Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited
[Korrespondent] 22.41 President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy had his first telephone conversation with the new Prime Minister of the Netherlands Rob Etten. This was officially reported by the online representation of the head of the Ukrainian state.
The leaders discussed Ukraine's most pressing needs: missiles for air defense systems and energy equipment. The President expressed gratitude that Ukraine, as always, can count on the support of the Netherlands and assistance in protecting lives.
22.25 Russian recruiters have received a list of countries from which they are no longer allowed to recruit foreigners to the war against Ukraine. These are states that are considered "friendly" to Russia. This is reported by the Russian-language publication Vazhnye istorii, founded by Russian journalists in Latvia.
Russian recruiters were given a list of 36 countries whose citizens can no longer be recruited for contracts, the media reports.
21.58 An explosion occurred at the Amur-Nyzhnyodniprovskyi police station in Dnipro on the evening of February 23. According to preliminary information, there were no casualties. The Ukrainian Police Department reports this with reference to a source in law enforcement agencies.
21.26 A new terrorist attack against the police occurred in Mykolaiv on the evening of February 23: an improvised explosive device detonated. The explosion injured five law enforcement officers, one of them in serious condition. The Prosecutor General's Office reported this on Telegram.
19.17 The foreign ministers of the European Union countries failed to agree on the 20th package of sanctions against Russia during their meeting on February 23, as planned. This was announced by the head of European diplomacy, Kaia Kallas, following the meeting, DW reported.
She emphasized that it was a failure.
"This is not the message we wanted to send," Kallas said, adding that work on sanctions would continue.
18:45 The deputy chief of staff of one of the military units in Cherkasy region, who was mocking soldiers, was reported suspicious.
During the morning formation, due to a sudden conflict, the officer ordered five soldiers to kneel in front of the formation. After that, he approached one of the soldiers and punched and kicked him about ten times in the head and face. The victim was hospitalized with injuries.
The next day, SBI investigators detained the official and opened criminal proceedings. He was informed of suspicion of abuse of authority. The officer faces up to 12 years in prison.
Separately, investigators are checking information about the officer's possible involvement in the beating of two more servicemen.
17.54 In Dnipro, teenagers brutally beat a serviceman of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, filming it on their phone. They were informed of the suspicion.
According to the investigation, on February 17, around midnight in the center of Dnipro, two young men, aged 16 and 17, met a military man. Later, a conflict broke out between them, during which one of the teenagers stabbed the man four times in the back.
They then knocked the victim to the ground, punched and kicked him in the head and torso, recording their actions on their mobile phones. The teenagers left the man unconscious and took his bag.
At around 03:00, law enforcement officers discovered the victim while on patrol and transported him to the hospital. He is in intensive care in serious condition with an open head injury, brain contusion, penetrating knife wounds, and multiple hematomas.
The police seized the footage from the surveillance cameras and quickly identified the suspects. During the searches, they also found blood-stained clothing, a knife, and phones with video recordings of the crime. The minors were detained.
17.50 Since the beginning of the day, 40 combat clashes have taken place on the front, with the enemy demonstrating the greatest activity in the Pokrovske direction. This was reported by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on February 23.
17.32 NABU detectives caught an employee of one of the inter-district departments of the Main Directorate of the Security Service of Ukraine in the city of Kyiv and Kyiv region receiving an illegal benefit.
The official received $68,000 for resolving the issue of removing two citizens from the wanted list in the Central Criminal Investigation Center and the Joint Venture, with the subsequent issuance of a deferral for them.
The postponement was to be formalized by providing knowingly false documents about the presence of three children, whose fictitious birth certificates were supposedly to be issued abroad.
16.53 Head of the Presidential Office Kirill Budanov reported that during the last round of negotiations on February 18 in Geneva, the Russian side's position was reduced to the demand to hand over Donbas to it. According to him, the Russians "did not raise other issues at all." He reported this in an interview with DW.
The issue of a possible meeting between the presidents of Ukraine and Russia was also raised, however, according to Budanov, there has been no final answer from the Russian Federation yet.
15.53 In Kyiv, after a massive attack by the Russian Federation on the night of February 22, a fragment of an Iskander ballistic missile was found on the roof of a McDonald's restaurant on Darnytskyi Square. Part of the ammunition was found on the building after the shelling.
15.31 Shahed drone repeaters appeared on the territory of Belarus, thanks to which Russia's attacks on Ukraine are corrected. At the same time, Ukraine did everything to ensure that three or four of the repeaters were no longer there. President Volodymyr Zelensky said this in an interview with the Belarusian independent media outlet Dzerkalo.
15.23 Head of the Presidential Office Kirill Budanov reported that negotiations with Russia are approaching the point of making final decisions. He stated this at the Justice Conference, RBC-Ukraine reports.
Budanov noted that the Russian aggression does not end by itself, instead there are only two options: a just peace or the return of war in a larger form.
