[BBC] At least 55 Ghanaians have been killed fighting in the war in Ukraine, with two others currently held as prisoners of war, Ghana's foreign affairs minister says.
On a trip to Kyiv, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said that about 272 Ghanaians are believed to have been lured into the conflict since 2022, citing Ukrainian authorities.
He did not say whose side the Ghanaians had been fighting on but Ukraine's foreign minister said on Wednesday that more than 1,700 people from 36 countries in Africa had been recruited to fight for Russia.
The 55 Ghanaians is the highest number of casualties from a single African country to have been officially confirmed in the Ukraine-Russia war.
Local media in Cameroon have reported that 94 of its nationals have died in the conflict, but the authorities have not commented on these figures.
Two South Africans and at least one Kenyan have died in the conflict.
On Thursday, a Kenyan national was charged over accusations he had lured young men to Russia with job opportunities, only for them to end up fighting in Ukraine. Festus Arasa Omwamba denied the charges.
A total of 1,000 Kenyans have been recruited to fight for Russia in its four-year war against Ukraine, said a report from Kenya's National Intelligence Service (NIS), released last week.
Russia's embassy in Kenya has denied accusations that it was involved in recruiting people to fight in the war.
However, it said that Russian law allowed foreign nationals who are legally in the country to voluntarily enlist in the armed forces.
On Wednesday, Ghana's foreign minister urged President Volodymyr Zelensky to release two Ghanaian prisoners of war captured fighting for Russia.
"They are victims of manipulation, of disinformation, misinformation, of criminal trafficking networks," he said.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited
[Korrespondent] 22.50 The Ukrainian side, together with US representatives, at the talks in Geneva, substantively worked out a document on the restoration of Ukraine. The parties also agreed to continue work on the reconstruction investment plan. This was reported by the Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Rustem Umerov.
22.34 The next round of trilateral talks with the US and Russia is scheduled to be held in Abu Dhabi in early March. This was stated in the evening address of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
21.34 Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrsky spoke about working meetings with the leadership of corps and individual assault regiments. This is stated in his post on Telegram.
20.54 Deputy Head of the National Police of Ukraine Andriy Nebytov reported that in 2025, 24 minors involved in terrorist attacks ordered by Russian special services were exposed. He stated this in an interview with Lb.ua.
Nebytov noted that 80% of the performers were local residents, while only 20% traveled to neighboring cities. That is, according to him, Russians can find performers anywhere, but it is easier in large cities.
While 85% of the perpetrators of these crimes and those involved in them have already come into the attention of law enforcement officers (in particular, they were arrested for domestic violence). 50% are young people under the age of 25.
19.47 Russian troops are advancing in the Donetsk region as of February 26. This was reported by analysts of the OSINT project DeepState.
The move is being made near the village of Riznykovka in the Siverskyi urban community, the village of Pazeno and the village of Pryvillya in the Soledarskyi urban community of the Bakhmut district.
19.00 Law enforcement officers detained a 37-year-old man in the SZCh region who recorded a mocking video mocking the national memorial to the defenders who died in the Russian-Ukrainian war on Independence Square in Kyiv and posted it on social media. The capital's National Police Department reported this.
18.59 A conflict between two CCC employees occurred in Odessa during patrol. There were no casualties, the servicemen have already been brought to disciplinary responsibility. The incident occurred on February 26 in the Peresypsky district of the city. This was reported by the Odessa Regional CCC and the Joint Service.
18.35 France has called Russian accusations that Ukraine is seeking to acquire nuclear weapons from London or Paris groundless, according to a statement from the French Ministry of Defense, Reuters reports.
18.25 As a result of the attack by Ukrainian drones on the Dorogobuzh chemical plant in the Smolensk region, significant damage was caused. This was reported by the OSINT project CyberBoroshno.
17.57 Part of the city of Sumy and the Sumy district were left without electricity after an attack by Russian aggressors. This was reported by Sumioblenergo.
The Russians attacked Sumy with three attack UAVs. The hits were recorded in the Kovpakiv district. All of them were close to each other.
17.53 On February 26, the Russians struck Kherson. In the Korabelny district of Kherson, a 62-year-old woman received injuries incompatible with life as a result of Russian shelling. This was reported by the head of the Kherson OVA, Oleksandr Prokudin. The Kherson OVA added that later the occupiers struck again at the Korabelny district. As a result of the enemy strike, a 62-year-old man received an explosive injury and contusion. Two more people were also injured as a result of the Russian shelling of the Korabelny district of Kherson: a 63-year-old man and a 60-year-old woman, who were on the street at the time of the attack. They received contusions, explosive and closed craniocerebral injuries.
17.17 The Export Control Commission under the Ministry of Defense has already held two meetings and adopted 80 decisions on arms exports. Deputy Defense Minister Yuriy Myronenko announced this during a briefing in Kyiv on February 26, Ukrinform reports.
"Regarding the work of the export control commission. Two meetings of this commission have already been held, we have made a total of 80 decisions - 40 at each of the meetings, and it is obvious that we really need a transparent and understandable procedure for everyone," he noted.
16.47 A 38-year-old FSB agent from the Donetsk region who adjusted the fire of Russian aerial bombs on Ukrainian Army positions in the Pokrovsky direction was sentenced to 15 years in prison with confiscation of property. The SBU press service reports this.
