"Russia injured at least fifteen people in overnight and morning attacks across Ukraine after launching missiles and drones at civilian targets, as peace talks between the two sides go nowhere.
The main target was Odesa Oblast, where two people were injured after drones tore into houses and a four-storey apartment block, the emergency services reported. The attack also damaged energy infrastructure and a warehouse, as well as the second floor of a school." KI
"The Votkinsk Machine Building Plant — a key missile production hub in Russia's UdmurtRepublic — was struck during a drone and missile attack late in the evening of Feb. 20, according to local eyewitnesses and Telegram monitoring channels.
The Votkinsk Plant is a strategic, state-owned defense enterprise and one of the most important missile factories in Russia. It produces short-range Iskander-M ballistic missiles — used frequently in attacks against Ukraine — and intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), capable of carrying nuclear warheads as far as the United States.
It is also suspected that the plant produces Russia's new Oreshnik ICBM.
According to independent Russian Telegram news channel Astra, at least 11 people were reported injured as a result of the attack." KI
"A strong magnitude 5.4 earthquake occurred in the South Pacific Ocean 475 km (295 mi)
from Vanuatu in the early morning at 1.57 am local time (GMT +11). The quake had a great depth of 609 km (378 mi) and was not felt (or at least not reported so)." VD
"A strong magnitude 5.7 earthquake occurred in the Bismarck Sea near the coast of Madang
Province, Papua New Guinea, in the afternoon at 4.18 pm local time (Pacific/Port Moresby GMT +10). The quake had a moderate depth of 72 km (44 mi) and was felt by many near the epicenter." VD
"The European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) reported a magnitude 5.7 quake in Afghanistan near Bazarak, Bazarak District, Panjshir, only 11 minutes ago. The earthquake hit in the afternoon, at 5:09 pm local time at an intermediate depth of 87. km. The exact magnitude, epicenter, and depth of the quake might be revised within the next few hours or minutes as seismologists review data and refine their calculations, or as other agencies issue their report. A second report was later issued by the citizen-seismograph network of RaspberryShake, which listed it as a magnitude 5.7 earthquake as well.
Based on the preliminary seismic data, the quake was probably felt by many people in the area of the epicenter. It should not have caused significant damage, other than objects falling from shelves, broken windows, etc.
In Bazarak (pop. 65,000) located 42 km from the epicenter, the quake should have been felt as light shaking.
Weak shaking might have been felt in Jabal Saraj (pop. 15,000) located 75 km from the epicenter, Nahrin (pop. 22,400) 81 km away, Charikar (pop. 53,700) 88 km away, Pul-e Khumri (pop. 56,400) 107 km away, Baghlan (pop. 108,400) 117 km away, Kabul (pop. 4,434,600) 133 km away, and Jalalabad (pop. 271,900) 142 km away." VD
"175 combat clashes between the Ukrainian Armed Forces and Russian invaders were recorded on the front line.
The Russian army struck with guided bombs on Velykomykhailivka and Pysanky in the Dnipropetrovsk region, Verkhnia Tersa, Zaliznychne, Hirke, Huliaipilske, Charivne, Liubytske, Lisne, Vozdvyzhivka, Kopani, Komyshuvakha, and Yuliivka in the Zaporizhzhia region, and Kozatske in the Kherson region.
The Rocket Forces and Artillery of the Defense Forces struck seven areas where personnel were concentrated, an artillery system, three command posts, and an ammunition depot belonging to the Russian invaders.Three combat engagements took place in the Northern Slobozhanshchyna and Kursk sectors. The enemy carried out five air strikes, dropping six guided bombs, and carried out 72 shellings, two of which were with MLRS.
In the Southern Slobozhanshchyna sector, the Russians launched four assaults in the areas of Starytsia, Lyman, Vovchanski Khutory, and Kruhle.
Eight enemy attacks took place in the Kupiansk sector. Defense Forces repelled assaults in the area of Pishchane and toward Novoosynove and Kurylivka.
In the Lyman sector, the invaders attacked 10 times, trying to advance in the Zarichne area and toward Drobysheve, Lyman, and Stavky.
In the Sloviansk sector, the Defense Forces repelled 10 Russian attempts to advance in the areas of Yampil, Zakitne, Platonivka, and toward Rai-Oleksandrivka and Ozerne.
The enemy did not conduct any offensive operations in the Kramatorsk sector.
In the Kostiantynivka sector, Russian troops carried out 26 attacks in the areas of Pleshchiivka, Rusyn Yar, Sofiivka, and toward Kostyantynivka, Ivanopillia, Berestok, Novopavlivka, Illinivka, and Stepanivka.