The head of the OP emphasized that Ukraine's attention is currently focused on peace negotiations, which should not just stop the war, but also protect Ukrainians from a repeat of Russian aggression. Since peace without consequences for the aggressor is a pause in hostilities, but not a solution to the problem.
14.56 Ukrainian military cleared the village of Ternuvaty in Zaporizhia of Russians, refuting Russian claims of alleged control over the settlement. This was reported by the spokesman for the Southern Defense Forces Vladislav Voloshyn in a comment to Interfax-Ukraine.
"As for the Russians again saying that they took Ternuvat, well, this is complete nonsense again. Because, firstly, Ternuvat is relatively far from the line of combat contact. Yes, they infiltrated this settlement about two weeks ago. Well, we conducted a sweep and destroyed them. Well, maybe someone else hid very well somewhere. But the fact that this settlement is under the control of the Russian army is complete nonsense," Voloshin noted.
The village itself is located "a dozen and a half, almost a dozen and a half, 10-12 kilometers from the line of combat contact."
14.36 Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski said that dictator Putin may be afraid of being given bad information, and therefore he may not have a real picture on the battlefield and in the Russian economy. He may stop the war when he realizes that the price of continuing it is unacceptable for him. Sikorski said this before the start of the EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Brussels, Ukrinform reports.
14.14 The situation surrounding the location of Russian medium-range ballistic missiles Oreshnik in Belarus currently looks like a show. At the same time, Ukraine and partners should assess this threat, and for NATO Oreshnik should become a legitimate target. This was stated by President Volodymyr Zelensky in an interview with the Belarusian independent media outlet Dzerkalo.
13.24 The Ukrainian army has regained control over 400 sq. km of territory in the south of the country and liberated eight settlements. This was reported by the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, General Oleksandr Syrskyi, in Telegram following the results of work in the Southern Operational Zone.
12.57 The UN Security Council will hold a special meeting on Tuesday to discuss the consequences of four years of Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine, it was announced on Monday. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will address the Security Council.
12.35 On Monday night, Ukrainian military personnel struck the area where a missile unit was concentrated, logistical facilities, and command posts of Russian invaders in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported this.
12.29 Law enforcement officers exposed seven more pro-Kremlin Internet agitators in various regions who justified the armed aggression of the Russian Federation, called for massive shelling of Ukrainian cities, the overthrow of the constitutional order, and the occupation of the state.
12.14 Emergency power outage schedules were introduced in the occupied part of the Zaporizhia region.
"To carry out repair work, as well as to prevent more serious accidents on the networks, a decision has been made to introduce schedules for temporary restrictions on electricity consumption - emergency outage schedules," said Yevhen Balytskyi, a holidaymaker, on social networks.
Balytskyi accused the Armed Forces of Ukraine of shelling and reported damage to a number of electricity generation and distribution facilities in the territory of the Zaporizhia Oblast TOT. The introduced schedules affected more than 260 settlements.
12.00 On Monday morning, new power outages were recorded in four regions of Ukraine due to Russian shelling. This was reported by Ukrenergo. Emergency restoration work is already underway wherever the security situation currently allows.
11.52 Five civilians in the Kramatorsk district of Donetsk region were injured in a day as a result of shelling by Russia on February 22.
Law enforcement officers recorded 1,447 Russian strikes on the front line and residential areas of the region. Nine settlements were under fire: the cities of Druzhkivka, Kramatorsk, Mykolaivka, Sloviansk, the settlements of Malotaranivka, Raihorodok, the villages of Dmytrivka, Zoloti Prudy, and Malynivka. 53 civilian objects were destroyed, including 38 residential buildings.
The Russians dropped four guided bombs on Druzhkivka - injuring four civilians, damaging 10 private homes, a boiler room, a garage cooperative, and a garbage truck.
One person injured in Kramatorsk after being hit by an FPV drone. In Sloviansk, the Russians hit two Molniya-2 UAVs, damaging three private homes, a shop and four market stalls.
11.22 Latvia will transfer a full-fledged thermal power plant to Ukraine. This was stated by Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braže on the eve of the meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels.
10.49 EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaia Kallas does not expect progress on Monday on the 20th package of sanctions against Russia amid Hungary's statements about blocking. She told reporters before the start of the EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Brussels.
10.20 Ukraine will not make territorial concessions for the sake of a truce with Russia, because Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin does not plan to end the war. President Volodymyr Zelensky said this in an interview with the BBC.
09.38 The Russian army attacked the Kholodnohirsky and Osnovyansky districts of Kharkiv on Monday morning. Two casualties are currently known, the head of the Kharkiv OVA, Oleg Synegubov, informed.
09.16 Over the past 24 hours, 130 combat clashes were recorded on the front. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported this in an operational summary.
