Russia's new offensive

What is happening in the hottest areas of the front?

After the fall of Avdiivka, Russian forces have escalated their offensives across the entire front line.

The Russian occupiers are conducting a series of offensives in various directions, including Bakhmut, Lyman, Kupiansk, and Zaporizhzhia.

In the Bakhmut direction, the occupiers' offensive continues north and east of Ivanivka, led by the 217th Airborne Assault Regiment of the 98th Airborne Assault Division and the 102nd Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 150th Motorized Rifle Division of the 8th Combined Arms Army. Russians attempt storming actions west of Klishchiivka by the forces of the 1008th Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 6th Motorized Rifle Division of the 3rd Army Corps and to the east of Andriivka by the forces of the 1194th Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 6th Motorized Rifle Division of the 3rd Army Corps.

In the Lyman direction, the enemy is pressing southeast of Vyimka with the forces of the 51st Airborne Assault Regiment of the 106th Separate Airborne Division. They have intensified storming actions east of Yampolivka with the forces of the 31st and 37th Motorized Rifle Regiments, the 19th Tank Regiment of the 67th Motorized Rifle Division of the 25th Combined Arms Army. Pressure has continued east of Terny with the forces of the 283rd and 488th Motorized Rifle Regiments of the 144th Motorized Rifle Division of the 20th Combined Arms Army.

In the Kupyansk direction, the Russians continue their offensive actions northwest of Synkivka with the forces of the 25th and 138th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigades of the 6th Combined Arms Army and east of Ivanivka with the forces of the 7th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 11th Army Corps.

Occupiers have also intensified their activities in the Zaporizhzhia region. The consolidation of the Operational Groups "Dnipro" and "Zaporizhzhia" into a single Operational Group "Dnipro" now has almost 130,000 personnel, with a substantial mechanized resource.

"The leadership of the Russian Armed Forces, emboldened by the capture of Avdiivka, seeks not only to demonstrate their capacity for offensive but also to capitalize on the window of opportunity created by the acute shortage of ammunition faced by the Ukrainian Special Operations Forces. Considering the volume of shots fired by Ukrainian artillery per day, it can be considered that we are now fighting without artillery," explains military-political observer Oleksandr Kovalenko.

The expert notes that instead of an operational pause, which was logically expected after the capture of Avdiivka, the occupying command has chosen to maximize effort from its units while the opportunity exists. Despite the severe limitation in choosing a different tactic, there's a focus on inflicting significant casualties on the enemy without rigidly adhering to positions.

Pilot who surrendered Russian helicopter to Ukraine found shot dead in Spain

Russian pilot Maxim Kuzminov, known for transferring a Russian Mi-8 helicopter to Ukraine in the summer of 2023, has been found dead in Spain.

According to a source in Ukraine's Defence Intelligence (DIU), Kuzminov had decided to move to Spain and, as per information available, invited his ex to his place where he was later found dead.

The source also mentioned that a burnt-out car was discovered nearby, suggesting that those who killed Kuzminov were fleeing the scene.

The press service of DIU confirmed the fact of Kuzminov's death.

Maxim Kuzminov gained attention in August 2023 when a Russian Mi-8 helicopter ended up in Ukraine as a result of a special operation. Kuzminov, the 28-year-old pilot, received a reward of $500,000 in hryvnia equivalent. Following the incident, the Russian side had issued threats against Kuzminov.

According to a source in Ukraine's Defence Intelligence (DIU), Kuzminov had decided to move to Spain and, as per the information available, invited his ex to his place, where he was later found dead.

Ukraine shoots down 2 Russian fighter jets

On the morning of February 19, Ukraine's Air Force reported shooting down two Russian fighter jets—a Su-34 and a Su-35S. This incident follows a recent series of downed Russian planes, including a Beriev A-50 military observation plane in January and three fighter jets (two Su-34s and a Su-35) on February 17. The Su-35 is a single-seater aircraft, while the Su-34 is a two-seater. According to the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces, Russia has lost over 330 planes since the full-scale invasion began on February 24, 2022. The increase in aircraft losses may be prompting changes in Russia's aerial strategy, leading to a reduction in the number of sorties flown by the Russian Air Force, as suggested by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) in December 2023.