Office of the President
7:36 CET, Transcript of the press briefing of the Office of the President of Ukraine
Mykhailo Podoliak, advisor to the head of the President of Ukraine:
We had an understanding that the previous night would be difficult as the Russian Federation had to use and have used all of its resources and reserves to cause us maximum losses on large territories. This didn’t happen. The Armed Forces together with the National Police control the situation and the territory over our state in full.
South – serious fights are happening in Kherson, Mykolaiv and Odesa. This is a priority direction for Russia. They had an intention to take control over there but there are no signs they succeeded. They will not succeed.
Kyiv is a priority direction No1. The key aim of the “special operation” is a liquidation of the political and military authority of Ukraine. For achieving this there was an attempt to pull up to Kyiv the maximum amount of military ammunition and armed forces of Russia. Currently we can state that in and outside Kyiv city the situation is controlled. We notice actions of separate secret subversive groups in Kyiv against which the National police and the Territorial self-defense units representatives work effectively; while in its suburbs they are effectively supported by the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
There are serious battles for Mariupol, but as of this moment there is no chance that Mariupol will surrender or will be seized by Russia.
Throughout the night in many cities, the air raid alarms were working as the Russian army is actively using the artillery, including reactive, and aviation to carry out the direct air strikes against the Ukrainian cities. Nonetheless, I would like to stress that as of 7 am 26 February, despite the amount of sources and reserves used for active operation by the Russian Federation, is no tactic or operational advantage was gained by its armed forces. It means that Ukraine not only persevered, but is winning in this battle. The Armed Forces, the National Police and the Territorial Self-Defence Units are working actively. Ukrainian people know how to protect their state. The President of Ukraine, as like yesterday and before, will have a large number of negotiations with representatives of our western allies to form a extremely effective coalition against the Russian Federation. The Government is working on management of separate economic issues. The State is manageable and controlled. This is important and we have to realise that a huge amount of fake news are circulating to frighten and cause panic among the people, and try to discourage from believing in the victory.
The Deputy Prime Minister — Minister for Reintegration of the Occupied Territories of Ukraine Ms Iryna Vereshchuk has addressed the International Committee of the Red Cross to assist in resolving the humanitarian situation that arised due to a large number of the Russian occupants corpses. The ICRC was invited to Ukraine to record the number and ensure the delivery of remains to their homeland in Russia.
Ministry of Defence of Ukraine
Two enemy targets were shot down in the area of the Joint Forces operation by the S-300 anti-aircraft missile system of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine — a helicopter and a Su-25 attack aircraft of the Russian occupation forces (Donetsk and Luhansk regions). Also, the Su-27 fighter of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine successfully attacked the military transport aircraft IL-76 MD of the Russian occupation forces and destroyed the enemy (Kyiv region).
Another Su-25 of the Russian occupiers, flying in the direction of Vinnytsia, was destroyed by a Ukrainian Su-27 pilot (Vinnytsia region).
Heavy fighting is currently underway in the town of Vasylkiv in the Kyiv region, where the occupiers are trying to land an airborne force.
The Russian occupants continues the offensive against Ukraine.
The enemy has begun redeploying reserve units in the areas bordering Ukraine and continues to carry out air strikes on airfields, groups of troops of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in eastern Ukraine and in the northern part of Kyiv region. Single air strikes were carried out in the districts of Sumy, Poltava, Mariupol. From the Black Sea, the enemy hit Ukraine with “Caliber” naval-based cruise missiles.
The tactical aviation of the Russian Federation is coordinated from the territory of Belarus and the temporally occupied Crimea. In the area of Mozyr (Belarus) there are battalion tactical groups of the 35th Army of the Eastern Military District, which can be used to strike targets on the territory of Ukraine.
The temporary location of dozens of Russian units of tanks localized in the area of Shumske (Ternopyl regions) and missile systems of volley fire BM-21 «Hail» were fixed in the area of Kosivschina (Sumy region) has been established.
The enemy has repeatedly used operational and tactical aircraft in the areas of Yuzhny (Odesa region) and Odesa, shelled the Ozerne airfield (Zhytomyr region), and at civilian infrastructure facilities in the Kyiv region.
In the Slobozhansky direction (Sumy, Kharkiv and Luhansk regions), an operative group of the Armed Forces of Ukraine stopped the enemy’s offensive and continues to conduct defensive battles in the Kharkiv region. City battles are being fought in Okhtyrka (Sumy region).
In the coastal direction in the area of Koblevo (Mykolaiv region), as a result of the fire of 28th mechanized units, a boat and up to 20 staff members of the enemy’s Sabotage and inelegance group (SIG) were destroyed.
