In preparation for the next combined Russian missile and drone attack on Ukraine, which I warned about yesterday, Russian An-72, An-148-100 and An-26 cargo planes landed at Khalino Airbase, Kursk Oblast, and Baltimore Airbase, Voronezh Oblast, delivering Iskander-M ballistic missiles and Iskander-K cruise missiles.

The attack is expected to take place some time in the next few days. It will not involve Tu-95MS or Tu-160 strategic bombers.

In the Rai-Oleksandrivka and Lyman directions, both Russian and Ukrainian forces have advanced.

In the southeast, Russian forces improved their positions in the forests and treelines overlooking Riznykivka, and entered the forested gulley to the northwest. They are now infiltrating further south down this gulley and the next gulley to the west. Meanwhile, Ukrainian assault groups are attacking Russian positions in the treelines southeast of Riznykivka.

To the northwest, the Russians captured the positions in the chalk hills which they previously entered, and began pushing southwest, clearing additional Ukrainian strongpoints, and entering the northeastern houses of Kryva Luka. On the otherhand, Ukrainian forces cleared out Russian infiltrators from the treelines southeast of Kryva Luka.

To the north, Russian forces captured some additional positions in the chalky hills, south of Zakitne, where Ukrainian forces are currently operationally encircled. They also completed the capture of Zakitne, driving the Ukrainians out of their last positions in the western part of the village. Additionally, the Russians entered the forests southeast of Ozerne and captured some positions there, while other forces cleared the remaining positions east of the village and continued attacking the last Ukrainian positions in the southern streets.

In the northwest, Russian forces continued pushing west from Dibrova, capturing new positions in the forests in two areas in the direction of Brusivka. They also broke through Ukrainian positions further north, capturing new parts of the forest in the direction of Staryi Karavan, with some soldiers coming within 600 metres of the village, where fighting is now underway.

+ ~6.85 km² in favour of Russia.
+ ~0.58 km² in favour of Ukraine.

Interactive map link: https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?mid=1thW9kqnDOaS2lAepLhLdzSX8Ur9Sc4k&ll=47.972743277699266%2C36.237619512610394&z=10

The revival of Rybar as a reliable source was not on my bingo card for 2026.

Does anyone remember this from October 2023? I don't think they ever recovered from this map update lmao.

I recently spoke with a civilian living in the city of Druzhkivka, Donetsk Oblast, which is around 9 km from the frontline. He has allowed me to make a post, quoting what he said about the situation in the region, as Russian forces advance closer and the battle for neighbouring Kostyantynivka rages on:

"[Druzhkivka is] becoming another Konstantinovka. I'd say it's like Konstantinovka in May-June 2025 or something like that. With several differences, though - like we only get 3 hours of electricity a day and in Konstantinovka, this problem wasn't that serious (at least in 50% of the city). And there are much fewer artillery bombardments, in Konstantinovka I heard them all the time (and they were not accurate 90% of the time), here - almost none. And it looks like there are fewer military cars because there are more drones."

"Ukrainian military here is... Well, in Konstantinovka, they typically rented houses. Here, I often see a hole in the fence and 3-5 soldiers who live there. They just rip off those fence panels and start living in an empty house. Well, maybe it's because Druzhkovka is much smaller, I don't know. And because they can't live in khruschovkas [apartment buildings] here like they did in my city - because they use generators 24/7 and you can't do it in a 5-storey building."

"There are still... Public services? Municipal services? You know, water utility workers, nature gas utility workers, etc. They even fixed the gas station. The Russians bombed a gas distribution station with 2 bombs on 30 January when it was -18 degrees below zero (-0.4 F). I don't know why they did it, I have lots of questions considering what I saw in Konstantinovka and here. The last market bombing, why? FPV drones bombing civilian cars? What's the point? I don't know."

"So anyway, around 90% of shops are closed, those which are still open work with generators. Even the mayor is still here, unlike that bitch (sorry) in Konstantinovka."

