Julia Shramko
In Odesa, a criminal group was exposed that, under the guise of the NGO "Ukraine is a Mother," sold "protection" from mobilization. The perpetrators earned up to UAH 30 million monthly; 64 searches were conducted, and over UAH 1.6 million was seized.
Kuwait's Ministry of Defense reported the crash of several US military aircraft. The crews survived unharmed and are in stable condition.
As a result of Russia's night attacks, some residents of Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Sumy regions were left without electricity. In some regions, power outage schedules are in effect.
European gas prices could rise by 130% if supplies through the Strait of Hormuz are halted for a month. This is due to the threat of the Iranian crisis to global supplies, which has already led to a 25% price increase.
In Odesa, a residential building was hit as a result of the morning attack. There is currently no information about casualties, and the air raid alert is ongoing.
A fire broke out at the Saudi Aramco oil refinery in Saudi Arabia after a suspected drone strike and has been brought under control. An oil refinery in Kuwait was hit by debris, injuring two workers.
In Odesa region, police detained a 25-year-old man for abducting, raping a 16-year-old girl, and attacking a police officer. He faces up to 12 years in prison.
The conflict with Iran has led to mass cancellations of flights by Emirates and Qatar Airways, causing airline shares to fall. Over 400 flights have been canceled by each airline, and Dubai and Doha airports have suspended operations.
An American F-15 fighter jet crashed in Kuwait, and the pilot successfully ejected. The incident occurred amid regional tensions, and there are no official confirmations yet.
Residents of the Persian Gulf countries awoke to explosions after night attacks, in which Hezbollah intervened in the conflict. Explosions were recorded in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha, Bahrain, Lebanon, Israel, Kuwait, Iran, and Cyprus.
On the night of March 2, Russia attacked Ukraine with 94 drones of various types. The Ukrainian Defense Forces shot down or suppressed 84 enemy UAVs.
Some holders of Ukraine's dollar bonds are looking for ways to get more favorable terms from the government. They argue that last year's restructuring of GDP-linked securities undermined their position.
Ukraine is assessing significant damage after Russian drone attacks on a key facility of the Druzhba oil pipeline, which could complicate the issue of EU aid to Kyiv and sanctions against Moscow. Hungary and Slovakia accuse Ukraine of withholding supplies, blocking EU aid.
Gavin Gray, the IMF Mission Chief to Ukraine, stated that Ukraine has agreed to adopt a package of tax measures by the end of March. Trevor Lessard, the Deputy Mission Chief, noted that the IMF is monitoring the bond situation.
Ukraine is considering the possibility of creating consortia with allies to develop air defense systems capable of shooting down ballistic missiles. This will also help overcome the shortage of ammunition for Patriot systems.
The National Commission for State Language Standards approved the II edition of the standard "Terminology of Barrier-Free Access" on February 26, 2026. The document has been sent to the Institute of the Ukrainian Language of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine and other institutions for conclusions.
The US State Department is evacuating non-essential personnel and their families from Israel due to rising tensions with Iran. This decision is seen as a signal of a possible US and Israeli military campaign against Iran.
Temporary protection for Ukrainians in the EU is valid until March next year, said European Commission spokesman Markus Lammert. He is not aware of the debates regarding men of conscription age, referring to the current rules.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico discussed the transit of oil through the "Druzhba" pipeline with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. He proposes creating a joint inspection group to verify its functioning, as Slovakia and Hungary cannot receive paid oil.
The IAEA has negotiated a local ceasefire to restore the 330 kV backup power supply to the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. Demining operations are underway to allow access for repair crews.
President Zelenskyy announced the development of a strategy for Ukraine for next winter, taking into account the experience of the regions. Also, from March 1, pensions will be indexed by 12.1% for 10 million Ukrainians.
Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko announced that 1,156 Ukrainians have already completed the "40+ Health Screening" program, and 54,000 have registered for the examination. In total, UAH 108 million has been credited to the accounts of program participants.
The President of Ukraine is speaking with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico and inviting him to Ukraine. Earlier, Fico and Orbán agreed to establish a commission on the "Druzhba" oil pipeline.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and his Slovak counterpart Robert Fico have agreed to establish an investigative commission regarding the Druzhba oil pipeline. Orbán called on President Zelenskyy to grant access to it.
Starting February 27, 699 million UAH of "National Cashback" will be paid out for purchases made in December to 4. 4 million citizens. From March 1, an updated differentiated cashback of 15% and 5% will be in effect.
In Kyiv, a Mazda driver, stripped of his license for drunk driving, hit a service vehicle and fled. Patrol officers used their service weapons to stop the fugitive; no one was injured.
The return to market tariffs for gas, electricity, and heating in Ukraine is possible only after the war ends. The government will develop a roadmap for the liberalization of gas and electricity markets by June 2026.
On the night of February 27, the Ukrainian Defense Forces struck the Luhanska oil depot and fuel and lubricants warehouses near Mariupol. An enemy drone control point in the Kherson region was also damaged.
The Ministry of Energy reported that due to hostilities and shelling of energy infrastructure, some communities in Zaporizhzhia, Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, Sumy, Kharkiv, and Chernihiv regions are temporarily without electricity. Most regions are experiencing scheduled outages, while some have emergency blackouts.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated in an interview with Sky News that he sees a chance for achieving peace, with a "window" until the US midterm elections.