The enemy has advanced near Kurakhove, Velyka Novosilka, and in the Kursk region, according to ISW maps.

Russian invaders have recently made advances near Kurakhove and Velyka Novosilka on the front. Progress by the Russian army is also being noted in the Kursk region.

This information comes from RBK-Ukraine, citing a new report from the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

Operation of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in Russia

Russian troops have recently advanced in the Kursk region. Geolocation footage published on February 21 shows that the Russians have moved forward in the southern part of the settlement of Sverdlikovo.

On February 21, Russian forces continued their offensive to the northwest of Suja in the area of Pogrebki, Lebedevka, Nikolskoye, Nikolayev-Daryino, and Sverdlikovo, as well as south of Suja in the area of Guyevo.

A Russian source from ISW claimed that the Ukrainian Defense Forces counterattacked near Sverdlikovo and Guyevo.

On February 21, Colonel Vadim Mysnyk, spokesperson for the Northern Group of Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, reported that small Russian sabotage and reconnaissance groups continue to operate along the international border in the Kursk region, but the Armed Forces of Ukraine are resisting these groups.

On February 21, the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense reported that in January 2025, Russian civilians sent 29% more inquiries (presumably compared to December 2024) to the Ukrainian initiative "I Want to Find," which identifies deceased and captured Russian soldiers.

It is reported that on the night of February 21, the Armed Forces of Ukraine struck an electrical substation and an oil pumping station near Novovelychkovsk in the Krasnodar Krai of Russia.

On February 20, the Russian operational headquarters of Krasnodar Krai stated that debris from a drone damaged an electrical substation in the Dinskoy district.

A Russian "military correspondent" claimed that Ukrainian drones targeted the Novovelychkovsk oil pumping station and electrical substation, and some drones aimed at a refinery in Slavyansk-on-Kuban but allegedly did not hit it.

Both Russian and Ukrainian sources from ISW reported that Russian troops shot down 19 Ukrainian drones targeting fuel and energy infrastructure in Krasnodar Krai during the night.

Eastern Ukraine. Operation of Russia No. 1 - Kharkiv Region

On February 21, Russian occupiers advanced in the Kharkiv direction but did not make any progress. Russian forces conducted offensive operations in the vicinity of Liptsy and Volchansk on February 20 and 21.

On February 21, a Russian "military correspondent" reported that the Ukrainian Defense Forces counterattacked near Volchansk.

On February 21, Colonel Yevgeny Romanov, spokesperson for the Kharkiv Group of Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, stated that snowy and frosty weather hinders the operation of Russian drones.

Operation of Russia No. 2 - Luhansk Region

On February 21, Russian invaders continued ground attacks in the Kupiansk direction but made no advances. Russian forces continued to attack to the north of Kupiansk near Zakhidny and to the east of Kupiansk near Petro-Pavlivka.

On February 21, Russian occupiers continued their offensive towards Borova but were unable to advance. On February 20 and 21, Russian forces attacked near Zahryzovo and Kopanky.

On February 21, the Operational Command "Khortytsia" released footage showing Ukrainian defenders repelling a Russian mechanized attack on Lozova (northeast of Borova), claiming that the Armed Forces of Ukraine destroyed four enemy BMPs.

On February 21, Russian invaders continued their offensive actions in the Lyman direction but made no advances. On February 20 and 21, Russian forces attacked in the areas of Ternov, Yampolevka, Novolyubivka, and Kolodezi.

Operation of Russia No. 3 - Donetsk Region

On February 21, Russian invaders continued their offensive in the Seversk direction but did not advance. On February 20 and 21, Russian forces attacked in the area of Bilohorivka.

On February 21, Russian occupiers advanced in the direction of Chasiv Yar but also failed to make any progress. On February 20 and 21, Russian forces attacked near and within Chasiv Yar, near Hryhorivka and Vasyukivka.

On February 21, Russian forces continued their advance in the Toretsk direction but did not make any progress. On February 20 and 21, Russian occupiers attacked near Toretsk and north of Toretsk near Deliivka.

Recently, Russian invaders advanced near Pokrovsk. Geolocation footage from February 21 shows that the occupiers have made progress in the center of Lysovka (southeast of Pokrovsk).

Russian forces attacked near Pokrovsk itself, in the area of the settlements of Vodyane Druhe, Yelizavetovka, Sviridivka, Luch, near Lysovka, Pyshchane, Udacha, Serhiivka, Nadeivka, Preobrazhenka, Bohdanivka, and Serebryany on February 20 and 21.

A Russian "military correspondent" claimed that the Armed Forces of Ukraine counterattacked near the villages of Zaporizhzhia and Preobrazhenka (both southwest of Pokrovsk).

Major Viktor Trehubov, representative of the Operational Command "Khortytsia," stated on February 21 that Russian invaders are having difficulty advancing near Pokrovsk and will likely have to redeploy additional units to this area and restore the units already present there to achieve further success in this direction.

A representative of the Ukrainian brigade operating in the Pokrovsk and Kurakhove directions noted that the Russians are using tanks and BMPs in this area and often attack in single columns with small gaps between the vehicles.

The spokesperson also mentioned that such a method of attack makes Russian tanks and armored vehicles more vulnerable to strikes from Ukrainian drones.

Recently, Russian occupiers may have eliminated the foothold of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (the so-called "pocket") west of Kurakhove. Geolocation footage from February 21 indicates that the Russians have captured Ulakly (west of Kurakhove).

According to ISW experts, Russian forces are attempting to use the capture of Velyka Novosilka to advance further north from the settlement towards the administrative border of Donetsk and Dnipropetrovsk regions.

"Southern Axis"

On February 21, Russian forces continued offensive operations in the western part of Zaporizhzhia region but made no advances. On February 20 and 21, Russian invaders attacked in the area of Shcherbakov, Stepne, Novoandriivka, and Piatykhatky.

Russian "military correspondents" claimed that the Armed Forces of Ukraine counterattacked near Piatykhatky and Kamensky (northwest of Rabotino).

On February 21, the Southern Operational Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that Ukrainian defenders recently destroyed a Russian Buk-M3 air defense system in the south of the country.

Neither Ukrainian nor Russian sources from ISW reported any ground actions in the Kherson direction on February 21.

Frontline Situation

As reported by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the evening summary on February 21, there is a noticeable decrease in the number of battles on the front - from the beginning of the day until the evening, there were 80 combat encounters, whereas the previous day there were 112.

The Defense Forces of Ukraine also noted that the Pokrovsk direction remains the "hottest," with the enemy conducting the most intense attacks and suffering significant losses.