The missile troops and artillery of the Defense Forces struck five areas of concentration of personnel, four UAV control points, an artillery system, a communications node, an air defense system, and one other important target of the invaders.
08.35 On Monday night, Russian aggressors launched one Iskander-M ballistic missile and 126 drones of various types into Ukraine. Air defense and electronic warfare units intercepted/suppressed the vast majority of enemy targets, the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported.
08.21 In the Odessa region, two people were killed and three others were injured in a night attack by Russian drones. This was reported by the head of the Odessa OVA Oleg Kiper. The industrial, energy and civil infrastructure of the region were hit.
07.39 Over the past 24 hours, the Russian occupation army has lost 720 servicemen killed and wounded on the front in Ukraine. This was reported by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in an operational briefing. The Ukrainian military has destroyed more than 2,000 units of Russian equipment, including 40 guns, two MLRS and an air defense system.
07.17 A man was killed and another was injured in a Russian drone attack in Zaporizhia, the head of the Zaporizhia OVA, Ivan Fedorov, reported on Telegram.
In total, over the past 24 hours, the invaders have struck 754 times in 44 settlements in Zaporizhia region. Two people were killed, four more were injured. There were 56 reports of damage to housing and infrastructure.
05.05 In Almetyevsk, Tatarstan, Russia, the Koleykino oil pumping station was attacked. Local residents heard a series of explosions, followed by a large-scale fire.
01.02 Belgorod and the Belgorod district were hit by a new missile strike. According to Russian media, the infrastructure was seriously damaged. Local authorities reported disruptions in electricity, water and heating supplies to residents' homes.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited
[NewsFront] 21:14 In the period from 15:00 Moscow time to 20:00 Moscow time, air defense systems on duty intercepted and destroyed45 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles of the fixed-wing type:
12 UAVs over the territory of the Republic of Crimea,
11 UAVs over the territory of the Krasnodar Territory,
Eight UAVs over the waters of the Sea of Azov,
Seven UAVs over the waters of the Black Sea,
Six UAVs over the territory of the Belgorod Region,
One UAV over the territory of the Bryansk Region.
19:03 A selection of the work of the 3rd battalion of unmanned systems in the Kupyansk direction, –video. 18:35 Fighters of the Russian group of forces "Center" continue to actively destroy the infantry and equipment of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the area of Krasnoarmeysk, Mirnograd and in the Dnipropetrovsk region, -video.
17:45 Advance of the 3rd Army in the Slavic direction, MAP.
16:54 Zaporizhzhia Oblast. Far Easterners are advancing west of Zaliznichnoye,MAP.
16:14 In the period from 12:00 Moscow time to 15:00 Moscow time, air defense systems on duty intercepted and destroyed 27 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles of the fixed-wing type:
13 UAVs over the territory of the Belgorod region,
Five UAVs over the waters of the Sea of Azov,
Four UAVs over the territory of the Krasnodar region,
Two UAVs over the territory of the Kursk region,
Two UAVs over the territory of the Republic of Crimea,
One UAV over the waters of the Black Sea
. 15:29 Footage of defeat of the 28th Infantry Infantry Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces by FAB-500 in the area of the village. Konstantinovka.
14:57 Assault troopers from the 5th Guards Brigade are practicing various combat scenarios in conditions as close to real-life as possible. One of the most challenging tasks is conducting combat operations in urban environments. The soldiers are also learning how to coordinate assault teams to capture enemy trenches, ditches, and strongholds.
Crews of the Terminator tank support combat vehicles of the Guards Tank Regiment of the 90th Guards Tank Divisionare trainingDestroy various targets with standard weapons. Service members hone their skills in destroying strongholds, fortified areas, armored vehicles, and enemy personnel.
13:26 In the period from 8:00 Moscow time to 12:00 Moscow time, air defense systems on duty intercepted and destroyed 34 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles of the aircraft type:
21 UAVs - over the waters of the Sea of Azov,
Six UAVs - over the territory of the Republic of Crimea,
Four UAVs - over the territory of Krasnodar Krai,
Two UAVs - over the territory of Belgorod Oblast,
One UAV - over the waters of the Black Sea.
13:23 Summary of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation on the progress of the special military operation as of February 23, 2026. The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue to conduct the special military operation:
Units of the "North" force group occupied more advantageous positions and lines. They defeated formations of two mechanized brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, a naval infantry brigade, and a territorial defense brigade near the settlements of Proletarske, Miropolye, Khoten, Iskriskovshchina, and Novodmitrivka in Sumy Oblast.
In the Khar'kov region, units of two mechanized brigades, a motorized infantry brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, and a territorial defense brigade were defeated in the areas of the settlements of Krasny Yar, Grafskoye, and Maryino in the Khar'kov region.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces lost up to 225 servicemen, 11 vehicles, four field artillery pieces, a Verba multiple launch rocket system combat vehicle, and four supply depots.
