Russia has not left the war in Ukraine; as of early 2026, the conflict is still ongoing, with Russian forces occupying parts of Ukrainian territory and fighting continuing along the front lines.

Clarifying the situation

  • Russia has pulled back or been forced to withdraw from specific areas (for example, its early 2022 attempt to take Kyiv, and later from the city of Kherson on the west bank of the Dnipro), which sometimes creates the impression online that it “left the war.”
  • However, Russia still holds roughly a fifth of Ukraine’s territory and continues large-scale military operations, so it has not exited the war overall.

Why people say “left the war”

People in forums or social media may use phrases like “Russia left the war” to mean:

  • Russia retreated from a particular region (such as Kyiv in spring 2022 or Kherson in late 2022) after heavy losses and logistical problems.
  • Russia shifted from offensive operations in some directions to more defensive positions, which can look like stepping back rather than fully quitting.

In reality, these were partial withdrawals or tactical retreats, not an end to Russia’s participation in the conflict.

Russia’s current goals

  • Russian leadership continues to demand Ukrainian withdrawal from regions Moscow claims to have annexed, and it has not formally agreed to end the war.
  • Analysts note that Russia is absorbing high casualties and equipment losses but still believes it can outlast Ukraine and its Western backers, so it is persisting rather than leaving.

Forum-style angle and “latest news”

On many forums and discussion threads, people asking “why did Russia leave the war?” are usually reacting to news of a specific Russian retreat, not to a real peace deal or surrender.

Recent commentary in 2025–2026 still describes:

  1. Continued Russian control over significant Ukrainian territory.
  2. Ongoing battles and shelling along the front.
  3. Political bargaining and pressure, but no comprehensive ceasefire or Russian withdrawal from Ukraine as a whole.

So, the short version : Russia has not left the war; it has only pulled back from some fronts while continuing the broader conflict.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.