SBU officers detained her in the Kirovohrad region, where she had arrived from the Donetsk region, to later travel to the Russian Federation via third countries. During the searches, her Russian passport was seized.
16.43 Since the beginning of the day and as of 16:00, 120 battles between the Ukrainian army and the Russian invaders have taken place at the front, which for the second time in a row exceeded yesterday's figure. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported this in an operational summary.
16.20 Russia has banned the recruitment of foreigners from 43 countries to participate in the war. The list includes countries such as China, India, Brazil, Turkey, Cuba, Iran and Venezuela, as well as many African countries. This is reported by The Telegraph. It is noted that Russia has recruited thousands of citizens from Asia, Africa and the Middle East to cover the large losses in its army. Many foreigners died in the war, and those who survived complained that they were lured to the Russian Federation under false pretenses.
On November 16, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine announced the destruction of new important targets on the TOT, and also clarified the effectiveness of the destruction of the Neftegorsk GPP in the Samara region and the missile plant in Votkinsk (both in the Russian Federation).
15.35 The UK has refused asylum to several Ukrainian refugee families. One of them has a child who suffers from panic attacks due to the war, but the British Home Office has advised the family to settle in a "safer area in western Ukraine" and their daughter to use noise-canceling headphones. This is reported by the British TV channel Sky News.
14.55 Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Rustem Umerov, at the head of the Ukrainian delegation, is holding bilateral talks in Geneva with US representatives Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. He reported this on Telegram.
The recovery package for Ukraine and preparations for the upcoming trilateral meeting with Russian representatives will be discussed.
14.04 The bodies of 1,000 dead, who, according to the Russian side, may belong to Ukrainian servicemen, were returned to Ukraine. This was reported by the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War (KSHPPV).
13.58 The Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense published information about ten Russian public figures who support Russia's armed aggression against Ukraine and justify Russia's occupation of Ukrainian territories.
13.40 The aggressor country Russia cannot ignore the "nuclear issue" and will bring it up for discussion at the next round of negotiations with Ukraine and the United States. This was stated by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
13.31 Russia's Federal Security Service said it had "prevented a terrorist attack" in St. Petersburg, which was allegedly being prepared by Ukrainian special services against a high-ranking officer of the Russian Ministry of Defense.
Two Russians have been detained on suspicion of blowing up the car of a high-ranking Russian Defense Ministry officer. They allegedly planned to carry out a terrorist attack against a military officer using an improvised explosive device.
"The suspects, using the Telegram messenger, began correspondence with a representative of the Ukrainian special services, during which they reported their readiness to commit a terrorist act. On the instructions of the curator, they removed an improvised explosive device from the hiding place, conducted reconnaissance of the residence address, and planted an IED under the serviceman's vehicle," the FSB said.
12.23 The SBU has created regional cybersecurity centers in all regions of Ukraine. Their task is to identify vulnerabilities of local critical infrastructure facilities in advance, prevent and neutralize cyberattacks on these facilities. This was stated by the head of the SBU Cybersecurity Department, Volodymyr Karastelov, during a speech at the Kyiv International Cyber Resilience Forum.
12.10 Over 90,000 Ukrainians are considered missing under special circumstances. This was announced by the Commissioner for Persons Missing under Special Circumstances Artur Dobroserdov, Ukrainka Pravda reports.
"Based on the results of considering the request, we inform you that as of February 23, 2026, the Unified Register of Persons Missing under Special Circumstances contains information about more than 90 thousand people (both military personnel and civilians, including children), whose search is ongoing," the Commissioner's response to the journalists' request states.
12.02 In Kyiv, heat supply has begun to be restored to some houses in the Dnipro district on the left bank after previous attacks by the Russian Federation. This was announced by the mayor of the capital, Vitaliy Klitschko, on Telegram.
11.47 An agent of Russian military intelligence (better known as the GRU) was detained in the Kharkiv region. The attacker was preparing coordinates for rocket and bomb attacks by the racists in the Kupyansk direction. The SBU reported this on February 26. It is noted that the occupiers hoped to use the intelligence of their corrector to prepare new attempts to break through to the district center. According to the investigation, the agent task was carried out by a 49-year-old Kharkiv resident recruited by the enemy, who was hiding from mobilization in his parents' house in the Chuhuyiv district.
11.46 On the morning of February 26, Russian troops again shelled Zaporizhia, damaging an educational institution. The hit occurred outside the building. At the time of the alarm, 41 children were in the shelter - no injuries were reported.
11.39 New power outages have been recorded in five regions of Ukraine due to a massive Russian attack. This was reported by Ukrenergo. Energy companies were forced to increase the volume of outages in some regions.
11.12 In Russia, the only plant in the country for the production of optical fiber, which is used in the telecommunications industry and by the Russian military in the war against Ukraine, has ceased to operate since May 2025. This is reported by rosZMI. It is noted that in April-May last year, JSC Optical Fiber Systems in Saransk went out of order as a result of a series of Ukrainian attacks and has not yet resumed work, said Leonid Konik, CEO of ComNews Group. The production capacity of the enterprise was approximately 4 million km of optical fiber per year, from which two dozen Russian cable factories manufactured fiber-optic cables. Now they are 100% dependent on fiber supplies from China.
