The situation 1439 – February 28, 2026

1. Russian officials largely condemned the February 28 US and Israeli strikes against Iran, consistent with Russian rhetoric around the June 2025 Israel-Iran war.
2. Russia’s boilerplate condemnations of the strikes against Iran highlight the continued limits of Russia’s ability to support Iran and the asymmetry of the Russian-Iranian relationship.
3. Ukrainian authorities implicated soldiers and the commander of the Russian 136th Motorized Rifle Brigade (58th Combined Arms Army, Southern Military District) for using chemical agents in Vovchansk, Kharkiv Oblast from September 2024 to June 2025 in violation of international law.
4. Ukrainian and Russian forces both recently advanced in the Kostyantynivka-Druzhkivka tactical area and near Hulyaipole.

The full update of the Russian offensive 1439 is available on UNDERSTANDING WAR.