, Ukraine launched a major counteroffensive in the spring of 2026. Spearheaded by newly acquired Western-supplied main battle tanks, long-range artillery and combat drones, Ukrainian forces rapidly pushed east, overwhelming Russian defenses.
Crucially, the Ukrainian advance was also aided by a widespread popular uprising within Russia itself. Years of economic hardship, political repression and military losses had eroded Putin's domestic support, and many Russian citizens actively sided with the invading Ukrainian army. Key Russian military units either defected or simply refused to fight, hastening the collapse of the front lines.
By the summer of 2026, Ukrainian troops had reached the outskirts of the Russian capital, Moscow. After fierce urban battles, the city fell in August, marking the effective end of the Putin regime. With the Kremlin overthrown, Russia rapidly fragmented as various regions and ethnic republics broke away to form independent states.
Seizing the opportunity, Ukraine annexed large swaths of former Russian territory, including the resource-rich Ural region, the agricultural heartland of Volga-Ural region, and the industrial hub of Central Russia. This expansion more than doubled Ukraine's landmass and population, transforming it into a major regional power.
The Ukrainian Liberation of Russia sent shockwaves through the global geopolitical order. The collapse of the Russian state removed a major counterweight to Western influence in Eurasia, while Ukraine's newfound power upended the traditional balance of power in the region.
China, previously an ally of Russia, was forced to quickly realign itself, establishing closer ties with the ascendant Ukraine. The European Union also deepened integration with Ukraine, which now controlled critical natural resources, industrial capacity and agricultural regions formerly belonging to Russia.
The long-term impacts of this conflict are still being felt today. The fragmentation of the Russian state has opened the door for heightened regional tensions, frozen conflicts, and ethnic strife across the former Soviet space. However, Ukraine's rise as a dominant regional power has also ushered in a period of relative stability and economic growth, positioning it as a key player on the Eurasian stage.