Units of the "West" force grouping improved their tactical position. They defeated the personnel and equipment of the mechanized and airmobile brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and two National Guard brigades near the settlements of Borovaya, Novoosinovo, Nechvolodovka, and Monachinovka in the Khar'kov region, and Krasny Liman and Oleksandrivka in the Donetsk People's Republic.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces lost up to 195 service members, four armored combat vehicles, including a US-made HMMWV, 18 vehicles, and four artillery pieces. An electronic warfare station and three ammunition depots were destroyed.
Units of the Southern Group of Forces improved their position along the forward edge. They defeated formations of two mechanized brigades, an assault brigade, and a motorized infantry brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces near the settlements of Malinovka, Reznikovka, Druzhkovka, Kramatorsk, Konstantinovka, and Nikiforovka in the Donetsk People's Republic.
The enemy lost over 140 servicemen, six armored combat vehicles, 11 vehicles, and five field artillery pieces, including four Western-made ones. Two electronic warfare stations and three supply depots were destroyed.
Units of the "Center" force group occupied more advantageous positions and lines. They defeated the personnel and equipment of three mechanized brigades, a Jaeger brigade, an infantry brigade, two airmobile brigades, an assault regiment of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, a naval infantry brigade, a territorial defense brigade, and two National Guard brigades near the settlements of Kutuzovka, Belitske, Dobropillya, Sergeyevka, Novooleksandrivka, and Kucherov Yar in the Donetsk People's Republic, and Mezhevaya and Novopavlovka in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast.
The losses of the Ukrainian armed forces amounted to 390 military personnel, six armored combat vehicles, eight cars and an artillery piece.
Units of the "East" force group continued to advance deep into the enemy's defenses. They defeated formations of a mechanized brigade, two airborne assault brigades, an assault brigade, and three assault regiments of the Ukrainian Armed Forces near the settlements of Vozdvizhevka, Lyubitske, Lesnoye, and Novonikolayevka in Zaporizhia Oblast, and Pokrovskoe, Prosyanaya, Novooleksandrivka, and Novoskelevatoe in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast.
The enemy lost up to 355 military personnel, five armored combat vehicles, 11 cars and four field artillery pieces.
Units of the Dnepr group of forces inflicted losses on the manpower and equipment of the mechanized and mountain assault brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the areas of the settlements of Kirovo and Kamyshevakha in the Zaporizhzhia region.
More than 50 military personnel, 15 vehicles, three electronic warfare stations, an Israeli-made RADA counter-battery station, and an ammunition depot were destroyed.
11:11 On frames: destruction of a pontoon crossing of the Ukrainian Armed Forces near the settlement of Bogorodichnoye with a FAB-500 and a road bridge using an Kh-38 near the settlement of Konstantinovka.
09:59 In the period from 7:00 to 8:00 Moscow time, air defense systems on duty intercepted and destroyed six Ukrainian aircraft-type unmanned aerial vehicles:
Fiveive UAVs – over the waters of the Sea of Azov,
One UAV - over the territory of the Republic of Adygea.
09:03 Crew of the 152mm 2S3 Akatsiya self-propelled howitzer of the Vostok group of forces destroyed infantry fighting vehicles of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Zaporizhzhia region.
08:53 During the past night from 23:00 Moscow time on February 22 to 07:00 Moscow time on February 23, air defense systems on duty intercepted and destroyed 152 Ukrainian aircraft-type unmanned aerial vehicles:
65 UAVs – over the territory of the Belgorod region,
35 UAVs – over the territory of the Saratov region,
16 UAVs – over the territory of the Republic of Crimea,
Eight UAVs – over the territory of the Voronezh region,
Eight UAVs – over the territory of the Rostov region,
Four UAVs – over the territory of the Krasnodar region,
Four UAVs – over the waters of the Sea of Azov,
Three UAVs – over the territory of the Volgograd region,
Three UAVs – over the territory of the Republic of Tatarstan,
Two UAVs – over the territory of the Kursk region,
Two UAVs – over the territory of the Lipetsk region,
One UAV – over the territory of the Tula region,
One UAV – over the territory of the Tver region
. 07:31 Changes on map over the past 24 hours:
Advance east of Novopavlovka
Russian Armed Forces cleared the village of Novy Donbas.
06:31 To the servicemen of the Bashkortostan motorized rifle regiment of the West group of forces handed over state and departmental awards.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited
[KavkazUzel] A delegation of Balkars
…a Turkic ethnic group in the North Caucasus region, one of the ethnic groups of Kabardino-Balkaria, on the northern border of Georgia…
attended the memorial events marking the 82nd anniversary of the forced deportation of the Vainakh people in Ingushetia. Only one regional head in the North Caucasus Federal District expressed public condolences to the Chechens and Ingush.
