The Ukrainian Strategic Industries Ministry hosted the Defense Industrial Forum involving 155 private and state-owned defense companies from Ukraine, the United Kingdom, Norway, and the Netherlands. During the event, more than 150 meetings between business representatives were held. Some agreements were made and negotiations were started between companies.

Ukraine finalized a partnership agreement with the United States regarding Ukraine’s rare earth metals. The agreement was handed over to the Americans in Munich. President Zelenskyy says it’s an important way to secure Ukraine, giving the United States an incentive to protect Ukraine and to ensure the Russians do not get them for free.

President Zelenskyy declined a U.S. congressional delegation's proposal to grant the United States 50% of Ukraine's current and future mineral reserves during the Munich Security Conference. Ukraine submitted its own proposals for a bilateral mineral rights agreement to the United States on February 14, before Zelenskyy met with US Vice President JD Vance.

Saudi Arabia agreed to host talks between President Trump and Putin. A statement from the Saudi Foreign Ministry says, “The Kingdom welcomes the summit and reaffirms its ongoing efforts to achieve lasting peace between Russia and Ukraine.”

Leaders and top ministers from countries across Europe have expressed their solidarity with Ukraine and to take a central role in any peace talks. French President Macron expressed that Ukraine has the final say in any peace negotiations, he stressed that Europe needs to secure its future and support Ukraine.

Additionally, a joint statement was made by the Nordic-Baltic countries of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Iceland. They said, “We stand fully and firmly behind Ukraine. Ukraine must be able to prevail against Russia’s war of aggression, to ensure a just and lasting peace.” They added that their priority now is to strengthen Ukraine, as their countries are some of the largest per-capita contributors to Ukraine’s defense, and they will further bolster their support. They emphasize that they are fully committed to the sovereign and territorial integrity of Ukraine and that “Ukraine should be given strong security guarantees. Ukraine and Europe must be involved in any negotiations to achieve just and lasting peace.”

In a show of solidarity with Ukraine, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock rejected Trump’s idea to add Russia back to the G7. She stressed that over the past three years following the brutal invasion of Ukraine, the G7 has maintained the policy that there can be normal cooperation with Putin’s Russia.

On February 14, a Russian drone carrying a high-explosive warhead struck the shelter of Reactor 4 at the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant. EU High Representative Kaja Kallas condemned the attack as reckless and demonstrative of Russia's lack of interest in peace.

Finland is preparing a new military aid package that includes investments in heavy armored vehicle production for Ukraine, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov announced on Facebook. Details about the type of vehicle and how this project will be financed have not been released; Finland generally keeps the contents of its aid packages secret. Finland's total military aid to Ukraine has reached €2.5 billion.

Defense Minister Rustem Umerov announced that Denmark has delivered most of its promised F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, with the remaining aircraft scheduled for delivery soon. Denmark pledged 19 F-16s total, which were upgraded under the Mid-Life Update program in the 2000s with modern AN/APG-66(V)2 airborne radar. Danish F-16s have been used in combat in an air defense role where they downed Russian missiles.

Human Rights Commissioner Dmytro Lubinets that eight Ukrainian children were returned from occupied territories on February 14. The children came from Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson oblasts. Some of the children are siblings, and all had been separated from their families due to the war. Some of them lost their parents. So far this year, Ukraine has repatriated 17 people who were in the occupied territories.

Ukraine has recovered the bodies of 757 fallen soldiers who died defending against Russia in various frontline areas including Kurakhove, Pokrovsk, Bakhmut, and Vuhledar. The bodies were returned through cooperation between the Coordination Headquarters for Treatment of Prisoners of War, the Security Service of Ukraine, and the International Committee of the Red Cross.

General Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, reported that the number of Russian personnel lost in Kursk Oblast is now greater than 48,000, including approximately 20,000 killed.

The Ukrainian Air Force destroyed a Russian platoon headquarters near Yelyzavetovka in the Kursk region. The facility belonged to the 28th Rifle Battalion of the 60th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade and had been used to launch drones used to Ukrainian positions in Sumy region. The footage shows multiple extremely large, and closely grouped explosions, implying some sort of large precision-guided munition was used, perhaps 1000 JDAM-ERs.

