1000 Kenyans Fighting for Russia, 3x Tor SAMs Smacked by FP-2s | Ukraine War News Update 20260220
In this Ukraine War update for February 2026, we cover the latest developments on the battlefield, geopolitical shifts, and military strategies shaping the conflict. Key topics include:
- **Russian Losses & Recruitment Crisis**: ISW assesses Russia’s struggle to replace troops, with involuntary call-ups looming as contract soldiers dwindle. Meanwhile, 1,000 Kenyan mercenaries—including former military and police—are reportedly fighting for Russia, per Kenyan MP Kimani Ichungwah. - **Frontline Updates**: Ukraine regains control of ~10.2km² near Bilytske and Pokrovsk while reducing the "gray zone" in the south. Russian forces advance in Sumy (Kharkivka, Komarivka) and Lyman direction (Sviatohirs’k), occupying ~19.7km². - **Drone Warfare & Sabotage**: Ukrainian drones destroy three Russian TOR air defense systems ($75M loss), strike a Project 02510 landing craft in Crimea, and conduct massive overnight attacks on Sevastopol, Bryansk, and Rostov. ATESH agents sabotage a Russian communications tower in Lipetsk. - **Geopolitical Moves**: Zelensky seeks a historic defense partnership with Japan, warns of 10,000 North Korean troops in Russia, and reaffirms Ukraine’s readiness for sovereignty-respecting compromises. Meanwhile, Ukraine foils an FSB-linked assassination plot targeting GUR officials. - **Military & Political Analysis**: Trump’s leverage over Kyiv fades (The Economist), European politicians predict 1-3 more years of war (WSJ), and Ukraine’s National Guard vows to reclaim all occupied territory.