As reported by the "Caucasian Knot," approximately 500 people participated in mass events in Ingushetia on February 23 to commemorate the 82nd anniversary of the forced deportation of the Vainakh people to Central Asia. Residents of Chechnya also marked the anniversary: an official rally attended by officials and security forces in the republic took place without the participation of ordinary people, who are marking the tragic anniversary in a small family circle.
On February 23, 1944, Operation Lentil began, during which nearly 500,000 Chechens and Ingush were deported en masse from the Chechen-Ingush Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic to Kazakhstan and Central Asia. More information about these events and their consequences can be found in the Caucasian Knot report " Deportation of Chechens and Ingush."
A large group of representatives of the Balkar people attended the memorial service at the Memorial of Memory and Glory in Nazran, which was attended by Ingush officials led by Makhmud-Ali Kalimatov, representatives of public organizations, clergy, and elders.
A Balkar delegation arrived in Ingushetia by bus on February 23 and participated in all the mourning events taking place in the republic that day, a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent reported.
Most of the heads of the North Caucasus regions, with the exception of the leaders of Ingushetia and Chechnya, did not publicly mention the anniversary of the deportation of the Ingush and Chechen peoples on February 23. Only the head of Karachay-Cherkessia, Rashid Temrezov, expressed condolences to the Vainakhs, noting that "for Karachay-Cherkessia, the pain of our fraternal peoples is close and understandable."
The "Caucasian Knot" also prepared reports on the deportation of Balkars in 1944 and the deportation of Kalmyks. In 1943, the Karachays were also subjected to mass deportation.
The heads of Dagestan, North Ossetia, Kabardino-Balkaria, and Stavropol Krai published posts on February 23 about Defender of the Fatherland Day and Putin's address, but failed to mention the events of 1944, Fortanga noted.
Speaking at the rally, Murat Daskiev, Chairman of the Council of Elders of Ingushetia, emphasized that the Ingush, far from their homeland, have preserved "their language, their customs, their spirituality." "We honor the memory of all those who did not return from exile, those who died en route," he declared.
Daskiev also emphasized that the deportation to Central Asia became one of the most horrific chapters in the history of the people. "How many trials our people, sometimes even our youngest citizens, have endured," he noted.
I SHOULD HAVE DIED THE DAY WE WERE EVICTED.
Lydia was one of those who survived the deportation at an early age; she was not yet three years old when it was deported. She remembers the long journey, after which her family was brought to a small village; the house consisted of a stove, a bed, and a pile of straw in the corner.
Little Lida's mother fell ill and lay in bed upon her arrival in exile. "I remember we had a red blanket, and there were tons of lice crawling all over it. I lay down next to her. I tried to snuggle up to her, to get warm, but she didn't move," Lidia told a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.
The girl, not understanding what had happened to her mother, clung to the woman's dead body for two days, trying to stay warm, but hunger later forced her outside. A local resident, a Kazakh, passing by, noticed the naked, tearful child. Together with another woman, a German, they fed and warmed the girl and organized her mother's funeral.
After her mother's death, Lida was passed from one relative to another: all the relatives had children of their own, and no one in the family needed an extra mouth to feed. In one such family, a boy named Akhmed lived off what he could steal from unsuspecting market women; a Russian friend helped him steal. The boys recruited Lida to their trade.
They stole everything. One day they stole a piece of lard.
"I was a ragamuffin. I'd be standing at the counter with my purse in my hand, and they'd run up and, as if by accident, swipe carrots or buns into my purse, and then run off. That's how we ate, stealing everything. One time, they stole a piece of lard—they didn't eat it themselves, so they traded it for some boards, which they then sold to a Kazakh and bought a loaf of bread," the woman recalls.
Later, Lida ended up with a distant relative: her granddaughters, Aza and Marem, stole coal from freight cars and then sold it to buy something to eat. The older girls encouraged little Lida to climb onto freight cars to dump the coal—though it was terrifying, as Aza and Marem reminded her that otherwise, "she'll starve and die."
One day, while Lida was on a coal car, the train started moving. Although the girls shouted, "Jump!" she was frightened—all she could do was sit down on the coal and cry. At the first station the train stopped, she was removed from the train. The railway worker who brought Lida to the control room ordered the attendant to "give the boy a bath."
The duty officer gave her a shower and changed her into clean clothes. "This isn't a boy, but a girl, and what a pretty one," she told her colleagues. When asked about her parents, Lida explained that her father had been at war, her mother had died, and her relatives had been passed from one family to another. The railway workers sent her to an orphanage.
Now Lida is once again without family – her husband, then her two sons, died one after the other. Sick and alone, she has no home of her own. “I should have died the day we were evicted,” Lidia says, recalling her ordeal.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited
[RIA] An explosion rocked the square near Savelovsky Station in Moscow, killing a traffic police officer, the Ministry of Internal Affairs reported.
