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Russian authorities is executing a “reflexive control” operation of intimidations to deter the US from providing precision-guided weapons to Ukrainian forces, based on analysis from conflict researchers. An influential official remarked: “We know these weapons completely, how they fly, how to shoot them down, we encountered them in Middle East operations, so it presents no surprises. Only those who supply them and those who use them will have problems … We will find ways to target those who create problems for us.”

Ukrainian Military Push Situation

Kyiv's troops were inflicting heavy losses in a military operation in the Donetsk front, the primary conflict zone, Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported on midweek. Zelenskyy's assessment, based on a communication with his senior military officer, contradicted Moscow's speech before senior Russian officers a prior day in which he said the invading army held the operational control in all frontline sectors.

Based on evaluation dated the beginning of October, defense researchers said Russia was suffering significant losses, mainly because of drone strikes by Ukraine, in exchange for small operational progress. Kyiv's troops, Zelenskyy said, were “maintaining our defense along all other directions”, mentioning particularly the Kupiansk area, a largely destroyed city in Ukraine's northeast under heavy Russian assaults for several months.

Local Developments

Local authorities in the Kherson area of the Kherson oblast said offensive operations on midweek caused three deaths in and around the urban center of the oblast center. Local authorities of northern Sumy, on the northern frontier with the Russian Federation, said three people died in UAV assaults in various areas. Ukraine's air force said it intercepted or jammed the majority of Russian strike and decoy drones during the night.

An offensive strike seriously damaged one of Ukraine's thermal power plants, authorities said on midweek. Two employees were injured in the attack, as reported by power utility representatives. Officials offered no further information, about the site's whereabouts, but national sources said strikes hit power facilities in northern Ukraine, southern Kherson and south-eastern Dnipropetrovsk regions.

Public Effects

In the northern Ukrainian city of northeastern Ukraine, severely affected by the Russian onslaught against the energy infrastructure, local government has put up tents where people can warm up, receive warm beverages, power electronic devices and access mental health services, based on information from regional head.

Diplomatic Measures

Ukraine's ambassador to Nato on midweek urged European partners to increase acquisitions of United States armaments for Ukraine. “The situation isn't that we prefer United States armaments instead of allied or other international equipment – the reality is that we are asking the US for systems that European nations are unable to supply,” said Ukraine's NATO envoy.

Federal law enforcement will soon be allowed to shoot down unmanned aerial vehicles, government official declared on Wednesday, following multiple unmanned aircraft incidents suspected as Russian efforts to spy and intimidate. Announcing legal changes, the official said security forces could legally “to take advanced technological measures against UAV risks, for example with electromagnetic pulses, signal disruption, navigation system disruption, but also with kinetic methods”.

EU Protection Challenges

EU chief declared on Wednesday that Europe must enhance its protective capabilities to respond to Moscow's multifaceted attacks after air incursions, digital assaults and marine communications interference. “This is not isolated incidents. This represents a coherent and escalating campaign,” the representative said in a speech to the European parliament. “A couple of events are isolated incidents, but several, many, frequent – that represents a intentional and focused ambiguous warfare operation against EU nations, and European countries should answer.”

Humanitarian Situation

The Swiss authorities has extended its temporary shelter offered to displaced Ukrainians to at least 4 March 2027. Protection status S, which allows people to leave the country as well as work in Switzerland, is typically restricted to one year but can be continued. “The ruling reflects the continued unstable environment and continuing offensive operations across extensive regions of the country,” said a official communication. “Despite worldwide negotiation attempts, a permanent peace that would enable safe return is not expected in the coming years.”