"And there are around 14,000-15,000 people in the city [pre-war population was 54,000]. The next wave of evacuation will probably start when there will be no electricity at all, or when they will start bomb 5- and 9-storey buildings, like in August in Konstantinovka. ТЦК [territorial recruitment] is also a problem. There were no military checkpoints with those draft officers between Konstantinovka and Druzhkovka. Between Druzhkovka and Kramatorsk, there is a checkpoint - for example, if I go there, I'll most likely end up in the military. That's why most men stay in Druzhkovka, and if men stay, their families stay with them."

Several Israeli airstrikes on southern Lebanon just now.

A Russian Tornado-S rocket launched from the vicinity of Mykhailivka impacted a target near Zaporizhzhia International Airport just now. The rocket was equipped with a cluster warhead.

Scenes from Tabna, southern Lebanon, where smoke can be seen rising following an Israeli airstrike. At least 3 airstrikes have been carried out so far.

The IDF stated that they are carrying out strikes on "Hezbollah terror infrastructure sites".

— When you look at footage of Operation True Promise-2 as opposed to Iran's operations during the 12-Day War, it's clear why preemptive strikes are so important.

During True Promise-2, Iran had the initiative, we attacked from multiple missile bases that were fully operational and when Israel did not expect it. As a result, at least 50 missiles hit their targets in one wave. Unfortunately Iran didn't target Tel Aviv metropolitan area during that operation, it would've been very effective.

Anyway, during the 12-Day War, Iranian missile bases were heavily suppressed, which led to a lesser volume of missiles being launched simultaneously and therefore less hits in each wave due to easier interceptions.

In my opinion it's a waste of missiles to wait for the enemy to attack first. Iran's missiles provide their primary advantage when used in an offensive context, when Iran is the attacker—not the attacked.

@Middle_East_Spectator

The reformists in power in Iran are delusional, and blinded by the "possibility" of a peaceful resolution. Never negotiate with the U.S. unless YOU KNOW the U.S. is going to get something significantly positive out of it, that wouldn't be feasible for them to obtain through war. By negotiating, the U.S. is stalling and working to build "justification" for the upcoming attacks, just like with the whole drug smuggling thing with Venezuela. They can pretend that they negotiated in good faith, and that "Iran was just too stubborn to come to an agreement, so they forced our hand".

The U.S. and Israel WILL strike Iran, and everyone knows this. Iran is essentially just waiting to be attacked, because they are scared that them attacking first will create justification for massive American attacks. What they seem to fail to realise is that the U.S. is very good at brainwashing its citizens into thinking that attacking/invading a country that they knew nothing about 6 months ago is for the greater good. The "justification" can always be created one way or another, and if worst comes to worst, they can just false flag them.

Ukrainian forces have recaptured the village of Verbove, Pokrovs'ke direction, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast.

Pre-war population: ~236.
Total land area: ~0.85 km².

The second battle for Verbove lasted approximately 8 days.

Overnight, Russia intensified their shelling of rear areas of Ukrainian-controlled Donetsk Oblast.

KAB strikes were carried out on targets in/near the cities of Mykolaivka, Slovyansk, Kramatorsk, and Druzhkivka, as well as on the town of Oleksijevo-Druzhkivka. MLRS strikes targeted the city of Dobropillya and the surroundings of Kramatorsk/Slovyansk.

The attached image is from Druzhkivka.

The Ukrainian General Staff reports that a Russian S-300VM air defence system was struck by a Ukrainian drone near Mariupol, Donetsk Oblast.

Due to a recent sharp increase in the number of Russian FPV drone strikes on this area, Ukraine has begun constructing anti-drone nets along the M-04 Pavlohrad - Pokrovsk Highway in eastern Dnipropetrovsk Oblast.

2 Russian S-400 surface-to-surface missile strikes on a Ukrainian HIMARS GMLRS launcher near the village of Serednii Burluk, Kharkiv Oblast. This was presumably one of the HIMARS launchers which has been attacking Belgorod City recently.

Also, I believe this is the first confirmed footage of Russian S-300/400 missiles being used in a surface-to-surface format, confirming what I and others have been saying for years about these missiles being used this way.

Coordinates: 49.88832, 37.26744

I never want to hear anyone ever say "Its Tornado-S every time, trust me bro" again.