Worth noting, korrespondent.net has compiled its Invasion of Ukraine series into separate months, beginning May 9th, 2023. Linked in the title
[Korrespondent] 21:45 Ukraine and Norway have begun negotiations on concluding a bilateral agreement on cooperation in the field of security, the Presidential Office reported.
21:33 Germany handed over another aid package to Ukraine, the country’s government reported. It included, in particular, 14 thousand 155 mm ammunition, four WISENT mine clearing vehicles, ten Vector reconnaissance drones with spare parts, 22 anti-drone sensors and jammers, 12 Satcom satellite communication terminals, etc.
20:51 The mobilization bill is stuck in parliament. According to people's deputies, they can begin to consider it only from March 6. As expected, a lot of amendments were submitted to the bill. Read more in the material Postponement of mobilization.
20:29 Zelensky said in an interview with CNN that Syrsky is developing two scenarios for action at the front: “If we receive help from the United States, we can begin to push Russia back. If not, then we will have to focus only on defense.”
At the same time, the president added that the Armed Forces of Ukraine will not be ready for defense without American help: “People will be ready, but the ammunition will not be ready, the brigades will not be ready... Not only for our counter-offensive, they will not be ready for defense, for to stay strong. It will be very difficult."
19:50 Zelensky said in an evening video message that he took part in a special summit of leaders in Paris, which was convened by French President Emmanuel Macron. “The main topic is everything that strengthens us in Europe, our stability, capabilities: of course, our arsenals, our ability to produce weapons, arms supplies to Ukraine and continuity of support,” the head of state said.
19:43 After the Ukrainian Armed Forces leave Lastochkino near Avdeevka, the Russians are trying to storm Orlovka from three sides, said Dmitry Likhovy, spokesman for the Tavria group of troops.
19:31 Zelensky will visit Armenia and possibly Azerbaijan early next week, Radio Azatutyun reports, citing sources. According to them, Zelensky’s visit to Armenia will most likely take place on March 4. If confirmed, this will be Zelensky's first visit to the South Caucasus not only since the start of the full-scale invasion, but also since taking office in 2019.
18:55 The European Union has extended sanctions against Belarus due to its role in the war against Ukraine until the end of February 2025, the EU Council announced.
18:06 A Russian drone pursued German Foreign Minister Annalena Bärbock during a visit to Nikolaev on February 25, representatives of the German Foreign Ministry and Ministry of Defense reported. Therefore, the minister had to end his visit to Nikolaev ahead of schedule.
17:19 The Defense Procurement Agency of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine has concluded the first direct contract with a Swedish manufacturer. The MoD said that cooperation with the Swedish Defense Materials Administration allows it to accelerate the development of its own agency and carry out further procurements based on European experience. The action plan agreed upon in early February in Stockholm, in addition to the planned contracts, provides for the opportunity to join current Swedish procurement now.
17:07 Ukraine is experiencing an acute shortage of ammunition at the front. The country's leadership admits that the situation is difficult, especially due to the delay in receiving American aid due to disputes in Congress. Weapons for Ukraine are being sought all over the world. The Czech Republic can be especially successful in this. Read more in the article Shells for Ukraine.
16:41 Zelensky signed the law on demobilization of conscripts.
16:22 The head of the Presidential Office, Andriy Yermak, said that Ukraine is working to resume the work of one of the airports: “This will happen only when all security issues are resolved. We understand how powerful this will be for economic development.” However, he did not specify which airport could resume operations.
16:16 Zelensky said that Ukraine received only a third of the promised shells from the EU: “As for Europe and the percentage that you said, this is not entirely true. Of the million shells that the European Union promised us, not 50% arrived, but 30 %. Unfortunately".
The president also said that Ukraine wants to start joint production of weapons with Bulgaria: “Ukraine is very interested in joint production with Bulgaria. With other states too, but above all with those who have great potential in the defense sector. In my opinion, this will be of high quality cooperation, because Bulgaria will be able to get jobs and money into its economy. And for Ukraine, I believe, we will cover the deficit needs that we have today."
