🔗 Share this article

Moscow is conducting a strategic manipulation initiative of threats to deter the America from providing Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukrainian forces, based on analysis from defense experts. A senior legislator stated: “We know these weapons thoroughly, their operational characteristics, how to shoot them down, we tested against them in Middle East operations, so it presents no surprises. The providers and the operators will encounter difficulties … We will develop strategies to target those who oppose our interests.”

Ukraine's Military Push Progress

Ukraine's military were imposing substantial damage in a counteroffensive in the Donetsk front, the war's main theatre, Ukraine's leader stated on midweek. Zelenskyy's assessment, derived from a briefing from his top commander, differed from Vladimir Putin's remarks to high-ranking military personnel a previous day in which he claimed Russian troops held the operational control in throughout the battle lines.

In an assessment from October's first week, military analysts said Russia was suffering significant losses, especially due to drone strikes by Ukraine, in compensation of minor territorial gains. Kyiv's troops, Ukraine's leader reported, were “maintaining our defense along multiple fronts”, referring specifically to Kupiansk, a significantly ruined city in the northeastern front under sustained offensive operations for an extended period.

Area Conditions

Local authorities in Ukraine's southern region of the Kherson oblast said military strikes on midweek resulted in three fatalities in and around the city of the same name. The governor of northern Sumy, on the northern frontier with Russia, said three fatalities occurred in unmanned aerial strikes in multiple locations. Kyiv's air command said it neutralized or disrupted 154 out of 183 offensive unmanned aircraft during the night.

An offensive strike seriously damaged one of Ukraine's thermal power plants, officials reported on midweek. Two employees were injured in the attack, based on information from energy company officials. Sources gave minimal specifics, regarding the site's whereabouts, but national sources said strikes hit power facilities in the Chernihiv region, the Kherson area and south-eastern Dnipropetrovsk regions.

Civilian Impact

In the border community of northeastern Ukraine, significantly damaged by the military campaign against the electrical grid, authorities have established temporary shelters where people can warm up, access hot drinks, power electronic devices and receive psychological support, based on information from administrative leader.

International Measures

Ukraine's ambassador to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization on midweek encouraged European allies to step up purchases of US weapons for Ukraine. “The situation isn't that we prioritize US equipment instead of allied or other international equipment – the reality is that we require the America for equipment that European countries can't provide,” said Ukraine's NATO envoy.

German federal police will shortly receive authorization to intercept unmanned aerial vehicles, government official declared on midweek, following multiple unmanned aircraft incidents suspected as Moscow's attempts to conduct surveillance and threaten. Unveiling a draft law, the official said police would be authorized “to implement state-of-the-art technical action against UAV risks, including electronic countermeasures, electronic interference, navigation system disruption, but also with physical means”.

European Security Concerns

EU chief said on midweek that EU nations need to strengthen its protective capabilities to deter complex threat operations following aerial violations, cyber-attacks and damage to undersea cables. “This is not coincidental events. They constitute a systematic and intensifying operation,” the leader said in a speech to the European parliament. “Several occurrences are coincidence, but three, five, ten – that represents a planned and specific hybrid threat strategy against EU nations, and Europe must respond.”

Refugee Status

The Swiss authorities has extended its protection status provided to people fleeing Ukraine to at least 4 March 2027. Temporary protection, which allows people to journey internationally as well as be employed in Switzerland, is typically restricted to twelve months but can be extended. “This determination reflects the continued dangerous conditions and persistent Russian attacks across significant Ukrainian territory,” said a federal announcement. “Notwithstanding global diplomatic initiatives, a permanent peace that would enable protected homecoming is not projected in the medium term.”