10.53 On Thursday night, the aggressor country Russia launched 39 missiles and 420 drones of various types at Ukraine. Air defense and electronic warfare units intercepted/suppressed the vast majority of enemy targets – 409, the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported.
10.40 About 20 residential buildings in Vinnytsia region were damaged by Russian shelling. Windows and doors were broken, roofs were damaged. Walls in some rooms burst. One woman was injured.
10.38 Due to the nightly shelling by Russia, some trains may be delayed, and bus transportation of passengers has been introduced in some regions.
10.29 The aggressor country Russia attacked eight regions of Ukraine with missiles and drones at night. As of now, dozens of people are known to have been injured, including children, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported on Telegram.
09.54 Ukraine continues to strengthen the state border with Belarus and is increasing its defense capabilities in the northern direction. This was reported by the spokesman for the State Border Service, Andriy Demchenko.
At the same time, according to him, currently Ukrainian border guards are not recording any changes or movements of equipment or personnel on the territory of Belarus near the border with Ukraine.
09.42 Chinese leader Xi Jinping, at a meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, stated that it is necessary to ensure equal participation of all parties in the peace negotiations in Ukraine, apparently referring to the need to involve the European Union in the peace process.
During the exchange of views on Russia's war against Ukraine, Xi Jinping expressed China's principled position that the key to finding a solution lies in consistent dialogue and negotiations.
"It is important to ensure equal participation of all parties in the negotiation process and lay a solid foundation for peace, take into account the legitimate concerns of all parties, strengthen the will for peace, and create conditions for building a solid architecture of common security," the Chinese leader noted.
9.53 A Russian attack damaged an energy facility in the Odessa region. This was reported by the head of the Odessa Regional State Administration, Oleg Kiper, on February 26. According to him, "the enemy continues to strike at the energy infrastructure of the Odessa region. As a result of the attack, an energy facility in the south of the region was damaged."
9.21 In Zaporizhia, the number of people injured in a Russian night strike has increased to nine. The State Emergency Service of Ukraine reported this on February 26. It is noted that rescuers have extinguished all fires that arose as a result of the strikes and have surveyed the areas to identify and provide assistance to the injured.
08.50 In Poltava region, as a result of a night Russian attack, the facilities of an industrial enterprise in Poltava district were damaged. In Lubny district, as a result of falling debris, a private household and a power line were damaged. 18,209 households and 1,781 legal consumers were left without electricity.
08.37 Over the past 24 hours, 235 combat clashes were recorded on the front. In particular, in the Pokrovsky direction, our defenders stopped 57 offensive actions of the Russians.
Missile troops and artillery of the Defense Forces hit four areas of concentration of personnel and one UAV control point of the Russian invaders.
08.22 In Kryvyi Rih, the number of casualties increased to two as a result of the night Russian attack.
An 82-year-old woman sought medical attention. An 89-year-old man was also injured.
A fire broke out in the city due to the Russian attack. The Russian invaders damaged a five-story building. Damage to structural elements and a significant number of broken windows were recorded.
07.59 Damage and fires have been recorded in several areas of Kyiv as a result of the nighttime Russian attack.
Holosiivskyi district: garage fire.
Pechersk district: fire in a two-story residential building on the territory of a private estate.
Darnytskyi district: in a 9-story residential building, the blast wave damaged windows and doors in one of the apartments on the first floor.
All fires have been extinguished. There is currently no information about casualties.
07.35 From February 24, 2022 to February 26, 2026, the total combat losses of Russian troops on the territory of Ukraine amounted to approximately 1,263,850 people (+1,360 per day).
07.20 Due to the night attack by Russia on Zaporizhia, more than 500 houses in three districts of the city are without heat supply.
As a result of the night enemy attack, 19 apartment buildings, four private sector houses and non-residential buildings were damaged.
04.42. Russians attacked Kyiv and Kharkiv with ballistic missiles. Zaporizhzhia is under massive attack by UAVs. Damage to a private house and two shopping centers, one of which is Epicenter, is reported. In addition, several floors of a high-rise building in the city collapsed as a result of the attack. A person is trapped in one of the apartments.
03.23 In Kryvyi Rih, a UAV hit a five-story building. At least one person is reported to have been injured.
01.22 A series of explosions thundered in Poltava amid warnings of a drone attack.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited
[Korrespondent] The move is being made near the village of Riznykovka in the Siverskyi urban community, the village of Pazeno and the village of Pryvillya in the Soledarskyi urban community of the Bakhmut district.
As of February 26, Russian troops are advancing in the Donetsk region. This was reported by analysts of the OSINT project DeepState.
The move is being made near the village of Riznykovka in the Siverskyi urban community, the village of Pazeno and the village of Pryvillya in the Soledarskyi urban community of the Bakhmut district.
"The enemy has advanced near Riznykovka, Pazeno, and Pryvillya," the report noted.
According to the project maps, as reported by Interfax-Ukraine, the area of territories under Russian control in the Slavyansk direction has increased by 5.55 sq. km, mainly due to the area of the "penetration zone", which has decreased by 5.01 sq. km.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces reported that in the Slavyansk direction, the Defense Forces repelled seven attempts by the Russian Federation to advance in the areas of Yampol, Zakitne, and towards Rai-Oleksandrivka.