In the Pokrovsk sector, Ukrainian defenders repelled 39 Russian assaults and offensive actions in the areas of Rodynske, Myrnohrad, Pokrovsk, Kotlyne, Udachne, Molodetske, Muravka, and Novomykolaivka, as well as toward Novooleksandrivka, Kucheriv Yar, Serhiivka, and Novopavlivka.
In the Oleksandrivka sector, the enemy attacked three times in the Stepove area.
In the Huliaipole sector, the Russian army made 18 attempts to advance in the areas of Huliaipole, Zahirne, and toward Varvarivka, Olenokostiantynivka, Zaliznychne, and Sviatopetrivka.
In the Orikhiv sector, the enemy attacked three times in the areas of Stepove, Mali Shcherbaky, and Stepnohirsk." Ukrin
"Air Defense Forces destroyed 107 of 128 drones used by Russians to attack Ukraine since the evening. Air Defense Forces shot down/jammed 107 Shahed, Gerbera, Italmas, and other types of drones in the north, south, and east of the country." Ukrin
"A strong magnitude 5.1 earthquake occurred in the North Atlantic Ocean 154 km (96 mi)from Puerto Rico in the morning at 10.18 am local time (GMT -4). The quake had a very shallow depth of 34 km (21 mi) and was felt by many near the epicenter. The shallow depth of the quake caused it to be felt more strongly near the epicenter than a deeper quake of similar magnitude would." VD
"Russian aviation targeted settlements including Ivanivka, Havrylivka, Malomykhailivka, Kolomiitsi, Velykomykhailivka, Pokrovske, Oleksandrivka in the Dnipropetrovsk region; Andriivka-Klevtsove in the Donetsk region; Verkhnia Tersa, Lisne, Liubytske, Huliaipole, Vozdvyzhivka, Zaliznychne, Dolynka, Hirke, Kopani in the Zaporizhzhia region.
Over the past day, Ukrainian aviation struck two clusters of enemy personnel and another important target.In the Northern Slobozhanshchyna and Kursk sectors, there were 12 engagements; the enemy conducted two airstrikes, dropped four bombs, and carried out 81 artillery strikes, including three using MLRS.
In the Southern Slobozhanshchyna sector, Russian forces attempted 12 breakthroughs toward Ukrainian positions near Veterinarne, Zelene, Starytsia, Vovchansk, Vilcha, and toward Okhrimivka, Zarubynka, Chuhunivka.
In the Kupiansk sector, four attacks occurred near Kindrashivka, Petropavlivka, Kurylivka, Novoosynove.
In the Lyman sector, Russians launched 13 attacks, including attempts to breach defenses near Shandryholove and toward Novyi Myr, Stavky, Drobysheve, Lyman.
In the Sloviansk sector, 12 enemy advance attempts were blocked near Ozerne, Dronivka, Zakitne, Zvanivka, Riznykivka, and toward Rai-Oleksandrivka.
In the Kramatorsk sector, the enemy carried out three offensive actions near Orikhovo-Vasylivka, Fedorivka, and Vasiukivka.
In the Kostiantynivka sector, Russian forces launched 19 attacks near Rusyn Yar, Sofiivka, Pleshchiivka, Stepanivka, and toward Kostiantynivka, Illinivka, Novopavlivka, Berestok.
In the Pokrovsk sector, Ukrainian forces repelled 37 attacks near Rodynske, Zatyshok, Kotlyne, Udachne, Molodetske, Muravka, Novomykolaivka, Filiia, and toward Novopavlivka.
In the Oleksandrivka sector, there were 14 enemy attacks near Sosnivka, Zlahoda, and toward Dobropillia, Andriivka-Klevtsove.
In the Huliaipole sector, 29 enemy attacks toward Staroukrainka, Zaliznychne, Zelene, Sviatopetrivka, and toward Huliaipole were repelled.
In the Prydniprovske sector, there was one unsuccessful enemy offensive action." Ukrin
"President Trump is all over the place - his intentions ever more difficult to interpret - at amoment the media has highlighted Iraq war levels of military build-up in the Middle East with an eye on potential attack on Iran.
"Now we may have to take it a step further, or we may not," Trump added later. Then he set somewhat of a timeline, "You’re going to be finding out over the next, probably, 10 days."
At this moment the Trump-assembled armada threatening Iran includes two aircraft carriers, a dozen warships, hundreds of jets, and advanced air defenses. Over 150 US military cargo flights have delivered weapons to the Middle East this month, with a surge of aircraft still headed to the region." ZeroHedge
"A 28-year-old Brazilian recruit died after a brutal punishment handed out in a unit that regularly used discipline practices described as "torture" by those who both witnessed and suffered them, a Kyiv Independent investigation can reveal.