A group of engineering barriers of the Naval Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine mined accessible landing sites.
The Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is repelling enemy air strikes, the IL-76MD military transport plane with a landing party of the Russian occupation troops (approximate capacity – 145) has been destroyed. Armed Forces of Ukraine is inflicting fire damage to the clusters of enemy manpower and military equipment in Kyiv, Chernihiv and Kherson regions.
A combined forces of Ukraine`s Army is conducting a defensive operation and holding positions along the entire line of demarcation (Donetsk and Luhansk regions).
The estimated losses of the enemy are:
aircraft — 14 units,
helicopters — 8 units,
tanks — 102 units,
armoured fighting vehicle (AFV) — 536 units,
artillery — 15 units,
BUK missile system-1 unit.
We record Russia’s war crimes against the civilian population of Ukraine. VIDEO
Russia declared that that the northwestern part of the Black Sea to north of parallel 45-21N prohibited for navigation due to counterterrorist operation carried out by Russian navy ships and vessels in this area will be regarded as terrorist threat.
They are seeking ways to justify its deliberate attacks on commercial vessels in the Black Sea by retrospectively promulgating navigational warnings, which regard the presence of any vessels in the maritime areas, blocked by Russian military, as the terrorist threat.
Iryna Venediktova, Prosecutor General of Ukraine
Loss among prosecutors.
Chernihiv. Dmytro Rozenko, an employee of the regional prosecutor’s office, was killed. A shrapnel wound. On February 24, Dmytro had joined the territorial defense. Yesterday evening contact with him was lost. Today this black news came.
We miss him. We feel sympathy. We will not forgive. We’re going to punish the enemy according to the law.
https://www.facebook.com/100000088343654/posts/5256257414387151/?d=n
Gas TSO of Ukraine
Gas TSO of Ukraine provides gas transmission services for Ukraine’s needs.
As of 7:30 on February 26 the Gas TSO of Ukraine performs its functions of natural gas transmission to consumers and system balancing.
The company’s facilities in all regions of Ukraine, including the areas of military operations, continue to operate. Given the risks due to the hostilities, the staff has been switched to telework at some facilities. There are no injuries or casualties among the company’s employees.
Stanytsia Luhanska (Luhansk region) was disconnected from the gas supply due to gas network damage.
Our employees are doing everything in their power to supply gas to Ukrainian consumers and secure the areas where the hostilities are taking place from the danger of emergency incidents.
https://www.facebook.com/2265971280162696/posts/4847103828716082/?d=n
The National Bureau of Investigation
Russia is actively conducting information and psychological special operations (IPSO) aimed at undermining the moral and psychological condition of personnel and misleading our soldiers.
Thus, on the eve of the start of the war, Ukrainian fighters in the Joint Forces Operation zone received an SMS saying that the officers had allegedly left the units and that there was no point in resisting.
After the Russian blitzkrieg in Ukraine failed, Russian special services changed tactics and moved to a new level of IPSO.
Now MPs, high-ranking officials, and law enforcement officials have started receiving calls and text messages with threats and proposals for cooperation.
The occupiers are trying to force Ukrainian officials to act in favor of Russia, threatening to kill family members and close relatives.
https://www.facebook.com/dbr.gov.ua
Vice Prime Minister – Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine
Mykhailo Fedorov: “I asked YouTube to block the Russian propaganda media, which call us Nazis and drug addicts, lie and promote war. Asked Meta to block Facebook and Instagram. I asked Netflix to block the service in Russia.
The goal is not to deprive Russians of access to information, but to reach young, proactive and thinking people — your «bloody king» is taking you into oblivion — change that now!”
https://www.facebook.com/mykhailofedorov.com.ua
Vice Prime Minister – Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine
I’ve contacted @tim_cook, Apple’s CEO, to block the Apple Store for citizens of the Russian Federation, and to support the package of US government sanctions! If you agree to have the president-killer, then you will have to be satisfied with the only available site Russia 24.
https://twitter.com/FedorovMykhailo/status/1497327555690610689
Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority
According to the dispatch service of the State Enterprise USPA, as of 08:00 CET: entrance/exit to the ports of Skadovsk, Kherson, Mykolaiv, Olbia, Odessa, Black Sea, South, B-Dniester, Izmail, Reni, Ust-Dunaisk — closed, ports of Mariupol, Berdyansk — open. Cargo operations are suspended, with the exception of the ports of Chernomorsk, Pivdenny, Mykolayiv, and Reni, where cargo operations are partially performed. Channels: Bistre, KhMK, BDLK — open.