February 21-28 live war map: Ukrainian forces attacks on critical fronts, while Russian troops flank from south

Russian troops are being exhausted, switch to horse-drawn transport

In February, the Russian troops tried to maximize their results along the frontline ahead of the talks with Trump. Hence, the record numbers of the Ukrainian Armed Forces going out for almost all types of equipment over the past six months. More than 300 tanks and nearly 600 armored vehicles, along with more than 3,450 vehicles, helped stop the Russian offensive in almost all areas of the front. 

Infographic, Photo: Espreso

It is interesting that Ukrainian soldiers have hit a thousand more vehicles than in January, when the absolute record of the war was updated. This is probably why we have started to see more and more videos of the “world’s second army” using donkeys, horses and walk-behind tractors for logistics. This is a sign that their capabilities have reached their maximum and have begun to sag. An important indicator is the destruction of artillery at the level of 1,500 units, the last time such record numbers were in the summer.

infographic, Photo: Espreso

So, the Russian forces managed to increase the number of their artillery thanks to North Korea or China. Another unpleasant trend is the renewal of the record for the launch of Shahed attack drones - 267 units. However, Ukrainian air defense remains effective at 98% of their elimination — and this is again a record — more than 3,600 tactical drones. At the same time, Ukrainian drones are developing very rapidly. Recently, a record elimination of S-300 was reported near Melitopol, 70 kilometers from the front.  

infographic, Photo: Espreso

Logistics threat to Sudzha

The Russian aggressors, with the help of the North Koreans, continue their desperate attempts to regain Kursk territories. For several months, the Russian troops have been trying to implement a plan to cut off Sudzha from the border with Ukraine. While the logistics from the Sumy region are under heavy fire, the Russian forces are trying to break through to the highway south of Sudzha from both sides. From the west, they managed to advance 1 km and completely seize the border village of Sverdlikovo, and they also crossed the border and tried to occupy Novenke. However, the Ukrainian Armed Forces stopped the offensive and pushed them back. They also attacked Lebedivka in vain and managed to push the Ukrainian forces out of Nikolske to the other side of the Loknya River. From the eastern flank, after a successful counterattack by Ukrainian soldiers, the Russian troops are trying to retake Fanasiivka, but the Ukrainian Defense Forces are holding the line.

Ukraine Russia war live map, February 21-28, Photo: Espreso

In the north, after several months of offensive on Pohrebky and Orlivka, the Russian forces managed to push Ukrainian defenders to the other side of the river, but they are still unable to enter the villages, so they are in a gray zone. In general, over the past month, the Ukrainian Armed Forces have recaptured more territory in the Kursk region than the Russian army.

Siversk front is moving

While there has been some stability on the frontline between Kharkiv and Luhansk regions for several weeks now, bad news came from Bilohorivka, where the Ukrainian Armed Forces have held an unbreakable line of defense for 2 years. Although the Russian army advance here ranged from 500 meters to 1 km, they managed to occupy part of the dominant heights, forcing the Ukrainian Defense Forces to move outside the village. As a result, Bilohorivka, one of the last villages in Luhansk region that was under Ukrainian control, has become a gray zone.

Ukraine Russia war live map, February 21-28, Photo: Espreso

Ukrainian army returns Toretsk

Just a few weeks ago, the Russians were gleefully announcing the complete occupation of Toretsk, and now the Ukrainian Armed Forces armored vehicles are driving through the town's central streets. Ukrainian troops launched multiple local counterattacks, which led not only to the transition of a large western part of the town into a gray zone, but also to the encirclement of the Russian forces. The Ukrainian Defense Forces attacked from the south through the Zabalka neighborhood, where they managed to recapture a spoil tip and part of a private housing area and reached the high-rise buildings. To counter this offensive, another one began from the north, near the Central mine, where Ukrainian troops liberated several neighborhoods. Those Russian units that were making their way to the western outskirts of the town may soon find themselves cut off from the main forces. There are about 800 meters to go before the Ukrainian Armed Forces units moving towards each other from the south and north can be joined. Fierce fighting is currently taking place here, and the situation is changing dynamically. The Russians have stopped attacking and are trying to adapt to the new reality.      