As a reminder, Russia lost over 1,300 soldiers killed and wounded in the 24 hours of February 25. The total number of Russian casualties is approaching 1.3 million since the beginning of the Great War.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited
[NewsFront] 21:11 In the period from 14:00 Moscow time to 20:00 Moscow time, air defense systems on duty intercepted and destroyed 167 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles of the fixed-wing type flew over the territories of the Bryansk, Kaluga, Kursk, Oryol, Tula regions, the Republic of Crimea and the Moscow region, including 12 UAVs flying towards Moscow. 20:27 Buk-M3 air defense missile system crews of the Vostok group stopped an attempt by the Ukrainian Armed Forces to strike civilian infrastructure.
18:33 UAV crews of the Center group rammed enemy drones with the Starlink system in the Krasnoarmeysk direction.
Drone operators from the Southern Group of Forces destroyed an enemy fuel and lubricants depot on the outskirts of the village of Konstantinovka.
Military personnel from the Vostok group's drone crews destroyed a Ukrainian Armed Forces multiple launch rocket system in the Dnipropetrovsk region.
Attack drone crews from the Center group disrupted the enemy's rotation and supply delivery attempt in the Krasnoarmeysk direction.
Drone operators from the Novorossiysk paratroopers of the Dnepr group destroyed a tank and a Bogdana self-propelled howitzer of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Orekhov area of the Zaporizhzhia region.
17:48 Force Group "North" took more advantageous positions and lines in the border area, destroying up to 175 Ukrainian Armed Forces fighters, eight vehicles, a gun, and electronic warfare systems. Two supply depots were destroyed.
The "West" force group improved its tactical position. Enemy losses: up to 170 militants, two combat armored vehicles, including an M113 armored personnel carrier (USA), 16 vehicles, a gun, and electronic warfare systems. Four ammunition depots were destroyed.
The "South" group improved its position along the forward line. Enemy casualties included up to 125 fighters, seven armored combat vehicles, 13 vehicles, and electronic warfare systems. Two ammunition depots and a supply depot were destroyed.
The Center Forces Group occupied more advantageous lines and positions. Enemy losses: up to 270 fighters, three armored combat vehicles, 13 vehicles, and three electronic warfare stations. An ammunition depot was destroyed.
The "East" force group continued to advance deep into the enemy's defenses. The enemy lost up to 340 fighters, a tank, four armored combat vehicles, six vehicles, and a gun.
The Dnipro Guards Forces defeated the Ukrainian Armed Forces' mountain assault brigade's personnel and equipment near Dimitrovo and Shcherbaki in the Zaporizhia region. Over 35 militants, 10 vehicles, and a supply depot were destroyed.
Aviation, attack UAVs, missile forces, and artillery of the Russian Armed Forces groups struck drone pre-flight preparation and launch sites and temporary deployment points of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and foreign mercenaries in 159 districts.
16:59 Air defense forces around 17:00 shot down 2 Ukrainian Armed Forces UAVs flying towards the capital
Domodedovo and Zhukovsky airports have restricted operations for aircraft departures and arrivals.
A drone alert is in effect in the Moscow region.
15:59 Russian fighters are cutting off the logistics of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Krasnoarmeysk direction, video.
15:53 Footage has been published showing the destruction of a Ukrainian UAV launcher by Russian Armed Forces FPV drone crews in the area of Kazachya Lopan in the Khar'kov region, video.
15:49 On frames: The destruction of a Ukrainian UAV launcher by Russian Armed Forces FPV drone crews in the area of the village of Kazachya Lopan in the Khar'kov region.
15:19 In the period from 12:00 Moscow time to 14:00 Moscow time, air defense systems on duty intercepted and destroyed 35 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) flying over the Bryansk region.
13:05 Tonight, in response to the terrorist attacks by the Kyiv regime on civilian infrastructure facilities on the territory of Russia, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation inflicted a massive strike using long-range precision-guided ground- and air-based weapons and attack drones against Ukrainian military-industrial complex facilities, energy infrastructure facilities used by the Ukrainian Armed Forces, and military airfields.
The strike's objectives were achieved. All designated targets were hit.
12:24 Center group fighters established a no-fly zone for the enemy, video.
09:41 Jet fighters from the 1st Guards Tank Army of the "West" group proved that unnecessary movements in their area of responsibility are best avoided. The enemy attempted to conduct a rotation in the Khar'kov region. video.
09:06 UAV crews of the Ivanovo paratroopers deprived power supply to military facilities of the Ukrainian Armed Forces on the right bank of the Dnieper
During aerial reconnaissance, unmanned aerial system operators from the Ivanovo Guards Airborne Forces unit discovered that power lines from one of the facilities extended deep into enemy territory, supplying power to Ukrainian military installations. The obtained intelligence was transmitted to the command post.
