Russian forces conducted another large, combined strike package overnight on February 21 to 22 and appear to be shifting their target set from primarily energy infrastructure to include Ukrainian water and railway infrastructure. The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Russian forces launched 347 drones and missiles against Ukraine overnight.[1] The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Russian forces launched 297 Shahed-type, Gerbera-type, Italmas-type, and other strike drone types – of which roughly 200 were Shaheds – from the directions of Bryansk, Kursk, and Oryol cities; Shatalovo, Smolensk Oblast; Millerovo, Rostov Oblast; Primorsko-Akhtarsk, Krasnodar Krai; and occupied Crimea. The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Russian forces also launched 50 missiles, including four Zirkon hypersonic cruise missiles from occupied Crimea; 22 Iskander-M/S-400 ballistic missiles from Bryansk and Belgorod oblasts and occupied Donetsk Oblast; 18 Kh-101 cruise missiles from Volgograd Oblast; and two Iskander-K and four Kh-59/69 cruise missiles from Kursk Oblast. The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Ukrainian forces downed 274 drones and 33 missiles, including all the Iskander-K and Kh-59/69 cruise missiles and all but one of the Kh-101 cruise missiles. The Ukrainian Air Force reported that 14 missiles and 23 strike drones struck 14 locations and that falling debris hit five locations. The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Russian forces primarily targeted Kyiv, Odesa, Kirovohrad, and Poltava oblasts.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reported that Russian forces targeted Ukrainian logistics, including railway infrastructure, and water supply infrastructure in cities, rather than focusing on energy infrastructure.[2] Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister and Development Minister Oleksiy Kuleba reported that Russian forces struck railway infrastructure in Donetsk, Zaporizhia, Mykolaiv, and Odesa oblasts, damaging two locomotives.[3] Ukrainian officials reported that Russian strikes also damaged civilian, commercial, medical, residential, and energy infrastructure in Kyiv City and Kyiv, Odesa, Sumy, Mykolaiv, Dnipropetrovsk, and Zaporizhia oblasts, and injured at least 19 civilians and killed one in Mykolaiv and Kyiv oblasts.[4] Mykolaiv Oblast Head Vitaliy Kim reported that Russian strikes overnight caused power outages for at least 16,000 customers in Mykolaiv City.[5] The shifting Russian target set comes after Russian strikes intended to break Ukraine’s energy grid in the dead of winter, though Russian forces will likely continue efforts to further degrade Ukraine’s energy infrastructure using long-range strikes.[6]Russia is reportedly selling man-portable air defense systems (MANPADS) to Iran, likely to repair its reputation among Iran and Russia’s other allies. The Financial Times (FT) reported on February 22 citing leaked internal documents and several people familiar with the matter that Russia and Iran concluded a 500 million euro (about $589 million) deal for Iran’s purchase of 500 Verba MANPADS, 2,500 9M336 surface-to-air missiles (SAM), and 500 Mowgli-2 night vision sights to be delivered from Russia in three tranches from 2027 to 2029.[13] One person familiar with the deal told FT that it is possible that Russia could deliver a small number of the deliveries early. FT noted that Iran requested Verbas from Russia in July 2025, just weeks after the June 2025 Israel-Iran war obliterated Iran’s air defense capabilities. FT noted that there have been several cargo flights from Russia to Iran in December 2025 and January 2026, and Iranian Ambassador to Russia Kazem Jalali confirmed that recent flights from Russia contained military cargo. Russia has relied heavily on its allies, especially members of the Adversary Entente, for military and economic support since launching its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 but has not been able to reciprocate this support.[14] Russia has failed to support its allies in their own conflicts in recent years due to the needs of its war effort in Ukraine, and these allies have suffered, with some even distancing themselves from Russia as a result.[15] The Kremlin likely seeks to repair relations with Iran in the near-term by delivering weapons and equipment on such a timeline that the Kremlin believes will not impact its war effort. Russia reportedly delivered attack helicopters and Spartak armored vehicles to Iran in mid-January 2026, including at least one Mi-28 helicopter that was part of a November 2023 deal.[16] The Kremlin may also assess that it can delay any weapons deliveries beyond their contracted dates, as it has with other allies since its full-scale invasion.[17]
Key Takeaways
- Russian forces conducted another large, combined strike package overnight on February 21 to 22 and appear to be shifting their target set from primarily energy infrastructure to include Ukrainian water and railway infrastructure.
- Ukrainian officials accused Russian intelligence services of coordinating an improvised explosive device (IED) attack on a shopping center in Lviv City on February 22 that killed one and injured at least 25.
- Russia is likely escalating a sabotage campaign intended to degrade Ukrainians’ trust in their security and destabilize Ukrainian society.
- Russia is reportedly selling man-portable air defense systems (MANPADS) to Iran, likely to repair its reputation among Iran and Russia’s other allies.
- Russian forces recently advanced near Slovyansk