Ukraine Russia war live map, February 21-28, Photo: Espreso

Pokrovsk — counteroffensive continues

The situation near Pokrovsk is beginning to develop critically for the Russian forces. Within a week, the Ukrainian Armed Forces were able to recapture their positions in Uspenivka, which the occupying Russian army had been storming for over two months. In addition, the Ukrainian paratroopers liberated the village of Kotlyne, thus disrupting the Russian offensive plan to the north, bypassing Pokrovsk. Over the past 3 weeks, this is the sixth area where the Ukrainian Defense Forces have counterattacked. However, the Russian troops are unable to organize themselves to break through the Ukrainian defense in any of the areas. However, they plan to actively attack again in the near future to eventually cut the Pokrovsk- Kostiantynivka road. 

Ukraine Russia war live map, February 21-28, Photo: Espreso

Creeping offensive on the Novopavlivka front

For almost a month, the occupying Russian forces tried to capture the village of Zaporizhzhia with 10 houses. Finally, they did. On this section of the front, their advance was 800 meters per week, and 2.5 km per month. There are 7 km to the Dnipropetrovsk region. The next strategic target of the Russians is the village of Preobrazhenka, which is now semi-encircled. But even in a month, they have not been able to advance a single meter in Nadiivka, which is a few kilometers to the north.

Ukraine Russia war live map, February 21-28, Photo: Espreso

Meanwhile, to the south, fierce fighting is taking place within Ukrainian fortifications in Andriivka and Kostiantynopol. After the Ukrainian Defense Forces withdraw from the encirclement to Kostiantynopil, we can finally rename this direction from Kurakhove to Novopavlivka — now the Russians' goal is to finally close the pocket between Pokrovsk and Velyka Novosilka so that they can focus on Pokrovsk. Until this happens, there will be no major offensive on Pokrovsk, so defense in this area is extremely important for Ukraine.

So far, the Russian forces have managed to almost occupy Ulakly, although the Ukrainian Armed Forces are still fighting in the northern part of the village. In Kostiantynopil, the situation has not changed much - we have strengthened Ukrainian defenses, but the Russians are constantly trying to penetrate the village along the entire front line. In Andriivka, the situation is changing extremely dynamically - fighting is going on for almost every house. The Ukrainian defense forces have repeatedly pushed the Russians off the road to Oleksiivka, so the Russian troops began to bypass the village from the north to expand the front line. The Russian Armed Forces are moving additional troops here from Pokrovsk to build on their success and press the situation, but so far the Ukrainian Defense Forces are holding back the occupiers.  

Ukraine Russia war live map, February 21-28, Photo: Espreso

Russian troops made breakthrough from south

Throughout February, after the capture of Velyka Novosilka, the front to the north of it was the most dynamic. It was here that the Russian troops occupied the most Ukrainian land. In recent days, they have managed to capture Novoocheretuvate and Burlatske and continue to advance northwest through Pryvilne, trying to bypass our defense lines. Over the past week, the Russians have advanced by 2 kilometers over a 14-kilometer stretch.

In Dniproenerhia, which is located on the other side of the Mokri Yaly River, the Ukrainian Defense Forces managed to gain a foothold and held back the attack. Instead, the Russians are moving north along the river toward Komar. Their main goal is to block the Kurakhove-Zaporizhzhia road to cut off logistics for the Ukrainian defenders and try to encircle them again. So far, the fighting is for the village of Skudne, but the defense of the next village, Vesele, is already being prepared. The Russian forces have deployed additional troops from the right flank and are preparing to advance towards Odradne and Bahatyr.

Ukraine Russia war live map, February 21-28, Photo: Espreso

We can see that the occupying Russian army is trying to find gaps in Ukrainian defense and is advancing only where they can, and where they meet resistance, the line is stabilizing. There are no deep breakthroughs, as there were in November and December. If in January the Russians captured 350 square kilometers, in February they captured even less — 120 square kilometers.

The maps were created using data from the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and other verified open sources. They are approximate and only represent general trends in the combat zone.