08:07 During the past night from 23:00 Moscow time on February 25 to 07:00 Moscow time on February 26, air defense systems on duty intercepted and destroyed 17 Ukrainian aircraft-type unmanned aerial vehicles:
Seven – over the territory of the Bryansk region,
Four – over the territory of the Tula region,
Two – over the territory of the Kaluga region,
One – over the territory of the Belgorod region,
One – over the territory of the Voronezh region,
One – over the Black Sea,
One – over the waters of the Sea of Azov.
07:34 Changes on map over the past 24 hours:
Grafskoye was liberated
Advance south of Zaliznichny
Advance between Ivanovka and Novopavlovka
Expansion of the control zone on the southern outskirts of Konstantinovka
06:03 152mm Msta-B crews of the Guards Tank Regiment of the Center group worked out one hundred percent: the enemy's temporary deployment points came under attack.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited by Sergey Adamov
[REGNUM] Since the beginning of the year, the Russian Armed Forces have increased the pace of their offensive in a number of areas and have also launched a series of effective strikes against the enemy's rear infrastructure.
Despite difficult weather conditions and stubborn resistance from the Ukrainian Armed Forces (UAF), significant progress has been made in all three areas in recent months.
COVERAGE FROM THE EAST AND WEST
After the city of Hulyaipole was liberated at the end of 2025, Russian troops were able to completely liberate the territory of the Zaporizhzhia region.
With the current configuration of the front, the city of Orekhov, located 45–50 km southeast of Zaporozhye, acquires strategic importance.
Given the predominantly flat terrain, which precludes open-field defense, the Ukrainian Armed Forces command is seeking to build defenses around populated areas. The offensive on Orekhov is continuing from several directions simultaneously: from the south, from the west (from the Stepnogorsk area), and from the east (from Hulyaipole).
In recent weeks, units of the Vostok group of forces have continued their offensive to the west and northwest of the city, advancing in the direction of the settlements of Ridzvyanka, Vozdvizhevka, Verkhnyaya Tersa, Gorky and Komsomolskoye (Gulyaypolskoye).
These villages are located on elevated ground, giving them significant tactical significance. The enemy has established a series of powerful fortified areas here. Moreover, the Ukrainian army command, recognizing the strategic importance of maintaining control of Orekhov, is transferring reserves to this area.
Using fresh forces, Ukrainian armed forces in this sector of the front regularly attempt counterattacks. However, the Ukrainian Armed Forces are unable to build on some of their local successes, causing these attempts to gradually fizzle out.
Artillery plays a special role in repelling enemy counterattacks. The Russian Ministry of Defense recently published a video showing a crew from an Msta-S self-propelled gun destroying an enemy stronghold with a single Krasnopol-M2 shell.
Commenting on the video, Rostec State Corporation noted that the latest munitions for this model accelerate the "detection-strike-maneuver" cycle, and the Msta-S's mobility allows it to complete a mission in 2-3 minutes. This is especially important in the face of high enemy drone activity hunting artillery.
According to the developers, the Krasnopol-M2 transforms artillery from an area-of-effect weapon into a precision strike tool, in demand in counter-battery warfare and for the destruction of equipment and command posts.
Despite all the efforts of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the Russian offensive in this direction continues.
Last week, Russian army assault forces liberated the villages of Tsvetkovoe and Krinichnoye, west of Hulyaipole. The line of contact is gradually shifting toward the village of Verkhnyaya Tersa, which the enemy has turned into a powerful defensive stronghold.
Over the past week, units of the Dnipro Forces Group liberated the villages of Magdalinovka, Zapasnoye, and Primorskoye northwest of Orekhovo. This success allowed them to gain fire control of Highway H-08, the main supply route for Ukrainian Armed Forces units in the city.
THE KEY TO THE NORTH OF DONBASS
In parallel with the ongoing military operations in the Zaporizhzhia region, the Russian Armed Forces are building on the successes achieved after the liberation of Krasnoarmeysk (Pokrovsk) in the Donbass.
The key objective in this direction remains the liberation of the Slavyansk-Kramatorsk agglomeration, which has been transformed into a single, continuous fortified area. Formations of the "Center" force group are attempting to cut through the enemy's defenses, isolating individual pockets of resistance from one another.
Last week, assault units were able to take up positions on the southwestern outskirts of Kostyantynivka, advancing along Karagandynska and Khersonska Streets. The front in this area runs along Heroyiv Truda Street and the pond line.
Some sources also report a breakthrough by Russian troops to Cosmonauts Boulevard in the northern part of the city, where a large residential area is located.
Russian Aerospace Forces tactical aircraft destroyed several bridges across the Krivoy Torets River, which divides Konstantinovka into eastern and western parts, complicating logistics and cooperation between Ukrainian units in different parts of the city.
Russian army assault forces also drove the Ukrainian Armed Forces out of the village of Stepanivka, located southwest of the city. This success significantly complicates the situation for Ukrainian forces in Kostiantynivka and paves the way for encircling the city.
LOCK THE BORDER
In recent weeks, the Russian army has also launched an offensive in the Sumy region. Southeast of Sumy, the villages of Grabovskoye and Popovka in the Krasnopolsky district were successively liberated.
Another frontline opened near the town of Glukhov, north of Sumy. On February 18, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced the liberation of the village of Kharkivka. Prior to this, Russian troops liberated the neighboring villages of Komarovka and Sidorovka.
