Monday, February 26

Russia’s war against Ukraine

President Volodymyr Zelensky attends a press conference during the “Ukraine Year 2024” forum in Kyiv on Feb. 25, 2024, marking the second anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (Sergei Supinsky / AFP)

Zelensky: 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers killed in Russia’s war. Around 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been recorded as killed by Russia’s war, President Volodymyr Zelensky said at the “Ukraine. Year 2024” forum in Kyiv on Feb. 25.

Ombudsman: 28,000 Ukrainian citizens in Russian captivity. The captives are spread across Russia and the occupied territories, according to Ukraine’s Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets. Many are religious figures, journalists, NGO workers, and representatives from local governments, he said.

Kuleba: ‘Ukraine fatigue’ is not based on evidence. The narrative about ‘Ukraine fatigue’ is not based on evidence, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba told the Kyiv Independent at the “Ukraine. Year 2024” forum on Feb. 25.

Yermak: Ukraine could invite Russia to global peace summit in future. Ukraine could invite representatives from Russia to a future peace summit if an upcoming meeting of global leaders in Switzerland proves successful, Andriy Yermak, Ukraine’s Presidential Office head, said at the “Ukraine. Year 2024” forum on Feb. 25.

Russian attack destroys Kostiantynivka Central Station in Donetsk Oblast. A Russian overnight attack completely destroyed the Kostiantynivka Central Station in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine’s state-owned railway company Ukrzaliznytsia reported on Feb. 25.

Zelensky: Russia preparing offensive for early summer. Russia is preparing to launch an offensive in Ukraine in spring or the start of the summer, President Volodymyr Zelensky said at the “Ukraine. Year 2024” forum in Kyiv on Feb. 25.

Deputy Commander: Ukraine not trying to replace artillery with drones. Ukraine is not trying to replace artillery with drones on the battlefield, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Ukraine’s Armed Forces Vadym Sukharevskyi said on Feb. 25.

Kamyshin: Ukraine’s capabilities for 2024 are 6 times higher than 2023. Ukraine’s capabilities for 2024 are six times higher than they were in 2023, Strategic Industries Minister Oleksandr Kamyshin said at the “Ukraine. Year 2024.” forum in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Feb. 25.

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Viktor Pavlushchyk becomes head of National Agency on Corruption Prevention.

Ukraine’s National Agency on Corruption Prevention (NACP) announced on Feb. 25 that it selected Viktor Pavlushchyk as the organization’s new head.

Budanov: Transnistria not planning to appeal to join Russia. Concerns arose after the Institute for the Study of War issued a warning on Feb. 22 that Transnistria was possibly planning to organize a referendum on its annexation to Russia at an announced Transnistrian Congress of Deputies planned for Feb. 28.

Fedorov: Ukraine to produce 1 million drones per year. Ukraine will reach its goal of producing 1 million drones per year, Digital Transformations Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said at the “Ukraine. Year 2024” forum on Feb. 25.

Syrskyi, Umerov visit front line, announce reinforcements. Commander-in-Chief of Ukraine’s Armed Forces Oleksandr Syrskyi and Defense Minister Rustem Umerov announced the reinforcement of some sections of the front line during a visit to the front.

Umerov: ‘Corruption during war is worse than terrorism.’ “Corruption during war is worse for me than terrorism. There will be no negotiations with those who steal from our soldiers and our society,” Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said, as quoted by a Kyiv Independent reporter.

Budanov: Russia’s goals for 2024 same as previous two years. Ukraine’s military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov said that Russia’s goal is still to destroy Ukrainian statehood and reach the administrative border of Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts to “keep what they already have,“ but that they “have been unable to do (so) by military means.”

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Ukraine war latest: 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers, 180,000 Russians killed in war, says Zelensky

Around 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been recorded as killed by Russia’s war, President Volodymyr Zelensky said at the “Ukraine. Year 2024” forum in Kyiv on Feb. 25. The announcement is the first time Zelensky has publicly stated a figure on the death toll of Ukrainian soldiers since the start of the full-scale invasion.

Photo: Paula Bronstein /Getty Images

Russia’s descent into totalitarianism: How it happened

As the full-scale invasion enters its third year, both the violence in Ukraine and repression back at home has become normalized to many Russians.

While opposition activists in Russia are jailed, the country’s silent majority keep their heads down and try to maintain a bubble of normality, ignoring atrocities at home and abroad.

Photo: Alexander Nemenov/AFP via Getty Images

Human cost of war

Prosecutor’s Office investigates Russian execution of 7 Ukrainian POWs. Law enforcement opened an investigation into Russian troops executing seven Ukrainian soldiers who surrendered as prisoners of war (POWs) in Donetsk Oblast, the Prosecutor General’s Office reported on Feb. 25.

Governor: At least 4 injured in Russian attack on Dnipro. Russian forces attacked Dnipro and Dnipropetrovsk Oblast with cruise missiles and drones on Feb. 25, injuring at least four people, Governor Serhii Lysak reported.

Governor: Russian attacks kill 2 civilians in Kherson Oblast. Russian forces attacked the village of Tiahynka in Kherson Oblast, killing two people, according to Governor Oleksandr Prokudin on Feb. 25.

Ombudsman: Russian troops executed at least 7 Ukrainian POWs near Bakhmut. Russian troops killed at least seven Ukrainian soldiers who surrendered as prisoners of war (POW) near Bakhmut in Donetsk Oblast on Feb. 24, Ukraine’s Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets reported.

Man killed in Nikopol after Russian drone drops explosives on truck. Russia dropped explosives from unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) directly on the truck, killing a 57-year-old, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Governor Serhii Lysak wrote on Facebook.

General Staff: Russia has lost 409,820 troops in Ukraine since Feb 24, 2022. This number includes 810 casualties Russian forces suffered just over the past day.

International response

Bloomberg: Biden to meet with House speaker. U.S. President Joe Biden will meet with Congressional leadership, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, at the White House on Feb. 27 to discuss a funding bill for Ukraine’s security needs, Bloomberg reported on Feb. 25.

King Charles: Ukraine is facing ‘indescribable aggression.’ King Charles III issued a statement in support of Ukraine to mark the second anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion, saying Ukraine is facing “indescribable aggression.”

Russia’s war against Ukraine, in 5 minutes

In other news

Trump wins South Carolina primary. Former U.S. President Donald Trump won South Carolina’s primary, where Republicans voted for their preferred presidential candidate, results showed on Feb. 25.

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Today’s Ukraine Daily was brought to you by Alexander Khrebet, Teah Pelechaty, Francis Farrell, Dominic Culverwell, Lili Bivings, Daria Shulzhenko, and Rachel Amran.

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