Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 1,453 | Russia-Ukraine war News
Key Developments on Day 1,453 of Russia’s War on Ukraine
February 16, 2026
Fighting and Attacks Across Ukraine
On Sunday, Russian forces launched multiple attacks across Ukraine, resulting in injuries to six individuals in the Dnipropetrovsk region, three in Sumy, and two in Zaporizhzhia, according to reports from Ukrinform citing local officials. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that over the past week, Russia has deployed approximately 1,300 drones, 1,200 guided bombs, and dozens of ballistic missiles against Ukrainian targets.
The Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, continues to face challenges, with about 1,600 buildings without heat due to recent attacks on the nation’s energy infrastructure. Deputy Prime Minister Oleksii Kuleba reported that Russian strikes caused damage to railroad infrastructure in Odesa and Dnipropetrovsk overnight.
In a notable counter-action, the Ukrainian military targeted the Tamanneftegaz oil terminal in southern Russia, close to the annexed Crimean Peninsula. Reports indicate that Ukrainian forces also conducted a drone strike on the Black Sea port of Taman, inflicting damage and igniting several fires. Governor Veniamin Kondratyev of the Krasnodar region confirmed that more than 100 personnel are currently working to extinguish the blazes. Additionally, minor Ukrainian attacks were reported in the coastal city of Sochi and the village of Yurovka, though they resulted in less significant damage.
In Moscow, five drones targeting the capital were reportedly intercepted by Russian air defenses, according to Mayor Sergei Sobyanin. A separate Ukrainian attack left several municipalities in the Russian border region of Bryansk without heat and electricity, as stated by Governor Alexander Bogomaz. Russia’s Ministry of Defence reported that its troops captured the village of Tsvitkove in the southeastern Zaporizhia region, where Russian forces now control approximately 75 percent of the area, despite relatively static battle lines in recent years.
Army Chief Valery Gerasimov announced on Sunday that Russian forces seized multiple villages in eastern Ukraine during February.
Political and Diplomatic Updates
In political news, Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau has detained former Energy Minister German Galushchenko, who resigned amid a corruption scandal while attempting to cross the border. President Zelenskyy announced new agreements with European allies focused on military and energy assistance.
European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas stated that EU member states are not prepared to provide Ukraine with a timeline for EU membership, a sentiment echoed by Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics, who expressed skepticism regarding a prompt peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico accused Ukraine of delaying the restart of a pipeline that transports Russian oil through its territory to exert pressure on Hungary concerning its opposition to Ukraine’s EU ambitions.
Meanwhile, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw the completion of a housing district in Pyongyang dedicated to families of military personnel who died in foreign operations, amid reports that over 6,000 North Korean soldiers perished while fighting alongside Russian forces.
Lastly, Latvia’s intelligence chief, Egils Zviedris, indicated that Russia is unlikely to reduce militarization of its economy even after the conflict in Ukraine concludes.
Caption: A wounded Ukrainian serviceman walks in a street in Kyiv during snowfall on February 15. (Sergei Supinsky/AFP)