The successive liberation of a number of settlements in the Krasnopolsky and Glukhov areas is aimed at expanding the controlled buffer zone and ensuring the security of Russia's border territories.
RESULTS OF THE WINTER CAMPAIGN
Since the beginning of 2026, the Russian Armed Forces have taken control of 900 square kilometers of territory and driven the enemy out of 42 settlements in the Northern Military District zone. This was announced on February 20 by Sergei Rudskoy, Chief of the Main Operations Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces.
According to him, in the Sumy region alone, Russian army units drove the enemy out of 26 settlements.
At the same time, according to information from the field, since the beginning of the year in the Zaporizhzhia region, Ukrainian Armed Forces formations have been driven out of more than 10 settlements.
DRONE WARS
The success of the winter campaign was largely due to intensive strikes against targets in the rear of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. At the same time, Russian aircraft are employing new technical solutions that are changing the tactics of strikes.
Videos have appeared online showing the dropping of small FPV drones from Geranium-type unmanned aerial vehicles.
Previously, FPV mounts for UAVs such as the Molniya and Gerbera were reported. Larger drones thus act as carriers, delivering smaller drones over long distances, allowing operators to conduct more precise tactical strikes.
In many ways, it was the use of new drone tactics that made it possible to disrupt the rotation of the Ukrainian army and the concentration of forces for organizing counterattacks.
Ukrainian sources complain that intercepting many drones using electronic warfare (EW) is virtually impossible.
Experience using drones in the Air Defense Zone also informs the development of new weapons. On February 25, the Kalashnikov Concern unveiled the KUB-10ME tactical kamikaze drone with a range of over 100 km.
It is equipped with an optoelectronic guidance system for engaging moving targets, has increased resistance to air defense and electronic warfare systems, and is also equipped with an aerial photography and video recording system.
According to the developer, the KUB-10ME is designed for precision strikes against unarmored and lightly armored vehicles, armored personnel carriers, command post elements, air defense and electronic warfare facilities, rear infrastructure, and drone launch sites.
Also last week, testing of the Barrage-1 stratospheric platform was announced. The device is capable of ascending to an altitude of approximately 20 kilometers and remaining there for extended periods. The project is being considered a more cost-effective alternative to satellite constellations.
Priority areas include testing the 5G NTN standard. In theory, this technology could also be used for military purposes, including to ensure communication between units.
Kyiv believed that delaying negotiations and asking the West to exert pressure on Russia would stabilize the situation at the front, but this calculation proved unfounded: the area of liberated territories is only increasing.
Western media believe that the Russian offensive in a number of strategic areas could enter a decisive phase, while Ukraine essentially has no way to prevent the impending collapse, much less gain any advantages.
Text taken from a profile.ru article by Sergey Poletaev
[ColonelCassad] As in 2025, the next anniversary of the start of the Central Military District is taking place against the backdrop of an operational pause taken by the Russian army after a ten-month offensive on several fronts.
Typically, such a pause lasts until spring, with active combat resuming in April, once the ground has dried. Meanwhile, the Russian army has gone on the defensive in some areas, while in others, it is fighting local battles to establish starting positions for future offensive operations.
Taking advantage of the operational pause, the Ukrainian Armed Forces attempted to launch their first counterattack this year in the Zaporizhzhia region, which Ukrainian media are even calling a counteroffensive (Ukrainian: kontrnastupa). It involves relatively large forces and even Abrams tanks (this time donated by Australia), which the Ukrainians, just a couple of years ago, considered a miracle weapon guaranteeing victory.
A sense of déjà vu (the situation was similar a year and two ago), the lack of decisive developments on the front, and general war fatigue are leading to the increasingly frequent refrain, not only on the other side of the frontline but also here, of a turning point on the battlefield: a turning point is impossible, the Russian army will not be able to defeat the Ukrainian Armed Forces under the current format of military operations.
In this article, we will demonstrate that the defeat of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the collapse of the front is a matter of time, not "if," but "when." To do this, we will consider a number of objective metrics.
After the initial, maneuverable phase of the Central Military District in February–April 2022, combat operations became static, and the conflict itself became a war of attrition. Initially, this was due to a shortage of personnel on both sides to conduct large-scale offensive operations, and then to the drone revolution, which devalued the traditional tool for breaking through the front—mobile mechanized units. Armored vehicles themselves haven't disappeared, but advancing in large numbers with artillery support has made it impossible to break through defenses and exploit success in the open space.
In this sense, the Central Military District has become similar to the Western Front of World War I. As there, the opponents fight in static positions with "killing fields" between them. As there, attacks are conducted by small assault groups. As there, for lack of a better means, attrition has become the primary tool of victory: if you reduce the enemy army first to the point of being unable to advance, and then to the point of being unable to hold the line, this will ensure success.
It's important to understand that an offensive is still necessary: there is no better way to inflict losses on the enemy and impose your will on them, either on a mobile or a static front. Thus, offensive capabilities become the primary indicator of the state of the opposing armies.The Ukrainian Armed Forces' offensive capabilities are declining year after year:
2022 – The enemy conducted operations in the Kharkiv and Kherson oblasts, achieving strategic successes with the operational scale of the forces involved. The Russian army was, as they say, at rock bottom relative to the Ukrainian army.
