UPDATED: The missile that hit the building in Kiev was launched by a Buk-M1 air defense system of the Ukrainian military, Interfax reported citing Russian Defense Ministry sources.
“Information circulated on social networks about a Russian missile attack on a residential building on Lobanovsky Avenue in Kiev is not true. The nature of the damage to the house indicates that it was hit by an anti-aircraft missile,” a source in the Russian Defense Ministry said on Saturday.
“This is clearly visible on the video. It is obvious that in the course of repulsing night missile strike on the military infrastructure of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, a failure occurred in the missile guidance system of the Ukrainian Buk-M1 medium-range air defense system and the missile hit the corner of a residential building,” the source said.
“After the loss of the Gostomel airfield, three Buk-M1 launchers of the air defense of the Ukrainian Armed Forces were deployed on February 25 to strengthen the defense of the Zhuliany airport in the capital. The reason for the failure of the missile of the Ukrainian Buk-M1 air defense system is most likely the lack of necessary routine maintenance and the objective aging of equipment that has been in service with the Armed Forces of Ukraine since Soviet times,” the source said.
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On February 26, the Russian peace enforcement operation in Ukraine entered its third day.
Before taking a closer look at military developments, it will be interesting to note some interesting statements by the leadership of the Kiev regime. These statements allow to at least partly estimate the level of delusions in which people of Ukraine isolated from alternative sources information live:
In the early morning, Mikhail Podolyak, adviser to the head of the Presidential Administration, claimed in comments to TSN TV channel that after last night, Ukraine will dictate terms in negotiations with Russia.
“The positions in this negotiation process will be completely different. These will be terms that Ukraine will dictate. It will set some conditions for what will happen next. That’s it, period. After the events of the recent days, and especially last night, it is clear who is who.”
A missile hit the building in Kiev. Taking into account the corner of the missile strike it was another ‘success’ of Ukrainian air defense systems (earlier they already shot down own warplane over Kiev):
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The moment of launching this air defense missile by regime forces in Kiev just moments before the incident:
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Ukrainian TV confirms deployment or air defense systems inside the city and shows the map of their locations:
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A day earlier, the Zelensky administration rejected the proposal of talks with Moscow in Minsk. Firstly, the regime proposed to hold talks in Poland and then claimed that it is also possible in Israel.
Now, as of February 26, Kiev once again reportedly claimed that it is ready for talks. Probably, now, they will propose Washington…
Locals remove Ukrainian flag in Zaporojie city:
Gangs created in Kiev by giving automatic assault riffles to so-called ‘territorial defense units’ (i.e. anybody who wants to get a weapon) already turned the capital into the battleground despite the fact that Russian forces are not entering the city itself. ‘Ukrainian patriots’ shoot at each others, eliminate ‘groups of Russian saboteurs’ (i.e. ordinary civilians, other units of ‘territorial defense’ and even pro-Kiev troops) and loot properties.
‘Territorial defense units’ captured people in the car:
The number of casualties as a result of this fierce battle with imaginary enemies is already over 100 people.
Aftermath of brief clashes near Nikolaev, Nikolaev Region (southern Ukraine):
Social media outlets of the Kiev regime’s defense ministry claim that Russia suffered ‘thousands of casualties’. From their reports, it seems that Kiev forces have almost achieved the victory and in a few days they will launch an advance towards Moscow.
This comes amid reports by MSM, the US and the UK that the Russians ‘have not reached any goals’ and are ‘suffering major casualties’ referring to numbers and claims of the Kiev regime.
After only 48 hours of the operation, Russian forces eliminated multiple objects of the military infrastructure of the regime, reached and blocked Kiev from several directions, penetrated defenses of Kiev forces in multiple areas in the southern, eastern and northern parts of Ukraine and allowed DPR and LPR forces to develop an effective operation in Donetsk and Lugansk regions. Nonetheless, Kiev apologists and MSM are in a full-scale advance on Russian forces in Twitter, Facebook and social media.
Russian military helicopters (Ka-52 and Mi-24 or Mi-35) filmed in the Kiev countryside:
Click to see the full-size image
Click to see the full-size image
At the same time, it is important to note that the situation remains complicated around Kiev, Kharkov, Melitopol and Mariupol. Military formations of the Kiev regime that consists of mostly radical nationalists show no signs of preparations for surrender. Instead, they conduct active military actions and attack advancing forces. Actions of the Russian Armed Forces, the DPR and LPR are limited by their intention to minimize civilian casualties. In turn, ‘Ukrainian patriots’ have no such ‘problem’ and openly use tactic of human shields, hide behind civilians and install military equipment near or even inside civilian objects.
At the same time, the Russian Defense Ministry reported on February 26 that the operation goes in accordance with the assigned tasks and objectives. According to the released statement, the Russian military destroyed 821 objects of the military infrastructure of Ukraine.
This includes 14 military airfields, 19 command posts and communication centers, 24 S-300 and Osa anti-aircraft missile systems and 48 radar stations. Additionally, Russian forces shot down seven combat aircraft, seven helicopters, nine UAVs, destroyed 87 battle tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 28 multiple launch rocket systems and 118 units of special military vehicles.
In comparison with numbers provided by the Kiev side, the statement of the Russian Defense Ministry looks pretty conservative and apparently shows the image close to the real situation on the ground.
Additionally, the Russian side reported that “units of the Russian Armed Forces have established full control over the city of Melitopol”.
Russian servicemen “take all measures to ensure the safety of civilians and exclude provocations from the Ukrainian special services and nationalists.”
LPR forces “advanceed to a depth of 30 kilometers and captured the settlements of Bakhmutovka and Grechishkino”, and “units and military units of the Donetsk People’s Republic, advancing in the direction of Novomaiskoye, advanced another 6 kilometers.”
Nonetheless, actions of the Kiev regime and pro-Kiev radical nationalist formations demonstrate that without the full destruction of the Ukrainian military infrastructure and full denazification of the country, it will be very hard to put an end to the terror and establish a real peace on the territory of Ukraine.
