19 February. Russian forces concentrated offensive operations, inter alia, along the Kupiansk, Lyman, Bakhmut and Avdiivka axes. Ukrainian troops repelled attacks in the areas of Hrianykivka in Kharkiv Oblast, Bilohorivka in Luhansk Oblast, as well as Bakhmut and Ivanivske in Donetsk Oblast.

Within 24 hours, Russia conducted ten missile strikes, 25 air strikes and 62 rocket-artillery attacks, hitting civilian objects in Luhansk, Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia oblasts. Civilian casualties, including fatalities and injuries, were reported.

The General Staff reported an escalation of repression against civilians in occupied territories. In Kherson Oblast, Russian forces established makeshift detention facilities for Ukrainian citizens suspected of cooperating with Ukrainian authorities or expressing pro-Ukrainian views. As a result of shelling of the village of Burhunka in the Beryslav district, three civilians were killed and five wounded.

On the international stage, Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas stated that Russia was expending in a single day as much artillery ammunition as Europe was capable of producing in an entire month. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken reported that China was considering the possibility of supplying arms to Russia. At the same time, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg rejected Ukraine’s requests for the transfer of cluster and phosphorus munitions.

20 February. The Ukrainian General Staff reported that Russian offensive actions continued to focus on the Kupiansk, Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiivka and Shakhtarsk directions. Over the course of the day, Russia carried out six missile strikes, 28 air strikes against civilian infrastructure, and 86 rocket-artillery attacks, destroying residential buildings, schools and shops. The General Staff confirmed the continuation of forced “passportisation” of the population in occupied areas of Donetsk Oblast.

An unannounced visit by U.S. President Joe Biden to Kyiv took place, during which he met with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Further military and financial assistance for Ukraine was announced, along with new sanctions against Russia. The United States unveiled a military aid package worth approximately USD 500 million, including ammunition for HIMARS systems, artillery shells, Javelin anti-tank systems, and Bradley infantry fighting vehicles.

A spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs denied allegations of arms sales to Russia; however, EU representatives warned Beijing against crossing a “red line.” Japan, for its part, announced a support package for Ukraine valued at USD 5.5 billion.

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) assessed that Ukraine could regain the initiative in 2023 provided Western military assistance was delivered swiftly. Russia’s Ministry of Defence announced the formal integration of the armed formations of the so-called DPR and LPR into the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.

21 February. Russian shelling of Kherson killed five civilians and wounded sixteen others. According to the Ukrainian General Staff, Russian forces continued attacks along the main operational axes, but Ukrainian troops successfully repelled them. In occupied areas of Kherson Oblast, measures compelling the population to accept Russian passports intensified.

On the same day, Russian President Vladimir Putin delivered an address to the Federal Assembly, announcing the suspension of Russia’s participation in the New START Treaty. Simultaneously, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs declared that Russia would continue to observe strategic limits. U.S. President Joe Biden delivered a speech in Warsaw, reaffirming the West’s enduring support for Ukraine.

Investigative media revealed documents indicating a long-term Russian plan aimed at establishing full control over Belarus by 2030.

22 February. Russia carried out ten missile strikes, 19 air strikes and 37 artillery attacks, targeting civilian infrastructure. ISW assessed that Russia lacked sufficient resources to conduct new large-scale offensive operations. In Warsaw, a meeting of the Bucharest Nine took place with the participation of the U.S. President, the President of Moldova, and the NATO Secretary General. At the same time, President Putin annulled a decree partially recognising Moldova’s sovereignty over Transnistria.

23 February. Russian forces continued intensive attacks along the entire front, concentrating on the Kupiansk, Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiivka and Shakhtarsk directions. The Ukrainian General Staff reported the continuation of covert mobilisation in Russia, particularly in the Caucasus regions, as well as the cutting of internet access in occupied areas of Luhansk Oblast. ISW and Ukrainian authorities warned of possible Russian provocations in Transnistria that could be used to destabilise Moldova and draw Belarus into the war.

The UK Ministry of Defence assessed that Russia was waging a long-term war of attrition, relying on demographic and resource advantages. German analytical centres pointed to the full transformation of the Russian economy into a war economy. The United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution calling for a just and lasting peace in Ukraine, supported by a clear majority of UN member states.

Illustrative photo generated by AI