2023 – The Ukrainian Armed Forces conduct their first and final attempt at a strategic offensive (towards the Azov region), while the Russian army spends most of the year, until October–November, on the defensive. Concurrent with the Azov counteroffensive, the enemy launched a major, operational-scale counterattack in Bakhmut.
2024 – The Ukrainian Armed Forces launch up to 10 operational-tactical counterattacks and one operational-scale offensive in the Kursk oblast. The Kursk operation was designed to be similar to the Kharkiv operation two years earlier, but this time the enemy failed to achieve its objectives.
In 2025, the Ukrainian Armed Forces launch four counterattacks and no offensives. More importantly, the enemy was unable to launch more than two counterattacks simultaneously (to defend Hulyai-Polye, troops had to be withdrawn and the crucial counteroffensive operation in the area of Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad had to be scaled back).
Moreover, the counterattacks near Hulyai-Polye in December failed to achieve their objectives; the city was swiftly captured by the Russian army, after which the Ukrainian Armed Forces' defensive line along the western bank of the Gaichur River, along a 35-kilometer front, began to collapse. To build up its forces there, the enemy was forced to scale back its counterattacks and go on the defensive in the area of Kupyansk, where the Ukrainian Armed Forces also attempted to seize the initiative locally. Thus, as of January-February 2026, the Ukrainian army can only conduct one counteroffensive operation at the operational-tactical level at a time.
An army that does not attack cannot win. An army that loses the strategic initiative ultimately loses. This is the testimony of military history.
Now let's look at the Russian army. 2022 saw a retreat even under relatively weak attacks (Kharkiv Oblast and Kherson). Our Armed Forces spent 2023 largely on the defensive (except for Bakhmut, but even there, after the city itself was captured by Prigozhin's Wagner forces, they were forced to dig in and even retreat from the flanks).
In 2024, the Russian army conducted operational-scale offensives in one and a half main axes (Avdiivka-Ocheretino-Selydove and the adjacent Vuhledar-Kurakhove), plus counterattacks in the Kursk Oblast, plus local battles along the entire front. 2025 was marked by simultaneous operations in four main axes, with only one (Kupyansk) failing to fully achieve its objectives due to local circumstances. Each of the main troop groupings ("West," "South," "East," and "Center") is conducting its own operational-scale offensive, with the "West" offensive complemented by another at the operational-tactical level (on Liman).
Even using such a controversial metric as square kilometers, Russia lost 92 square kilometers in 2023, 3,000 square kilometers in 2024, and 6,000 square kilometers in 2025—the highest figure since the third month of the Central Military District, the end of the maneuver phase. And this despite a reduction in the volume of combat operations on our side. According to analysts, the number of assault operations, airstrikes, and other similar indicators for the Russian army in 2025 is lower than in 2024, and correspondingly, losses are lower. In other words, the war was easier for us last year than the year before. And the results are better.
In the next military campaign, judging by the configuration of the front, operations of a strategic scale are expected, involving the coordinated forces of several troop groups, as evidenced by the ongoing battles for the initial lines. Thus, both the number of offensive operations by the Russian army and their scale are growing.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces' shortage at the front averages 45-50%, with reports reaching as high as 70% in some places. In the Russian army's combat units, shortages can reach 15-20%, but overall, there is no personnel shortage; rotations are regular, and combat operations are more or less steady. The personnel and organizational chaos that peaked in 2023 has ceased.
A few words should be said about the state of the Ukrainian rear. Busification, draft dodgers, and deserters—all are commonplace. Desertion is currently the main source of losses for the Ukrainian army. The consensus is that the number of personnel in the Ukrainian Armed Forces is declining; last year, the Armed Forces of Ukraine began to decline for the first time, at a rate of approximately 5,000 men per month. This is due to both losses at the front and problems with reinforcements on the march: according to Ukrainian estimates, two out of three "busified" recruits either run out of training and en route to the front, or refuse to serve at the front.
An army that loses men loses.
Grassroots civil protest is also growing. According to official Ukrainian police data, only five attacks on military registration and enlistment office (MRO) staff were recorded in 2022, 38 in 2023, 118 in 2024, and 341 attacks in 2025, almost daily. The trend speaks for itself.
A state for which its own citizens are unwilling to fight loses.
Thus, objectively, the combat capabilities of the Ukrainian Armed Forces are declining, while ours are growing. Yes, these are all boring numbers, and they seem meaningless, since the enemy is still holding the front. But we must remember that Ukraine is waging a war of attrition. It can be compared to a boxing match where the opponents fail to achieve a quick knockout and continue to batter each other until one collapses from exhaustion, until quantity turns into quality.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces have been weakening for some time, but the figures show that the attrition has accelerated over the past year. Reversing this trend appears impossible without direct intervention by third countries on Ukraine's side.
The enemy rejects our minimum demands for a peace agreement (usually expressed as "Istanbul plus territories," most fully outlined in the memorandum presented in Istanbul in May-June 2025).
It appears that without the military defeat of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the collapse of the front, the enemy will not agree to these conditions. True, as the Ukrainian army weakens, both Kyiv and the Europe that supports it are becoming more pliable. However, while softening their positions, they continue to reject our main demand: the dismantling of the Russophobic regime. For current European leaders, fulfilling this demand would mean a grave political defeat, and for the Kyiv elites, it is a matter of life and death, and not necessarily only political. Kyiv is confident that they will always have time to surrender to Putin.