According to law enforcement, at approximately 00:05 Moscow time, an unknown individual approached traffic police officers of the North-Eastern District Department of Internal Affairs of Moscow, who were in a patrol car near Savelovsky Station Square, after which an unknown device detonated.
"According to preliminary reports, one traffic police officer sustained life-threatening injuries as a result of the criminal's actions. The second officer is receiving medical attention and has been taken to a hospital. The perpetrator fled the scene," reads a statement published on the agency's Max channel.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited by Mark Dranitsyn
[REGNUM] Historically, the holiday of February 23rd dates back to 1918, the day the Red Army was formed. It received its current name in 1995. And over the past thirty years, let's be honest, it has morphed into all sorts of bizarre forms: at best, from a holiday "for all who served" to the utterly bizarre status of "Men's Day." Or even a date when stores and marketplaces rub their hands in glee, anticipating the profits from selling all sorts of "themed" goods at a discount: ballpoint pens or car air fresheners. And don't even mention the ubiquitous shaving foam and socks and underwear. And for the vast majority of Russians, February 23rd was certainly just another long-awaited day off.
But today, it seems everything has changed dramatically. It seems that in 2026, Defender of the Fatherland Day has finally regained its original meaning, one ingrained in it by the harsh years of first the Civil War and then the Great Patriotic War. And one that, unfortunately, was unjustly lost.
NOT A POSITION, BUT A CALLING
With the start of the special military operation—though not immediately, then gradually—everything fell into place. After all, defenders of the Fatherland were often (and still are) people who had neither conscripted nor served in the security forces, had neither a military ID nor weapons training. The younger ones quietly watched anime and immersed themselves in video games. Older men fussed about with children and tinkered with car repairs.
"Khrust, my friend, what were you doing in civilian life?" you ask one of the BPE guys, a short guy in his twenties. He's just been receiving a dose of friendly teasing from his comrades for carelessly blurting out, in an attempt to garner sympathy, "I'm completely disillusioned with women!"
"I'm an industrial climber. And a pretty good photographer." Khrust reaches into his phone and shows the results of his work.
It turns out he wasn't just a good photographer, but also ran a successful Telegram channel filled with gigabytes of the sweet life: Khrust himself in all his glory at St. Petersburg's high-rise buildings, and the female models he used to add to his artistic portfolio.
Now, of course, only a few screenshots and raw source files remind us of this.
“Then it’s unclear why you’re ‘disillusioned with women,’” the older comrade, call sign Grom, continues his scolding.
With his charisma, Grom could easily perform stand-up comedy and appear on TV shows, even though he's nearly fifty. He's probably even shorter than Khrust. Small and slight, he has the most aerodynamic haircut, as everyone calls him. And they always try to stroke his perfectly rolled-up bald head with their palms, making a sparkling joke like, "What shampoo would you recommend?"
Surprisingly, Grom always finds the perfect answer, which seamlessly transitions into a stunning true-life story. Even if you assume it's two-thirds fictional, it's still impossible to stop listening. True, retelling these tales wouldn't work: firstly, the author's style would be lost. But most importantly, they're all so outrageous that even the seasoned Russian internet probably wouldn't be able to handle them.
Incidentally, of this entire group now sitting in their cozy "pancake" (as dugouts at the front are affectionately called), Comrade Grom is perhaps the only one who can be guaranteed to belong to the warrior caste: he's a lieutenant colonel, and his father was a general. And here everything is clear—he was destined to fight. So what about the rest?
And those who never even considered picking up a machine gun, or rather the remote control of a Mavic, are the majority here: from lofty creative types to stern factory workers. There are both very serious businessmen and high-ranking officials in their regions, of whom you initially think with distrust: "What are you doing here? 'Calling a veteran,' or something?" But then you realize that management experience and the ability to organize both the rear and combat operations are sorely needed here.
"Here we are, all of us, men, grown-ups and young men, accomplished and unaccomplished, why are we here? Why do we prefer war to peaceful life and our families?" Father Oleg, call sign Mongol, chaplain of the Synodal Department of the Russian Orthodox Church for Work with the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, preaches at the front line of the command post. "Because this war isn't about fighting. It's so we can win our own, so there won't be any more wars. And we can finally live happily."
Perhaps this is precisely why—to reclaim their rights and live happily ever after—all these bearded, rumpled, wrinkled, or, conversely, barely fledgling boys of all ages and social statuses gather into one mighty fist. After all, fate has inextricably bound each of them together by a contract to defend the Motherland.
WAR DOES NOT HAVE A WOMAN'S FACE?
A separate, important theme that has always been somewhat sidelined in this holiday: February 23rd is exclusively "men's day." Women, by tradition, are celebrated on March 8th. That's when they offer congratulations, flowers, and generally enjoy a beautiful day.
But on the front lines this division has long since been erased.