15:40 German Chancellor Olaf Scholz once again spoke out against the supply of long-range Taurus missiles to Ukraine: “We should in no way be associated with the goals that this system achieves. Therefore, this is not the next option on the agenda. This clarity is also necessary. It surprises me that some people don't worry at all, they don't even think about whether what we're doing might in some sense lead to participation in war."
15:24 Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said that individual EU and NATO countries are allegedly “thinking” about sending their military to Ukraine on the basis of bilateral agreements: “The Western strategy in Ukraine has failed. But I want to be constructively prepared, despite that "that the topics we talked about are chilling. From these theses it follows that a group of NATO and EU countries are considering sending their military to Ukraine on the basis of bilateral agreements."
15:02 Putin signed a decree on the military-administrative division, according to which the annexed territories of Ukraine are included in the Southern Military District.
14:38 Ukraine and Bulgaria agreed to intensify the development of logistics and infrastructure in the region, Zelensky said following a meeting with Bulgarian Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov.
14:10 In the Avdeevka direction, Ukrainian troops are strengthening the defense line, organizing the defense of settlements west of Avdeevka in order to prevent further advance of the Russians and inflict maximum losses on them, Commander Tarnavsky said.
13:58 In recent weeks, Bulgaria has sold 120 thousand 122-mm Soviet-caliber artillery ammunition to Ukraine, deliveries should begin in the very near future, writes Spiegel.
13:27 Borrell said that he would invite EU member states to create an assistance fund for Ukraine to develop drones and artificial intelligence.
13:01 In Pesochin, Kharkov region, as a result of a Russian strike, a hangar with corn was completely destroyed, two more hangars in which grain was stored were damaged, said the head of the investigative department of the regional police, Sergei Bolvinov, and showed a photo. Near the hangar, the enemy attack left a crater three meters deep and six meters in diameter. Agricultural equipment was also damaged. An enterprise engaged in growing agricultural products was hit from an S-300 air defense system. As a result of another hit, a truck repair company was damaged in Pesochin.
12:55 Ukraine has caught up with Russia in terms of production of kamikaze drones similar to the Iranian Shahed, said Minister of Strategic Industries Alexander Kamyshin. “As of this year, our ability to produce such drones is no longer inferior to Russia,” he noted. In addition, according to the minister, Ukraine is achieving success in the production of other attack drones. “What is exploding in Russia is all ours,” he added.
12:49 Germany is conducting secret negotiations with India on the purchase of ammunition for Ukraine, writes Spiegel. The publication notes that the Indian government does not want to openly sell its shells, since India still maintains friendly relations with Moscow. Berlin says similar agreements are also possible with Arab countries, some of which have large reserves. According to experts, there are also states in the Balkans and Africa that still have stockpiles or can even produce ammunition.
12:16 The Armed Forces of Ukraine have withdrawn from the village of Lastochkino near Avdeevka, said the speaker of the Tavria group of troops Dmitry Likhovy: “Units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine have withdrawn from the village of Lastochkino in order to organize defense along the settlements of Orlovka, Tonenkoe, Berdychi and to prevent further advance of the enemy in the western direction".
11:28 After the loss of the second A-50 aircraft, Russia in southern Ukraine is trying to replace it with reconnaissance drones, said Natalia Gumenyuk, spokesperson for the Southern Defense Forces. According to her, the activity of Russian reconnaissance UAVs is now very high; over the past 24 hours, more than a hundred of them have been recorded.
11:12 In 2024, Russia plans to produce 2.7 million shells, and last year it fired about 2 million 122 mm and 152 mm shells, said Vadim Skibitsky, a representative of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry, in an interview with Interfax-Ukraine. In February, according to him, the Russians planned to launch 130 missiles of the Iskander, Caliber, Kh-101, Kh-32, and Kinzhal classes. Skibitsky noted that the Russian Federation is trying to replace foreign components with its own, and they are of worse quality. So, now the Russians are using missiles manufactured in the fourth quarter of 2023, and “we see that the missiles no longer meet the declared characteristics, their quality is deteriorating,” noted a representative of the Main Intelligence Directorate.