The man, Bruno Gabriel Leal da Silva, died overnight Dec. 28-29, 2025, according to former fellow fighters who spoke to the Kyiv Independent on condition of anonymity because they feared retaliation.The unit in question is a Brazilian-led formation called Advanced Company, led by the Brazilian Leanderson Paulino who is accused by several of those serving under him of overseeing — and in some cases taking part in — the abuse of his subordinates.
"It was a battalion that tortured people. Abuse there was normal," one former soldier said.
Witnesses and victims interviewed by the Kyiv Independent described torture including burnings, beatings, waterboarding, and even sexual assault with wooden objects.
Advanced operates under Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) as an approximately 150-200-strong unit within Revanche, commanded by Bohdan Khodakovskyi, part of HUR's International Legion led by Maj. Vadym Popyk.
Ukrainian officials have acknowledged Leal da Silva's death and say they are investigating. Prosecutors said police have opened a pre-trial investigation after his body was found on the territory of a military unit in Kyiv, while the military ombudsman said her office has ordered an inspection of Advanced." KI
"Vladimir Zelensky has said he would refuse to discuss the historical issues underpinning the Ukraine conflict during any potential meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.During an interview with Piers Morgan on Wednesday, Zelensky said he did not want to hear about Putin’s rationale. “With respect to history, I don’t want to lose time on these issues,” he said. “It’s not even interesting for me why he began this war. I don’t want to speak about it because I don’t have the time,” Zelensky added.
The Ukrainian leader then went on a profanity-laden tirade, saying: “I don’t need to waste time on historic issues, reasons why he began [the war], all the bulls**t he is raising with the Americans, et cetera. To end this war and to [find a] diplomatic way, I don’t need all this historical s**t, really.” Ukrin
"A strong magnitude 5.5 earthquake occurred in the Celebes Sea near the coast of Sulawesi
Tengah, Indonesia, in the morning at 8.26 am local time (GMT +8). The depth of the quake could not be determined, but is assumed to be shallow.
The quake was not felt (or at least not reported so)." VD
"237 combat encounters between the Armed Forces of Ukraine and Russian invaders were recorded.
In the Northern Slobozhanshchyna and Kursk sectors, two clashes occurred. The enemy carried out 139 artillery strikes, including 11 from MLRS. The Russian army also carried out two airstrikes using five guided bombs.
In the Southern Slobozhanshchyna sector, the enemy attempted four times to break through defensive lines in the areas of Vilcha, Fyholivka, Zelene, and Zarubynka.
In the Kupiansk sector, the invaders attacked twice near Kurylivka.In the Lyman sector, the Russian army attacked eight times, trying to penetrate defenses near Tverdokhlibove, Ridkodub, Drobysheve, Stavky, and Zarichne.
In the Sloviansk sector, the Defense Forces stopped eight attempts by the invaders to advance toward Rai-Oleksandrivka, Zakitne, Riznykivka, Platonivka, and Pazene.
In the Kramatorsk sector, the enemy attacked seven times near Bondarne, Fedorivka, and Chasiv Yar.
In the Kostiantynivka sector, the Russians carried out 22 attacks near Kostiantynivka, Berestok, Stepanivka, Rusyn Yar, Pleshchiivka, Shcherbynivka, Sofiivka, Novopavlivka, and Illinivka.
In the Pokrovsk sector, the Defense Forces stopped 42 assault actions by the Russian army near Zatyshok, Rodynske, Shevchenko, Novooleksandrivka, Pokrovsk, Novopavlivka, Hryshyne, Kotlyne, Udachne, Molodetske, Novopidhorodne, Bilytske, and Dachne.
In the Oleksandrivka sector, the enemy attacked 10 times, attempting to advance toward Ivanivka, Ternove, Danylivka, Vyshneve, Nove Zaporizhzhia, Sosnivka, and Zlahoda.
In the Huliaipole sector, 49 Russian attacks occurred in the areas of Huliaipole and toward Dobropillia, Pryluky, Zaliznychne, Staroukrainka, Hirke, Sviatopetrivka, and Verkhnia Tersa.
In the Orikhiv sector, Russian troops attacked four times toward Mala Tokmachka, Stepove, Mali Shcherbaky, and Prymorske." Ukrin
"Winter has exposed many foundational frailties in Ukraine's air defenses. Relentless Russian attacks utilising Shahed-type attack drones have left millions of Ukrainians in the dark and cold. The role of interceptor pilots like Vladyslav is more important than ever.
Interceptor drones are first-person view (FPV) drones guided by a pilot that hunt enemy drones, either exploding next to them, or crashing into them.
Yet, despite massive Ukrainian and foreign investment into such interceptors, which promised to take the place of dwindling stockpiles of anti-air missiles, Vladyslav's job keeps getting harder.
The first tip he has for any new pilot: Don't work against the wind." KI
