General situation overview
War in Ukraine continues for more than 85 hours. In a number of cities, people spend most of the day in shelters, while air-to-ground and ground-to-ground missiles thunderously hurtle through the air.
Prypiat Talks. On Sunday, President Zelensky had a phone call conversation with Alexander Lukashenko discussing possible negotiations between Ukrainian and Russian delegations at locations along the Prypiat River. Zelenskyi noted that the conversation with Lukashenko was substantive, assuring they do not want missiles, planes and helicopters flying from Belarus to Ukraine. However, Monday morning will show how the war will be developing further.
Belarus. Alexander Lukashenko admitted that Russians fired two or three missiles toward Ukraine from the Belarussian territory. On Sunday, Belarus held a referendum on the proposed changes to the constitution. With around 65% of support, Lukashenko obtained consolidated control of the country and terminated Belarusโ status as a nuclear-free zone. This opens the way for the potential deployment of Russian nuclear weapons. On Sunday, Putin announced that nuclear arms should be readied.
The situation in Kyiv and the regions:
Attacks on civilian infrastructure continue in a number of cities in violation of international humanitarian law. Minister of Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories, Iryna Vereshchuk emphasizes: the Russian troops are firing on columns of evacuated women and children, whom Ukraine is trying to move from the temporarily occupied territories and from the frontlines.
Kyiv keeps defending its territories. Russian troops still attempt to take over the capital city territory, the fights continue in different city areas. Active fights continue also in towns near Kyiv. Bucha, a town near Kyiv, was targeted with rocket missiles, a 9-storey residential building was hit.
Zhytomyr. A missile was fired at the Zhytomyr airport. 9K720 Iskander mobile short-range ballistic missile was launched at the city. Chernihiv. A rocket hit the building of the Youth Center downtown, as well as the kindergarten and local shops. In a misguided attempt to target the City Council, the shell hit the yard between the regional dental clinic and the 9th floor of the apartment block. Sumy region. Another kindergarten in Okhtyrka was shelled with prohibited cluster munitions. The shelling killed three civilians, including two children. People report the presence of heavy military transport and attacks across the region.
Kharkiv is under the control of the UA Armed Forces. However, heavy attacks continued through the whole day on Sunday. The Russian army along with their saboteurs tried to take over the city, but the Ukrainian army held their positions and kept control of the city.
Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Shchastya and Stanytsia Luhanska are occupied and almost destroyed. As stated by the head of Luhansk Regional State Administration, Serhiy Haidai, the situation is on the verge of a humanitarian catastrophe. Volnovakha remains as one of the hottest spots in Donetsk region, as does Mariupol.
Access to the sea. Fight for Mariupol continues as the tanks try to enter the city. Unfortunately, Berdyansk district is temporarily occupied by the Russian army. In the meantime, Russians seized two more Ukrainian civilian ships.
Follow the live map to see the scale of attacks.
Check the map with the main development of the Sunday, 27 February:
Ukrainian โMriyaโ (โDreamโ). Ukrainian An-225 “Dream” aircraft, the worldโs largest aircraft, was destroyed by the Russians at the Antonov airfield in Gostomel near Kyiv. In 2021, the aircraft delivered COVID-19 vaccines all around the world.
International community. Germany takes a U-turn on its position regarding the Russian war against Ukraine. Firstly, it intends to become independent of Russian gas as its energy security. As announced by Olaf Szolz, the German military will send 1,000 anti-tank weapons and 500 “Stinger” class surface-to-air missiles.
The EU will close their airspace to โRussian-owned, Russian-registered or Russian-controlled aircraftsโ according to the EU Commission Head. Additionally, Ukraine will receive 50 million euros for non-lethal weapons, fuel and protective equipment. For the first time in history, the EU will provide the Ukrainian army with lethal weapons, worth 450 million euros.
Disinformation. Amid Russiaโs military escalation, the number of propagandistic fakes about Ukraine grows exponentially.
There is a rumor that Ukraine conscripts underage men into its armed forces. This is fake! According to Ukrainian Law, the conscription age in Ukraine is 18-60 years old.
Russian media were planning to publish a glorifying article about โhow Putin returns former unity and strengthโ. However, the article has not been published. ะะฐัััะฟะปะตะฝะธะต ะ ะพััะธะธ ะธ ะฝะพะฒะพะณะพ ะผะธัะฐ – ะ ะะ ะะพะฒะพััะธ, 26.02.2022 (archive.org)
Statistics:
- Just on Feb. 27th alone, the Russian army launched 5 air and 16 missile strikes on Ukrainianterritories.
- Casualties among Ukrainians: 352 civilians including 14 children, 1684 wounded including 116children.
- During 24-28th February as of 06:00 today, Russia lost an estimated 5300 and hundreds ofmilitary equipment and vehicles.
- Nearly 400 000 people have fled abroad from active battle zones in Ukraine, according to theUN.
Support Ukraine. Follow the website to check for all possible ways to support Ukrainians these days. Here are real ways you can help Ukraine as a foreigner: (super.site)
Glory to Ukraine!
Update prepared by representatives of Ukrainian NGOs and experts in human security and democracy, who are in cities all over Ukraine right now. NGOs: Institute for political and information research NGO, World of Communities, Kyiv educational center Tolerspace, U-Cycle NGO (Kyiv Cyclists Association). Experts: Sofia Oliynyk, Taras Tymchuk, Marianna Semenyshyn.