French defense company Thales and Ukraine’s JSC Ukroboronprom will create a joint venture to develop air defense, radar systems, electronic warfare, and tactical communications technologies.

On the night of February 15, Russia reported shooting down 40 Ukrainian drones over the regions of Volgograd, Kaluga, Rostov, and Saratov. In Volgograd, explosions were heard, and debris fell on residential buildings. A fire broke out at an industrial facility in Kaluga. Drones also targeted Saratov, Engels, and Rostov, causing explosions and damage, including falling debris on a house. No significant casualties were reported, and air defense systems were active.

Ukrainian and Moldovan law enforcement detained three Wagner PMC mercenaries in a joint operation they called "Avenger." Avenger involved over 200 law enforcement officers, the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine, and Europol. The three Moldovan citizens fought on Russia’s behalf in battles at Donetsk Airport, Bakhmut, and Debaltseve from 2014 to 2023. They face up to ten years in prison, and authorities have identified 82 more Moldovan citizens who fought for Russia. Information about these men has been sent to Moldovan authorities and investigations into them have begun. Ukraine also urges Europe to create an international database of similar mercenaries to make it easier to “counter this dangerous phenomenon.”

An Atesh partisan who is a mobilized Ukrainian in the Russian military stationed in occupied Luhansk, gathered information on Russian ammunition depots and their movements. This information was shared with the Ukrainian military. ATESH published several photos taken inside an ammo dump, with the photographer standing within arms reach of the ammo crates. The crates appear to hold 12.7mm ammunition and AK-12s. The contents of other crates are hard to identify, but some may be mortar shells and standard 5.45x39 ammunition.

Russia plans to prepare 15 divisions totaling 100,000 to 150,000 troops for deployment along the Belarusian front in 2025. President Zelenskyy said he believes Putin is preparing for war with NATO countries next year, based on intelligence reports. A new Security Guarantee Treaty between Russia and Belarus signed on December 6 calls for Belarus to adopt Russia's currency and tax system by 2030.

Zelenskyy stated Ukraine needs a 1.5 million-strong army if it remains outside NATO, estimating an annual security budget of $60 billion,

Ukrainian destroyed a Russian 2S4 Tyulpan 240mm mortar near Toretsk.

According to President Zelenskyy, Russia is planning a major military buildup along the Belarusian front in 2025. They are preparing 15 divisions which would amount to 100,000-150,000 troops. These troops could potentially be used against Ukraine, Poland, and/or the Baltic states. This expansion is part of the new Russia-Belarus Security Guarantee Treaty signed December 6 which aims to “integrate” Russia and Belarus more thoroughly. By 2030, Belarus will adopt Russia's currency and tax system, Belarus's military would be controlled by Russia, and military production facilities would be moved from Belarus to Russia. The ISW describes it as an annexation attempt.

At least twelve Chinese companies are working with businesses in the occupied portions of the Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts, providing equipment and establishing joint ventures. Liming Heavy Industry Science & Technology supplied crushing plants and equipment to the "state company" Nadra. Amma Construction Machinery, Shanghai, and Zhongxin Heavy Industrial are overseeing operations at the Karansky Quarry. Sany Heavy Industry delivered tunneling machines to Impex-Don for mining operations. By the end of 2023, 60% of the total imports into occupied Luhansk Oblast came from China. This includes food, agricultural materials, electrical machinery, spare parts, and chemical products. Some suggest that Russia is trying to make these regions economically important to China so that they will support Russia diplomatically in Russia’s attempts to maintain control over these regions. Russia reportedly lacks the means to rebuild the occupied regions and is relying on China and investments from Chinese companies to make it possible. Russia offers preferential treatment to Chinese companies investing in the occupied territories.

Quote of the Day:

“Still round the corner, there may wait

A new road or a secret gate

And though I oft have passed them by

A day will come at last when I

Shall take the hidden paths that jog

West of the Moon, East of the Hedgehog.”

― J.R.R. Tolkien