"You can put an ampoule in here," the head physician, call sign Alisa, opens and closes the plastic medicine case with sincere, almost childish delight, showing off all the delights of a fresh humanitarian package, just in honor of February 23rd, for the unit where she serves. "Snap-snap, and it's ready!"
Alisa is about fifty. Before the war, she worked as an intensive care nurse in the town of Gukovo in the Rostov region. Over time, she earned the highest category, which allows her to practice as a doctor. Several years ago, she saved patients in a Moscow COVID-19 hospital.
She had two children, but unfortunately, one died at age four due to a misdiagnosis and the wrong vaccination. This left only her eldest son, now in his thirties.
And so, with the start of the Second World War, he received a summons. Alisa rushed out of the capital to see him. Her mother's heart was breaking—she had developed a special relationship with her only remaining child (and for a mother, he is always a child, even if he is already a grown man): the loss of her youngest and her constant workload prevented her from building the relationship she had always dreamed of.
On the eve of mobilization, Alisa went to church. She asked God to take her, not her son, to war. She was prepared for the most difficult trials. And God answered her prayers.
Alisa was offered several units to choose from. Since there was little information about events "behind the scenes" at the time, she went to see some friends in the "Tigers" battalion.
For six months, Alisa spent most of her time in the hottest spots: Kleshcheyevka, Soledar, Bakhmut. She organized stabilization points along important evacuation routes. Under fire and exploding mines, she carried children out of the inferno on her back. She even got the most seriously ill "three-hundredths" back on their feet. Even those with arteries severed in four places.
Not a single one of her fighters died during this time - she saved everyone and nursed them back to health.
"It's just my principle," Alice shrugs. "The guys trusted me, so I'm obligated. There's no other way."
Alisa was awarded the Medal for Courage, which is prized among soldiers even more highly than the Order of Courage because it is always awarded for a specific act of bravery and heroism. Command nominated the medic for two more state awards. She doesn't yet know which ones, though.
And so a strange picture emerges. Let's say we have Alice, who begged God to take her instead of her son, and then spent months literally bringing other people's sons back from the brink of death, in the same office with men who, in their entire lives, would likely have barely encountered a fraction of the trials that have fallen and continue to fall on her shoulders day after day. And then her colleagues will start congratulating everyone on Defender of the Fatherland Day.
At first glance, there seems to be nothing seditious here—well, congratulations, and congratulations. But it would be good if on this day, everyone raising a toast to courage would, at least for a second, imagine themselves in Alice's place—under heavy fire, with bloodied hands, praying to God: "Take me, but keep them." And honestly answer the question: would they have pulled this strap? Could they have carried the same burden with dignity? If the hand holding the glass doesn't tremble after that, then it's time to celebrate.
FESTIVE PINEAPPLES
2026 has been declared the Year of Unity of the Peoples of Russia. However, on the front lines, this "year of unity" has been going on for a long time, since its very first days. And it shows no signs of ending.
The Russian army has historically developed a unique culture that has absorbed the traditions of all the country's peoples. But today, within the trenches and dugouts, something greater has emerged. A brotherhood in arms that erases all boundaries—ethnic and religious. After all, "Russian soldier" is a title. And representatives of all ethnic groups are proud of it. Because it's not about nationality, but about belonging to a single civilizational project with a rich, unique history. And, of course, about being one of them and standing in the same ranks with everyone else. Which means you can be relied upon.
Alexander Panasenko is a veteran of the Air Defense Forces and a participant in the "Heroes of Yugra" project. But back then, on the front lines, he was simply Sanya, who stuffed a hefty can of pineapple into his backpack before heading out to his positions.
His comrades scolded him: "Are you crazy? It's too heavy, throw it away. Better yet, take more water, or at worst, another full magazine." But something still made Sanya leave those unfortunate pineapples behind.
The group took up positions and remained there for several days, separated from the base. Communications were scheduled. Airdrops with provisions and ammunition were made when possible. So, in terms of food, they had to rely on what they could carry. That meant dry rations, drinks, and, of course, chocolate bars. They are especially prized for their filling properties, light weight, and tiny size.
And so, when Easter evening arrived, Sanya pulled out that very same tin can. In the dugout, by the light of a flashlight, among the scurrying field mice, the pineapples from the can seemed not just a slice of peaceful life, warmth, and home, but a true miracle and a gift from above. Naturally, it was decided to immediately share this "swag" among everyone.
One of the fighters, a Muslim, also began to devour the exotic fruit. Then, suddenly, he said, completely seriously:
— Now Easter is my favorite holiday.
No one laughed. Because they knew he wasn't joking. For him, this moment became a symbol of unity, which isn't established by orders from above, but grows naturally where people risk their lives shoulder to shoulder every day.
