on

 





Russia conducted a terrorist attack in Mykolaiv on February 14, 2025, when an explosion near a catering business killed two people and injured eight others. The explosion occurred after a woman from Horishni Plavni, Poltava brought a bag to a parking lot where civilians and soldiers were standing. Evidence suggests the explosion may have been triggered remotely after a phone call. The incident is being investigated as a terrorist act. The woman who brought the bag was among those killed in the attack. It is unclear if she was a suicide bomber or if she wasn’t expecting to be killed. This is the most recent in a string of similar attacks. On February 5, an explosion near a recruitment center in Kamianets-Podilskyi killed one person and injured four others. On February 1, another explosion in Rivne killed one person and injured six others. The Security Service of Ukraine reported that Russia had used a "blind" recruited agent - a 21-year-old unemployed man from the Zhytomyr region who was looking for easy money on telegram.


The Czech Republic has successfully provided 1.6 million rounds of large-caliber ammunition for Ukraine through the Czech shell initiative. Czech President Petr Pavel announced that funding for ammunition supplies is secured until April 2025. Pavel said he was negotiating with other world leaders in Munich to supply more. A Czech government source specified that 500,000 of these were 155-mm artillery rounds, with the rest being other types of shells over 100-mm caliber. German arms Rheinmetall has signed a contract to supply Ukraine with 155mm artillery rounds starting in the first half of 2025, along with propellant charges worth about €9 million. Other details of this deal are unknown.


German drone manufacturer Quantum Systems is doubling its drone production in Ukraine. The Ukrainian plant began operations in spring 2024 and currently assembles Vector reconnaissance drones from German-made kits, with some components like wings and CRPA antennas being produced locally. The company plans to begin making fuselages and other structural elements in Ukraine soon. The company employs 25 Ukrainians at its Service, Support, Training and Logistics Center and opened a Research and Development Center in Ukraine in 2023.

Germany updated their list of military equipment delivered to Ukraine, the equipment delivered includes;

  • 56 Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicles (MRAPs)

  • Additional ammunition for Leopard 1 main battle tanks

  • Additional ammunition for Marder infantry fighting vehicles

  • Additional missiles for IRIS T SLS/SLM

  • 41,000 rounds of ammunition for the Gepard self propelled anti-aircraft gun

  • 4 Zuzana wheeled self propelled howitzers (jointly financed with Denmark and Norway)

  • 50,000 rounds of 155 mm artillery shells

  • 2,000 rounds of 122 mm artillery shells

  • 300 HF-1 strike drones

  • 51 Vector reconnaissance drones, with spare parts

  • 245 RQ-35 Heidrun reconnaissance drones 

  • 29 Songbird reconnaissance drones 

  • 14 Hornet-XR reconnaissance drones 

  • 2 Wisent-1 mine clearing tanks, with spare parts

  • 16 mine plows

  • 645 laser rangefinders

  • 8 border protection vehicles 

  • 74,000 rounds of 40 mm ammunition 

  • 100 MG-5 machine guns 

  • 2,915 HK-416 assault rifles 

  • 64 HLR-338 precision rifles, with 314,000 rounds ammunition

  • 220 CR-308 rifles 

  • 73 AK-47 assault rifles 

  • More than 60 million rounds of small arms ammunition 

  • 27,800 wool blankets 

  • 766 sleeping bags 

  • 37,200 tourniquets 

According to Russian state media, TASS, Russia has terminated the agreement with Ukraine on measures to ensure the safety of navigation of the Sea of Azov and the Kerch Strait. The order was signed by Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin. The agreement stipulated that the two countries must inform each other about national requirements for the safety of navigation and protection of the marine environment from pollution. Additionally, TASS claims, Russia and Ukraine also exchanged data from shore stations with automatic identification systems, which collected information on the dimensions and courses of ships in the region. 

On Tuesday, February 18, the ambassadors of the EU countries will meet in Brussels to discuss a provision of €5 billion of military aid to support Ukraine to take effect in the near future. The EU seeks to provide 1.5 million rounds of artillery ammunition, air, defense systems, high precision long range missiles, drones, and support for the recovery of brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (training and equipment for military personnel). 

President Zelenskyy arrived in Turkey with First Lady Olena Zelenska. Tomorrow, February 18, they will meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his wife Emine Erdoğan. Zelenskyy said they will discuss efforts to bring Ukrainian prisoners of war home, food security, and bilateral relations. Additionally the First Lady aims to discuss educational and cultural diplomacy. 