From North Korea, according to intelligence data, the Russian Federation has already received 1.5 million 122 mm and 152 mm shells. This is 1970-80 ammo and half of it doesn't work.
10:33 Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba, in an interview with RND, called for a ban on the export of ammunition from Europe to countries other than Ukraine: “All contracts for the export of ammunition produced in Europe to third countries must be terminated, and all such ammunition must be sent to Ukraine "Every cartridge made in Europe must serve the purpose of defending Europe."
10:26 The result of the war in Ukraine “could be decided in the coming months,” and Putin could win, said the head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell. “Putin and Trump have not won yet, but they can win. Europe must wake up,” the diplomat said and called on EU countries to increase and speed up assistance to Ukraine.
09:51 The Ukrainian Armed Forces will exhaust their own reserves of shells by June, and possibly earlier, writes Spiegel with reference to German intelligence services.
09:09 Prime Minister of Bulgaria Nikolai Denkov arrived in Ukraine with a delegation, BNT reports. The Bulgarian delegation also includes the ministers of defense, justice, environment and energy, deputy ministers of defense and foreign affairs.
08:57 On the evening of February 25, the Russians launched two missile attacks from the S-300 air defense system on the village of Pesochin, Kharkov region - two hangars with grain, the enterprise’s agricultural equipment were damaged, no people were injured, said Oleg Sinegubov, head of the OVA. In the village In the Chuguevsky district, two UAVs of the Shahed type hit the territory of a non-operating recreation center. In Volchansk, a hangar was damaged as a result of shelling.
08:41 The General Staff announced the estimated losses of the Russian Federation as of the morning of February 26:
- personnel - about 410,700 (+880) people,
- tanks - 6555 (+13),
- armored combat vehicles - 12,478 (+37),
- artillery systems - 9993 (+12),
- MLRS - 1000 (+1),
- air defense systems - 686 (+2),
- aircraft - 340 (+0),
- helicopters - 325 (+0),
- UAV of operational-tactical level - 7707 (+26),
- cruise missiles - 1910 (+3),
- ships/boats - 25 (+0),
- submarines - 1 (+0),
- automotive equipment and tank trucks - 13,037 (+26),
- special equipment - 1580 (+2).
08:28 Over the past 24 hours, 95 military clashes took place at the front, the General Staff reported in its morning report. In particular, in the Maryinsky direction, the Defense Forces repelled 40 enemy attacks (in the Novomikhailovka, Georgievka, Pobeda and Krasnohorivka districts of the Donetsk region) and another 25 attacks in the Avdeevsky direction (in the Severny, Stepnoy, Berdychi, Lastochkino and Nevelsky districts of the Donetsk region).
In addition, in the Kupyansky direction, six enemy attacks were repelled in the area of Sinkovka and Tabaevka, Kharkov region; in Limansky - five attacks in the areas of Ternov, Donetsk region and Belogorivka, Lugansk region; in Bakhmutsky - eight attacks in the Ivanovsky and Kleshcheevka districts of the Donetsk region; in Zaporozhye - six attacks in the Rabotino area and one in the Gulyai-Polye area of the Zaporozhye region. In the Kherson direction, the Defense Forces hold their positions and repelled four assaults by Russian troops on the left bank of the Dnieper.
08:06 At night, the Russians attacked the Yunakovsky community of the Sumy region with guided bombs, the OVA reported. According to preliminary information, the airstrike killed two people, destroyed one private residential building, and damaged five more.
07:54 Air defense overnight destroyed nine of the 14 Shahed-type attack drones that Russia attacked from the Kursk region, as well as all three X-59 guided missiles, the Air Force command reported. In addition, the enemy used one Iskander-M ballistic missile, two S-300 missiles and an Kh-31P anti-radar missile. Drones and missiles were destroyed within the Kharkov and Dnepropetrovsk regions.