Or take the story of a navigator-driver with the call sign Akhmed. He's already a grandfather in every sense of the word: he has grandchildren, his bones are creaking, and his fifth volunteer contract since the beginning of the Second World War is about to end. So, Akhmed, even after the collapse of the Soviet Union as a citizen of one of the Central Asian republics, never separated himself from Russia. And so, risking not only his life but also his freedom—in his own country, he could easily have been sentenced for mercenary activity—he went to fight, as they say, "for us, for you, and for Donbas."
Every time his contract expired, he was deeply worried: what would happen if he was stopped on the street by the police, and he had no documents proving his legal residence in Russia? They'd deport him back to his homeland, where prison was a sure thing.
Fortunately, there's no need to wonder any longer—Akhmed recently received a Russian passport and citizenship. Now he's definitely among his own. And, as we all know, our people don't abandon their own.
CHILDREN NEED REAL HEROES, NOT FAIRY TALES.
SVO participants are increasingly becoming mentors for the younger generation. And this is perhaps the most important development in education today.
Hero of Russia Igor Yurgin is the Director of the Department of State Policy in Education at the Ministry of Education. Hero of Russia Baldan Tsydypov has been appointed Head of the Patriotic Work Department of the Znanie Society. Vladislav Golovin, whose call sign " Struna " has been a household name since the very first months of the special operation, has been appointed Chief of Staff of the Yunarmiya (Youth Army) and Deputy Chairman of the Board of the Movement of the First.
At one of the meetings with schoolchildren, Struna was asked directly: “Were you scared?”
"It's scary," he answered without a shred of doubt. "But when you have your country behind you, when you understand that if you don't, then no one else can, the fear goes away. It turns into anger at the enemy and a desire to survive and protect."
Such encounters are remembered for a lifetime. Because children see not an actor playing a "hero" in a movie, but a real person. Someone who has been there and seen things that no movie can convey.
SAY: "THANK YOU!"
The heroes of our time aren't some stone statues from posters, but ordinary, living men with normal human desires: not only to defend the Motherland, but also to study, love, and start families. They remain human even in the most seemingly inhumane conditions.
And we mustn't forget that many soldiers face hardships after returning from the front. This is a whole other story, which, although not directly connected to Defender of the Fatherland Day, certainly shouldn't be forgotten. We simply can't get it out of our heads.
After all, at the front, a person gets used not only to constant tension and adrenaline rushes, but also, no less importantly, to a feeling of camaraderie that's very rare here in civilian life. When everyone you know for just ten seconds is already your bro, brother, little brother, little brother. And for the rest of your life, you bump shoulders with them, never extending a hand.
And then suddenly, bam—you're back in civilian life, where most people only care about themselves. No one will watch your back or carry you through when you stumble. And the problems around you seem far-fetched, and the people seem somehow... cottony, or something.
Therefore, it is crucial that the state itself activates and implements the mechanisms that will help soldiers reintegrate without getting lost somewhere along the way.
Amidst the hustle and bustle of festive concerts, official events, and traditional feasts, it's important not to lose sight of what's most important. The best way to celebrate this day isn't to send a generic picture via messenger. And certainly not to buy another shower gel as a gift. Instead, say, "Thank you!" in person.
After all, we're all, in a sense, incredibly lucky: we live at the same time, practically side by side, with our defenders of the Fatherland—they're our former colleagues, fellow countrymen, friends, and acquaintances. Some have already returned and are trying to reintegrate into civilian life. Others are still there, "beyond the lines." Some need specific help, while others, after a small compliment, will blush and look away for a long time, saying something like, "Oh, come on, I didn't do anything at all, but my guys..."
After returning, it's always difficult for soldiers to reintegrate into "normal life" after losing comrades, after facing daily risks, with death literally at their heels. Psychologists say adaptation can take years. But all these guys want the same things as the rest of us: family, children, work, confidence in the future, and simple human happiness.
Society's job is to help them with this. Not to turn away, not to pretend, "Well, he fought well, now he'll manage on his own." To support them, to make them feel needed. Because veterans, feeling supported, become a source of support for those around them.
So if you know a special operations veteran, just come up to them and congratulate them in a genuine way. Say thank you not because it's a holiday, but for being there, for coming back, and for what they did.
If you don't know someone personally, write a letter to the hospital, the military unit, or the veterans' support fund. Or record a short video of support for those currently at the front. Believe me, such "little things" are greatly appreciated there. Because they remind them: there's home beyond the horizon. There are people waiting. There's something to come back for.
February 23rd isn't just a date on the calendar. It's the day the country looks into the eyes of its heroes. Those who are now on the front lines. Those who have returned and are already building a new Russia—in the rear, in ministries, in schools, in hospitals, in factories. And those who, like Khrust or Grom, are now sitting somewhere in a dugout, drinking tea and teasing each other, because there's no other way—otherwise you'll go crazy.
Their time has truly come. And our shared goal is to ensure they feel this not just on February 23rd, but every day of their lives.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
