Russo-Ukrainian war, day 1462: Russia’s war against Ukraine enters year five

Western sanctions failed so completely that Russia just pitched Washington $12 trillion. The "Dmitriev package" proposes to formalize what the West never stopped providing.

Drones, robots, and a race to adapt: what Ukraine's fifth year of war will look like. Here are the battles — technological, industrial, and institutional — that may decide the war in 2026

Frontline in Ukraine reduced to "robotic kill zone," Zaluzhnyi says. Robots now conduct assaults as the number of troops physically able to operate in the combat zone keeps shrinking, Ukraine's former commander-in-chief said.

Russia wants 428 tanks a year by 2028. Its "second factory" is taking them apart instead.. There are reasons to believe Russia doesn't have two factories producing new tanks. It has just one.

How Ukraine's economy survived four years of war—and what it cost. 10 million missing people, every power plant hit, and a €90 billion lifeline held hostage by Hungary.

Ukraine learned four things in four years of war. You won't like any of them.. We know because we lived it.

"What broke your heart in service?" Ukrainian soldiers answer on war's fourth anniversary. A wounded man shot himself during an assault. The reason and his last words will stay with his unit forever.

Military

Ukraine marks invasion anniversary with ATACMS strikes on Russian command and supply lines (MAP). General Staff reports coordinated hits on command post, ammunition depots, and maintenance facilities across Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia Oblasts.

"Kyiv in three days" failed. Russia won't succeed through deception either — Ukrainian commander on war anniversary. "If we abandon Donbas today, what guarantees we won't be forced to abandon Kharkiv, Odesa tomorrow?" Commander's question on anniversary.

80% of Ukraine has no defense against Russian ballistic missiles, Zelenskyy says. Each system costs up to $2 billion, with interceptor missiles at $3 million apiece.

Close the sky, drain the oil: Defense minister spells out how Ukraine plans to force Russia into peace. Ukraine's Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov published what he called the ministry's "war plan" — a three-goal strategy targeting Russia's air attacks, ground offensive, and oil revenues — saying President Zelenskyy tasked the ministry with "forcing the enemy into peace" through stronger defense, not diplomacy alone.

Intelligence and technology

Tanks hide, evacuations take days, and drones cause 80% of casualties: how Ukraine's war transformed in 4 years – Reuters. Drone-inflicted casualties surged from under 10% to 80%, rewriting the rules of ground warfare.

International

Russia removes giant "victory will be ours" propaganda banner from Seoul embassy after South Korean backlash. Meanwhile, South Korean activists confront the Russian embassy on war anniversary.

F-16s, tanks, air defense, artillery — now €33 million for training: Ukraine and Denmark launch joint defense project. Denmark's next investment in Ukraine isn't weapons but keeping soldiers alive through better training.

EU leaders rally in Kyiv as Hungary and Slovakia sabotage support for Ukraine from within. Orbán blocks a €90 billion loan and sanctions. Fico orders an electricity halt. Allies sanction the pipeline that both men fight over.

Brussels shines Ukrainian colors on buildings as EU marks four years of Russia's full-scale war. Von der Leyen, Zelenskyy call for stronger EU-Ukraine ties on invasion anniversary.

EU High Representative: If the US wants peace, it should put pressure on Russia, not Ukraine. Exactly four years after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the EU's top diplomat Kaja Kallas said Washington's yearlong push to force Kyiv into concessions has failed and called on Trump to apply pressure on Russia instead.

"Let's be realistic": Macron doubts short-term peace in Ukraine, calls for more sanctions. French President Emmanuel Macron told a "coalition of the willing" meeting that he sees no short-term path to peace because Russia shows no willingness to negotiate.

UK and Australia impose largest sanctions packages against Russia since 2022, targeting oil giant Transneft and shadow fleet. Australia lowered its Russian oil price cap from $47.60 to $44.10 per barrel and sanctioned 180 entities across six sectors, while the UK designated nearly 300 targets including nine banks and Russia's largest oil pipeline company.

Japan puts $20B behind in aid as it renews Ukraine support pledge on war's 4th anniversary.

Britain pledges $27 mn for Ukraine's energy grid as war enters fifth year. Britain announced allocating $27 million for emergency energy repairs, $7.7 million for frontline communities, and $40 million for societal resilience and war crimes accountability.

Zelenskyy accuses Russia of "playing games" with Trump — and names the one thing that would actually hurt Putin. It's not battlefield weapons. It's cutting Moscow's revenues funding Russia's war machine, he told FT.

"We will not back down": EU leaders arrive in Kyiv on fourth anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen arrived in Kyiv for the tenth time since the start of the war on 24 Febr., joined by European Council President António Costa and leaders of nine countries, to mark the fourth anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion.

Humanitarian and social impact

Ukraine's war losses hit $1.7 trillion — three times its prewar GDP. Trade losses of $696.3 billion, industrial losses of $645.6 billion, and $81.9 billion wiped from agriculture: a new KSE Institute assessment puts Ukraine's total economic damage at $1.7 trillion in lost revenue since Russia's full-scale invasion began.

Political and legal developments

Medvedev threatens to invade Europe "without visas" as EU moves to ban Russian war criminals' travel. Kremlin official invokes Napoleon's defeat and WWII Soviet advance in response to proposed Schengen restrictions.

Russia promises more war on fourth anniversary of its aggression: Kremlin says it hasn't achieved its war goals — and "will go further" in Ukraine. Peskov claimed Moscow hopes for "diplomatic means" while confirming no negotiations are scheduled.

Read our earlier daily review here.