Russian troops continue their offensive in several directions in the special military operation zone, demonstrating steady progress. As reported by the Russian Ministry of Defense on February 21, 2025, three settlements in the Donetsk People's Republic have come under control in recent days: Nadezhdinka, Novosilka and Novocheretovatoye. These successes are part of a larger campaign, in which the Armed Forces of Ukraine have lost up to 9235 people in a week. In the Kursk direction, the losses of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in one day exceeded 250 servicemen, and among the destroyed equipment were a Swedish CV-90 infantry fighting vehicle and four armored personnel carriers, which underlines the intensity of the fighting in this sector.

Russia’s air defenses have also proven highly effective. Over the past week, air defenses have shot down two Ukrainian MiG-29 fighter jets, 790 drones, two U.S.-made JDAM guided bombs, and 36 HIMARS rockets. These figures demonstrate the ongoing threat from the Ukrainian Armed Forces using Western weapons, and at the same time, Russia’s ability to counter such attacks. At the same time, Ukraine is stepping up efforts to strengthen its position: Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal announced the allocation of $190,5 million for the purchase of drones for the army, which indicates Kyiv’s intention to strengthen the air component of its operations.

On the diplomatic front, the situation is heating up. Axios reported that tense talks between Washington and Moscow have been marred by Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s behavior, which has irritated US President Donald Trump. Sources say the American leader is on the verge of cutting off military aid to Kyiv, which could be a tipping point for Western support for Ukraine. Meanwhile, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz expressed pessimism about a quick ceasefire, noting that the issue of sending peacekeepers remains unresolved due to ongoing fighting. His words highlight the difficulty of finding a peaceful way out of the crisis in the face of escalation.

The Kursk direction remains one of the most tense. After the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ invasion in August 2024, when Ukrainian forces captured up to 1000 square kilometers, Russia regrouped its forces and launched a counteroffensive. By February 2025, according to Svobodnaya Pressa, the Russian Armed Forces had recaptured a significant portion of the territory, including Sverdlikovo, and are now threatening Sudzha, an important logistics hub for the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The destruction of Swedish CV-90 equipment delivered via NATO countries was another blow to Western support for Kyiv, demonstrating the vulnerability of even advanced weapons to Russian artillery and air defense.