The Ukrainian Defense Industry has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Danish radar manufacturer Weibel Scientific. The agreement was signed at the Munich Conference and includes plans for maintaining and repairing Weibel radars in Ukraine, the development of new technologies, and establishing a joint venture. Weibel Scientific produces various radar systems, from small projectile velocity measurement devices to ballistic missile detection systems, and their X-band radar is used in Kongsberg's NOMADS air defense system.



Russia launched a shahed attack on February 17, 2025,launching a total of 147 drones. 83 drones were shot down, and another 59 were “lost,” making for a total of 142 drones that failed to reach and damage a target.


Russia targeted Zaporizhzhia with 10 Shaheds. The attack damaged warehouse facilities and caused fires in non-residential buildings, according to local governor Ivan Fedorov. No casualties were reported in the incident, which resulted in damage from blast waves and subsequent fires.

A Tos-2 220mm MLRS system was confirmed to be destroyed for the first time. Several photographs of the heavily burned vehicle were published. The photographs were geolocated, showing the vehicle was destroyed Northwest of Selydove. 


The United States and Russia are meeting in Saudi Arabia on February 18 to discuss the war in Ukraine. Ukraine will not participate in this discussion. President Zelenskyy stated Ukraine will not recognize any agreements made without its involvement. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio leads the US team. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Putin's advisor Yury Ushakov represent Russia. These talks might lead to a meeting between Trump and Putin. Representative Michael McCaul said the goal is to arrange a meeting between Trump, Putin, and Zelenskyy to end the conflict.


Zelenskyy thinks the US is trying to please Putin to reach a quick peace deal. He said Ukraine will not give up its territories legally. He believes all territories will return to Ukraine, saying "We'll naturally get everything back. Respect for international law will be restored. If not today, then tomorrow."


French President Macron held an emergency meeting in Paris on February 17 about EU security. This happened as the US seems less involved in European affairs. Hungary's Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said European leaders are blocking Trump's peace efforts. He called them "anti-Trump and pro-war," parroting Russian propaganda. He claimed Trump's return to the presidency would create a new global reality more favorable to Hungary and Kazakhstan. German Chancellor Scholz stressed that any peace agreement "cannot be" forced on Ukraine. He said Ukraine should get to keep its path to joining the European Union. Ministers from France, UK, Spain, Italy, Poland, Germany, and the EU want to join future peace talks. Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo wants an emergency European Council meeting to discuss Europe's role in negotiations.


According to Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans, European countries are not part of peace negotiations because they lack military power to influence the talks. He called Europe's exclusion a "harsh reality."


Ukrainian MP Fedir Venislavsky said martial law won't end right after a ceasefire. Russia must first remove its troops and weapons that can hit Ukraine. He said Putin's mental state means Ukraine needs security guarantees for lasting peace. Zelenskyy said ending martial law for elections before the end of the war, it would weaken Ukraine's army.


European leaders want to send 25,000-30,000 peacekeepers to Ukraine after a peace agreement is worked out. These forces would stay away from the front lines but would intervene if Russia tries to restart the war. France offered 10,000 troops. The UK and Sweden said they might send peacekeepers. British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said sending troops was a difficult decision but necessary. He hopes this will pressure other NATO allies, especially Germany, to support the peacekeeping force. The US won't send troops but could provide intelligence and air defense. Germany's Chancellor Olaf Scholz says it's too early to discuss peacekeepers. Poland won't send troops. The Dutch want more US support.


The US pushed Ukraine to sign a mineral rights agreement during the Munich Security Conference. The deal would give the US control of 50% of Ukraine's mineral resources and future licenses. The Telegraph newspaper called this "economic colonization" and said it was worse than sanctions on Germany and Japan after 1945. The deal would create a joint investment fund controlling Ukraine's ports and infrastructure. Zelenskyy refused to sign, it wanting security guarantees in the deal. The US threatened to cancel a meeting with Vice President Vance if Ukraine didn't sign, but the meeting happened anyway.


US Special Representative Keith Kellogg will visit Ukraine February 19-21. He will arrive by train from Poland and plans to meet with Zelenskyy. His exact schedule is still being arranged. Zelenskyy is visiting Saudi Arabia on February 18. He will discuss oil prices with Saudi leaders and meet Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. He believes Trump has the power to get Saudi Arabia to lower oil prices, which would hurt Russia’s economy.


Quote of the Day:

“In the unlikely story that is America, there has never been anything false about hedgehogs.”

― Barack Obama