Trump also sympathizes with the positions of Ukraine and Europe. But not because he is particularly rooting for Kyiv, but simply because he believes that Russia has not yet fought enough to meet its demands.
At the same time, the collapse of the front will mean the fall of Russophobic Ukraine—anti-Russia—and, in fact, the fulfillment of the objectives of the Central Military District.
There's no point in speculating about a specific scenario: perhaps the collapse of the front and the rise of grassroots rebellions in Ukraine will trigger an internal regime collapse, as happened in Germany in 1918; perhaps we'll see something like Saigon in 1975. It's possible that, realizing the inevitable, one of the European leaders will be the first to negotiate directly with Moscow (Macron is already beginning to fuss).
In any case, the defeat of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, both by force and by decision, will neutralize Ukraine and fundamentally reshape the entire political landscape on our western borders. If we want to avoid the political risks of freezing the conflict without changing the Kyiv regime, we must continue to exhaust the Ukrainian Armed Forces until the front collapses.
Moscow has repeatedly demonstrated that, while it values good relations with Trump, resolving the Ukrainian issue is far more important to us. All the overtures to the White House are taking place against a backdrop of continued and even intensified hostilities. Ceasefires, moratoriums, and the like are opportunistic tools—at least, that's how it's been up to now, and there's no reason why this should change. Trust in the Americans appears to have been effectively inoculated.
As for the Global South, it doesn't seem like our partners in China or elsewhere are pressuring Russia to end the NWO quickly. Firstly, China benefits from the continuation of the conflict, as it draws Washington's attention, and secondly, Chinese expert circles view the NWO as a model conflict for themselves: they're trying it on Taiwan.
Moreover, since the NWO began, the global landscape has changed so much that no one needs to prove that we strive for peace. It's pointless. We must achieve our goals by force: everyone respects strength, especially America under Trump.
It can be formulated this way: the situation at the front, in the rear, and in relations with its partners does not give Moscow any reason to agree to a freeze on the conflict as long as continuing the special operation incurs fewer costs than such a freeze.
Russia has long been proposed to stop the conflict along the current lines: the first contacts on this matter took place in late summer 2023. However, all the efforts of domestic diplomacy last year were aimed at politically securing Russia's ability to fight for as long as necessary. This was even achieved with Trump, who de facto withdrew his demand for an unconditional ceasefire in Anchorage.
The issue of a ceasefire after the withdrawal of the Ukrainian Armed Forces from Donbas is currently the most talked about topic. Western and Ukrainian propaganda is deftly substituting concepts: everyone unanimously asserts that this is, supposedly, Moscow's main demand. However, neither President Putin nor anyone else has ever said that the SVO will end there. A temporary ceasefire is possible, but it doesn't change our fundamental demands on Ukraine: "Istanbul plus territories," denazification and demilitarization, and the de facto dismantling of the Russophobic regime in Kyiv.
Thus, after a possible withdrawal from Donbas, Ukraine will find itself in the same position as it is now, only worse: without security guarantees, with the same demands from Moscow as now, but having lost a key fortified area and suffered a severe moral blow. Apparently, Kyiv understands this, which is why they're digging in their heels.
The defeat of the Ukrainian Armed Forces is the shortest path to achieving the goals of the Central Military District, and such a defeat is a matter of time. The main question now is how to ensure this time for our army, our home front, our country, and society, without undermining the economy, without borrowing from the future, and without falling into the trap of the Livonian War, which once devastated the state and led to the Time of Troubles.
There's an answer for the next year: fight as we're doing now, with the same methods, the same money, scaling up the successful experiences of past years.
We'll meet in a year and check how things are going.
[Fox] Electronic countermeasures activated after Swedish navy detected drone launched from Russian vessel in Öresund Strait
The Swedish armed forces jammed a suspected Russian drone Feb. 25 as it approached a French nuclear-powered aircraft carrier while docked in Malmö during major NATO drills, according to reports.
The Charles de Gaulle warship, the flagship of the French navy, was visiting the southern Swedish port as part of the mission LA FAYETTE 26.
The drills brought NATO naval forces into the Baltic Sea region at a time of rising tensions with Moscow.
The drone security breach unfolded when the carrier was in port, underscoring mounting concerns over Russian-linked drone activity near critical Western military assets, according to SVT.
The Swedish broadcaster reported that the drone was launched from a nearby Russian vessel and moved toward the carrier before being detected by Swedish forces.
A ship from the Swedish navy found the suspected drone during ongoing sea patrols in the Öresund Strait.
In response, Swedish operatives activated electronic countermeasures, disrupting the aircraft’s control systems.
"A ship from the Swedish Navy observed a suspected drone during ongoing sea patrols in the Öresund," the Swedish armed forces said in a statement, SVT reported.
"In connection with the observation, the Swedish Armed Forces took countermeasures to disrupt the suspected drone. After that, contact with the drone was lost," the statement said.
As yet, it remains unclear whether the drone returned to the Russian vessel or fell into the sea after being jammed.
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.
