Victory Chronicles-DAY 1086

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy rejected the idea of negotiations with Russia, urging Western allies to focus on their own security rather than attempting dialogue with Kremlin ruler Vladimir Putin.

“Putin has never asked for anything — he simply invaded our territory,” Zelenskyy told the Lond-based The Guardian newspaper. He called for an end to “infantile conversations” about negotiating with Moscow.

Ukraine’s second war-time  president emphasized that a stronger Ukrainian military is crucial for European defense, warning that Putin would target other European nations after Ukraine. He expressed confidence in Ukraine’s armed forces while stressing the importance of weapons and financial support.

His comments came after discussions with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer about potential security guarantees, including the possibility of a peacekeeping contingent in Ukraine.

Norway pledges $113 million worth of additional air defense equipment to Ukraine as part of its ongoing military support, Defense Minister Tore O. Sandvik announced Monday. The equipment will be purchased from the United States under the JUMPSTART program, addressing what Sandvik called Ukraine’s highest priority military requirement.

This latest commitment brings Norway’s total air defense support to more than $566 million. The latest package is part of the $2.1 billion Nansen Programme, Norway’s military aid initiative to Ukraine for this year.

Russian drones target port infrastructure in southern Odesa region overnight, sparking fires and injuring one person, emergency services reported. Ukrainian firefighters, deploying 19 first responders and four vehicles, extinguished the fires at the targeted facilities, according to the State Emergency Service.

Ukraine’s Navy downs 11 Russian Shahed-136 kamikaze drones during an overnight attack, Vice Admiral Oleksiy Neizhpapa, Commander of the Ukrainian Navy, reported. The interceptions were carried out as Russian forces continued their campaign of aerial attacks against civilian targets, the Navy said in a statement.

Key Takeaways:

• US President Donald Trump held bilateral phone calls with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on February 12.
• Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov and Russian Security Council Deputy Chairperson Dmitry Medvedev explicitly rejected Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s proposal to trade occupied Ukrainian territory for territory held by Ukrainian forces in Kursk Oblast during future peace negotiations.
• Denmark’s Defense Intelligence Service (DDIS) assessed that Russia may have the capabilities to launch a full-scale war against NATO in the next five years, which is consistent with ISW’s assessments about Russian efforts to restructure and prepare its military and society for a future conflict with NATO in the medium to long-term.
• The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense (MoD) recently launched the “Contract 18-24” voluntary recruitment program aimed a recruiting 18 to 24-year-old Ukrainians into the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
• Russian President Vladimir Putin held his first official call with Syrian Interim President Ahmed al Shara on February 12 since the fall of Russian-backed former Syrian President Bashar al Assad.
• The Armenian National Assembly approved a draft law in the first reading on February 12 to commence the process of joining the European Union (EU).
• Ukrainian forces recently advanced in Kursk Oblast and near Toretsk, and Russian forces recently advanced in Kursk Oblast and near Borova, Siversk, Toretsk, Pokrovsk, and Kurakhove.
• Russia’s Shahed drone production rate may be declining.

Twenty-six year-old Jr. Sgt. Artem Polianskyi, who went by the call sign Levyk, was killed on Sept. 16, 2024, near the city of Toretsk in Ukraine’s Donetsk region. While at a command and observation post, he learned of an impending enemy shelling and ordered his comrades to take cover in the basement. He remained in contact with fellow soldiers who were engaged in combat. He was killed by artillery fire from Russian forces.

Polianskyi was born in the village of Velyka Znamianka in the Zaporizhzhia region. He earned a crane operator’s degree from the Zaporizhzhia Polytechnic Center for Vocational Education and worked in his profession at Zaporizhstal. He later became a barista. He had a talent for repairs and enjoyed playing video games, spending time outdoors, and traveling. He was passionate about history and cars and often spent hours on YouTube researching and learning.

On Feb. 26, 2022, he joined Ukraine’s defense forces. He served in the 12th Azov Special Forces Brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine, where he was a platoon commander. He was awarded the Medal “For Courage.”

“I am very proud of my husband because he is an example of courage, heroism, patriotism, and justice for all of us. He is the brightest person I have ever known in my life. But he loved Ukraine the most, and that is probably my heaviest guilt. These words best describe his life’s purpose,” said his wife, Aliona Polyanska.

Polianskyi was buried in the Alley of Glory at the cemetery in Nikopol, Dnipro region, where he had lived with his wife. He is survived by his parents, wife, uncle, sister, nephews, cousin, grandparents, cousins, and goddaughter.

*Artem’s story on the Heroes Memorial – a platform for stories about the fallen defenders of Ukraine.

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