Russo-Ukrainian war, day 733: Ukraine withdraws from Lastochkyne near Avdiivka

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Ukraine Talks, ep. 3. Trump’s VP shortlist: bad news for Ukraine?. The third episode of Ukraine Talks focuses on the race for the next NATO chief, Donald Trump’s vice presidential picks, and China’s stance on Ukraine-Russia war.

WWI and WWII firearm relics still used in Russo-Ukrainian war. Relics from World War I and II, including Maxim machine guns and Mosin rifles, have resurfaced in the Russo-Ukrainian war. Discover the 12 antiquated firearms still in use on the Ukrainian frontlines.

Military

Ukraine’s military: Ukraine withdraws from Lastochkyne, digs in defenses further west. Ukraine has withdrawn its forces from the village of Lastochkyne in the Donetsk Oblast, moving west to prepared defensive positions, a military spokesman said on 26 Feb. The retreat comes after days of heavy Russian bombardment. Frontline report: Why Kupiansk matters, Russia’s next major offensive target. Russia has launched major operations around Kupiansk, a key railway hub, to support efforts to capture the entirety of the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts, and necessary for attacking Kharkiv Czech president approves 20 Czechs for service in Ukraine Forces. Czech President Petr Pavel has approved 20 of 76 Czech applicants seeking to join the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Since Russia's full-scale invasion, Czech issued 132 permissions for its citizens to enlist in Ukraine’s military. Germany sends artillery shells, mine-clearing vehicles to Ukraine. According to the list on the German government's website, Ukraine recently received 14,000 155mm caliber ammunition from Bundeswehr reserves. As of 26 Feb 2024, the approximate losses of weapons and military equipment of the Russian Armed Forces from the beginning of the invasion to the present day:

• • • Personnel: 410700 (+880)
    • Tanks: 6555 (+13)
    • APV: 12478 (+37)
    • Artillery systems: 9993 (+12)
    • MLRS: 1000 (+1)
    • Anti-aircraft systems: 686 (+2)
    • Aircraft: 340
    • Helicopters: 325
    • UAV: 7707 (+26)
    • Cruise missiles : 1910 (+3)
    • Warships/boats: 25
    • Submarines: 1
    • Vehicles and fuel tanks: 13037 (+26)

Intelligence and technology

Minister: Ukraine matches Russia in production of Shahed drone analog. According to Ukraine’s Minister for Strategic Industries, Ukraine is producing analogs of the Shahed drones, including models 131 and 136, with capabilities similar to the Iranian-designed UAVs. Intelligence Deputy Chief: Russia aims to manufacture 2.7 million artillery shells in 2024. As Russia aims to increase shell production to 2.7 million in 2024 from 2 million in 2023, Ukraine faces severe ammunition shortages which affects Ukrainian army's capabilities on the front line

International

Zelenskyy addresses EU, US officials at summit on support for Ukraine in Paris. “We have to prove that we can deprive Russia of its air supremacy, its financing of aggression, and its political power. This is a task for the year,” the President of Ukraine said. Ukraine, Norway begin talks on bilateral security agreements. "Norway is our key partner in Northern Europe, one of the leaders of the coalition of fighter jets that has been supporting Ukraine since the beginning of the full-scale invasion," Ihor Zhovkva said. Ukraine calls on FATF to impose stronger measures on Russia amid escalating threats to global financial system. The Financial Action Task Force (FATF), addressing Russia’s risks to the global financial system, expressed concerns about Moscow’s increasing financial ties with countries facing FATF countermeasures, as well as proliferation financing risks and malicious cyber activities, including ransomware attacks. Bulgarian Prime Minister visits Kyiv, meets Zelenskyy. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed Bulgarian Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov in Kyiv, emphasizing the importance of regional security and economic cooperation. Bloomberg: Russia buys tens of millions in banned technologies from EU. Around €450 million worth of high-priority items reached Russia in the first nine months of the last year, as per Bloomberg.

Humanitarian and social impact

Ukraine destroys 9 drones, 3 guided missiles overnight over Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk oblasts. The Russian night attack killed a couple in Sumy Oblast, injured at least 4 people in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, and damaged residential buildings, an enterprise, cars

Political and legal developments

Center for Countering Disinformation: Russia spreads fake threats to Hungarians in Ukraine. Ethnic Hungarians in Ukraine have received fake text threats allegedly from "Ukrainian nationalists" calling on them to "get out of Ukraine." However, the accounts use codes of mobile operators from Kazakhstan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Kyrgyzstan. Latvia bans Russian grain, calls EU to do same measures. Citing the need to stop "Russia's war machine," Latvia's farm minister is demanding the EU replace grain and food imports from Russia with Ukrainian goods and put sanctions on Russian grain & foodstuffs.

New developments

Ukraine launches “Made in Ukraine” economic platform to bolster business-government dialogue. President Zelenskyy highlighted the importance of domestically produced goods, services, and exports to provide Ukraine with "all the necessary resources for its victory." NYT: “12 secret spy bases” in Ukraine show depth of CIA support. The New York Times has revealed the CIA's covert support for Ukraine, secretly training and equipping intelligence officers over 8 years and constructing 12 bases along the Russian border. Read our earlier daily review here.