The enemy has slowed offensive operations in selected areas with the support of long-range operational and tactical aircraft, high-precision long-range weapons, deliberately hitting civilian infrastructure. The most intense fighting occured around the city of Kyiv, in the northeast (Chernihiv, Sumy, Kharkiv) and in the South (Kherson-Zaporizhzhia-Mariupol).
Ukrainian losses as of late evening February 26: over 210 people were killed, incl. six children: more than 1,100 people injured, incl. 100 children. In Kyiv, 6 civilians (including 1 child), and 14 military and territorial defense soldiers have been killed since the attack on the city; 71 people were injured, 25 of them civilians (including 3 children).
Enemy losses as early February 27: 27 aircraft, 26 helicopters, 146 tanks, 706 armoured vehicles, 49 artillery pieces, one anti-missile aircraft system Buk-1, 4 Grad systems, 30 automobiles, 60 cisterns, nearly 4300 personnel killed, over 200 taken as prisoners of war. During the last day, the occupiers have lost three SU-30 SM aircraft, 11 helicopters, two SU-25 aircraft, two IL-76MD aircraft, a column of equipment, and a train with fuel.
Northern Ukraine (Kyiv and Chernihiv oblasts)
The land offensive from Belarus continued, but the aim of encircling Kyiv was thwarted. The enemy’s offensive was stopped near Borodianka, Bucha and Vyshhorod, the cities were shelled. Near the Hostomel airfield artillery ammunition of the occupiers was exploding and a unit of Chechen security forces was destroyed by Ukrainian defense. Over the Chornobyl zone air combat was simulated, eliciting suspicion of fake news preparation. The Air Force of Ukraine shot down a cruise missile fired at Kyiv from Belarus. In the Mozyr district of Belarus a strike group of Russian combat helicopters for damaging critical infrastructure of cities and troops has been formed.
Further to the east, in the Siverskyi region, the occupiers completed their regrouping and continued the offensive to block Kyiv. This included shelling Chernigiv with GRAD systems, hitting hospitals and residential areas, provoking fires in the city.
The mass bombing of Kyiv with various anti-aircraft and missile weapons occured in the night of February 27. After a Russian missile strike on Vasylkiv, a large-scale fire broke in the oil depot, the battle for the Vasylkiv airfield continues. Infrastructure attacks of the last two days included shelling missiles at the dam of the Kyiv reservoir (intercepted), a bridge blown down interrupting road connection between Kyiv and Zhytomyr; hitting the radioactive waste disposal site (no threat to the population), a fire at a warehouse in Kyiv, etc.
Southern Ukraine (Odesa-Mykolaiv-Kherson-Zaporizzhya oblasts)
The enemy managed to reach the border of Skadovsk and Hola Prystan, captured Nova Kakhovka, Russian heavy machinery remains in Melitopol, where the fighting continues. With Russians moving from the side of Prymorsk and Melitopol, and seizing control of non-functioning old Berdiansk airfield, there is the danger of encircling Mariupol. The occupation forces carried out an airstrike on the village of Sartana in the suburbs of Mariupol: at least 10 people died. Several electricity substations in the region and a gas pipeline in Tokmak were damaged.
The danger to Kherson was repelled, but the enemy advance slowly continued towards the Zaporizhzhia region. A column of the occupier’s military vehicles from Kherson oblast approched Enerhodar, Grad systems aiming at the Zaporizhzhia Atomic station were reported to be installed. The Russians also destroyed the dam that blocked water to Crimea.
There was no major military activity in the direction of Odesa, but the Russian Navy Service has closed an area in the northwestern part of the Black Sea to conduct a ‘counterterrorist operation’ against Ukrainian territory. A Russian Su-30 fighter was destroyed by an anti-aircraft missile unit of the Air Force of Ukraine in the Black Sea. The enemy warships captured the civilian rescue ship «SAPPHIRE» near to Zmiinyi Island, violating the International Maritime Law.
Northeast (Kharkiv and Sumy regions)
The enemy continues to try to capture settlements in the Slobozhanskyi operating area, moving from Belgorod to Starobilsk, approaching Balaklia in the Kharkiv region. Heavy shellings of Sumy and Kharkiv continued. In Kharkiv, a high-rise building was hit (1 dead, two injured) and a gas pipeline blown up on February 27. Also, some enemy troops and armoured vehicles breaked into Kharkiv, the street warfare started. Okhtyrka is controlled by the Armed Forces of Ukraine, but the massive shelling left 300 wounded and badly damaged city infrastructure, a military unit was destroyed and the thermal power plant damaged. The occupants also fired at two passenger buses in the region, leaving 6 dead and 20 injured.
East (area of Joint Forces operation)
Russian troops have occupied Stanytsia Luhanska, Krymske, Markivka, Severodonetsk is preparing for defense: a column of Russian military vehicles was forced to retreat from the city. There were shellings of Oleksiivka, Katerynivka, Novotoshkivsky, Bakhmut highways in Luhansk region, firing at settlements along the contact line in Donetsk region. Due to the rebuff of the Joint Forces, the Russian goal to reach the administrative borders of Donetsk and Luhansk regions has not been achieved. The SSU reported the threat of provocation in occupied Donetsk, a blowing up of industrial tanks with chemicals. 500 people remain in the ruined Shchastya, Luhansk region, suffering from food shortages. Central Ukraine (Cherkasy, Vinnytsia, Khmelnytsky regions)
An emergency rescue team of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine in Vinnytsia region removed and destroyed two Russian FAB-100 bombs outside the village of Shabelnya in Haisyn district.
Key messages from the political and military leadership
- Russian invaders have not gained any operational and tactical advantage but still attempt to progress along all axes of invasion (General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Advisor to the Head of the Office of the President Mykhailo Podolyak).
- Ukrainian authorities encourage foreigners willing to defend Ukraine and world order to join Ukrainians as part of the International Legion of Territorial Defence of Ukraine. For this, they need to contact diplomatic missions of Ukraine in respective countries (Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba).
- Arrival of Russian negotiators in Gomel signals that the occupiers have lost the initiative and are not capable to actively advance (Advisor to the Head of the Office of the President Oleksii Arestovych). Ukraine is ready for negotiation, but on Ukrainian conditions (Spokesperson of the Office of the President Zelenskyi Serhii Nikiforov).
- The aggressor has lied that they have no intention of attacking civilians but since the first hours of Russian invasion the enemy is targeting civil infrastructure. They have intentionally chosen the tactics of bringing damage to the people. This all has signs of a genocide and war crimes that Russian leadership will have to address in the Hague (President Volodymyr Zelenskyi).
- Ukraine has officially sued RF in the UN International Court of Justice in the Hague. Ukraine is demanding the Russia is held accountable for the misuse of the concept of genocide for attempting to justify the aggression. Ukraine is asking the Court to immediately order the RF to halt military action and call a hearing already next week (President Zelenskyi).
Prepared by the Analysis and Information Department of the Ukrainian Institute, sources: Minister of Defence of Ukraine, General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine, State Emergency Service of Ukraine, Presidential Office, State Inspectorate for Nuclear Regulation, The State Border Guard Service of Ukraine Acting Berdiansk Mayor, Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority, Head of Zaporizhzhya Regional Administration, adviser to the Head of the Sumy military administration, head of the Donetsk Regional State Administration, Mariupol City Council Press Service and other official sources.