Russia has not been able to "break through" the defense of Ukraine, although it has already deployed 97% of its army, British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace told the BBC before the start of negotiations with the participation of NATO defense ministers. He noted that the combat effectiveness of the Russian army has been reduced by 40%, almost two-thirds of the tanks have been destroyed or damaged, which has a direct impact on the security of Europe.
Military expert Roman Svitan noted in a conversation with The Insider that the pressure of the Russian group in the area of Bialogorivka (Severodonetsk district of the Luhansk region) and Lysichansk is now increasing. Also, Russian troops have increased the number of troops in the Kremennaya area and are trying to advance towards Liman. According to him, there are now four hot spots in Ukraine: Vuhledar, Bakhmut, Paraskoveevka and Kremennaya. In other places, the situation is more calm. In recent weeks, the Kremlin has stepped up its attacks in southern and eastern Ukraine, prompting a major new offensive, Reuters stresses .
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in its report claims that Russia, despite significant losses, still intends to reach the administrative borders of the Donetsk and Lugansk regions. For this, the main forces are concentrated in the Kupyansky, Limansky, Bakhmutsky, Avdeevsky and Miner directions. According to the General Staff, military training of Russian troops is currently being carried out at the training ground in Belarus.
In the Ugledar direction, Russian artillery hit the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in Zolotoy Niva, Prechistovka and Bogoyavlenka, according to Semyon Pegov's propaganda channel WarGonzo. Now the RF Armed Forces are trying to advance towards the city from the side of Nikolsky dachas. The Rybar Telegram channel, which also covers the “special operation,” writes that fierce fighting continues in the suburban area southeast of Vugledar. According to him, the marines of the 155th brigade of the Pacific Fleet of the Russian Federation knocked out units of the 72nd separate mechanized brigade from several houses.
In the Donetsk direction, Russian troops attempted an assault in the Pobeda area, and are also attacking Maryinka. According to WarGonzo, the Armed Forces of Ukraine carried out strikes on Donetsk, Makiivka, and Yasinovataya.
An anonymous OSINT specialist with the nickname Def Mon claims that the Armed Forces of Ukraine repelled attacks in the area of Vodyany, Pervomaisky, Maryinka, Pobieda, Novomikhailovka and Vugledar.
To the south-west of Bakhmut, the Ukrainian army successfully counterattacked in the Ivanovsky area, and fighting continues for the Konstantinovka-Bakhmut highway. On the eastern outskirts of the city, the Wagner PMC is trying to push through the Ukrainian defense. To the north of Soledar, PMC fighters are advancing on Fedorovka, Razdolovka and Vesyoloye, propaganda channels write.
Def Mon describes the situation in the Bakhmut area as stable. He also stated that there are numerous reports that Red Mountain was not actually captured.
shelling
The Russian army launched a missile attack on a residential high-rise building in Pokrovsk, Donetsk region, said Pavel Kirilenko, head of the Donetsk Regional Military Administration (OVA). By the time the report was written, one dead and 12 injured were known.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine confirmed that on February 15, Russian military personnel carried out 28 attacks from multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) on civilian infrastructure in Pokrovsk, Donetsk region, and settlements in the Kherson region. There are wounded and killed among civilians, and an almost destroyed multi-storey residential building and a hospital in Berislav were also fired upon.
In total, on February 15, the Russian Federation launched 17 air strikes on Ukraine, the General Staff noted. In the Kupyansky and Limansky directions, Russian servicemen fired from tanks, mortars and artillery at more than 15 settlements. More than 15 settlements were hit by mortar and artillery shelling in the Bakhmut direction, more than 25 villages and settlements were shelled in the Zaporozhye and Kherson directions.
Separately, the General Staff notes that in Starobelsk, Luhansk region, on the territory of the surgical building of the local hospital, Russia has deployed a military hospital to treat seriously wounded Russian soldiers. Now the surgical department is completely closed for civilian use, about 20 military trucks with the wounded have already arrived there.
The Russian propaganda channel “Two Majors”, in turn, claims that on February 15, the Armed Forces of Ukraine fired 94 ammunition at the “DPR”. According to him, Zaitsevo, Gorlovka, Donetsk, Makeevka, Yasinovatsky district were under fire. Five civilians were wounded.
Balloons over Kyiv
The Kiev city administration reported that about six enemy balloons were detected in the airspace of Kiev. According to preliminary information, the balls moved in space under the influence of the wind, and could carry corner reflectors and reconnaissance equipment.
The administration clarified that air defense systems hit all air targets, most were shot down. How much exactly is not reported. The purpose of the launch in the administration was called "identification and depletion" of the Ukrainian air defense system. A photo has been published on the network, in which, presumably, one of the downed balls.
Losses
Photos of the Su-24M bomber, which was shot down on December 2, have been published . Propaganda Telegram channels claim that the crew of Alexander Antonov and Vladimir Nikishin died while directing the plane to the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Both crew members were posthumously awarded the title of Hero of Russia.
Arms deliveries
Sweden will transfer 51 infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs), Archer self-propelled artillery mounts (ACS) and anti-tank weapons to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. This was stated by Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson following a meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky in Kiev. The broadcast was conducted on the Facebook page of the Office of the President of Ukraine. Kristersson added that the country will provide both economic and defense support as needed.
NATO head Jens Stoltenberg said that the countries of the alliance decided to increase the production of artillery ammunition. This is due to the fact that during the war Ukraine spends shells faster than Western countries have time to produce, Stoltenberg explained. According to Reuters, about 10,000 artillery shells are used daily by the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The US, France, Germany and Norway have already signed contracts that will allow NATO members to replenish their own stockpiles of ammunition and continue deliveries to Ukraine.
Read also The Insider's summary of the main events on February 14: “Powerful battles near Bakhmut and Vugledar, in two weeks the list of dead Russian military increased by 1555 people. What's going on at the front .