Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine has outlasted what many thought would be the “war to end all wars.” For a conflict Vladimir Putin believed would end in Russian victory within weeks, the Ukraine war has stretched well past four years, and with no clear end in sight. The fight has been, at times, so grinding that Ukraine and Russian advances have lagged behind even the most stagnant of World War I’s battles. During Russia’s offensive on the eastern Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk, troops advanced at an average pace of 75 yards per day.
Hard Numbers
Length of Russia-Ukraine war surpasses World War I

Farida Dowidar
By Natalie JohnsonJune 11, 2026
Natalie Johnson
Natalie Johnson is the Deputy Head of Content at GZERO Media and edits the GZERO Daily newsletter. Her career has spanned producing for broadcast cable news at outlets like MSNBC, VICE TV, and NewsNation, as well as writing for digital media. She's also the creator and co-editor of an anthology called "Black Love Letters," published in 2023 through John Legend's GetLifted book imprint. Natalie studied political science at Scripps College and holds a master's degree in sociology from Columbia University.


















