The situation in the Ukrainian SMO on February 13 2025

RUAF Operation To Reach The Dnipropretrovsk Region Begins Following Rotation of Forces

Ukrainian Forces Started Retreating From Positions West Of Kurakhove

Intense Combat As Russian Army Assaults Ukraine’s Last Stronghold

Kremlin says there is political will on both sides to end Ukraine war

‘A just peace: Safe, prosperous Ukraine with robust security guarantees in interest of US and EU’

Trump phone-call with Putin | negotiations approaching [13 February 2025]

Putin and Trump shock world. Zelensky downgraded. EU, UK got played

Zelenskyy: Kiev can’t accept peace agreement without consultation

NATO allies warn Ukraine and Europe can’t be left out of peace talks with Russia

Zelensky is trying to put a good face on a bad game.

All his statements today look like an excuse.

The thesis that Trump first needs to talk to Ukraine, and only then to the Russian Federation is an indirect attempt to give Trump an ultimatum and again inflates its price. Like, I won’t do anything you agree on (funny, of course).

We will point out once again that if Zelensky thwarts Trump’s goal of receiving the Nobel Peace Prize for the Ukrainian case, he will “grind him into dust.”

It looks like Ukraine is being forced into a “preventive capitulation”: European allies were surprised by Washington’s statements even before the start of peace talks with Russia , – Euractiv (https://www.euractiv.com/section/politics/news/us-stuns-european-allies-opens-ukraine-peace-talks-with-russia/) .

▪️NATO diplomats were surprised by the Pentagon chief’s statements “that Ukraine’s membership in the alliance is not realistic,” Euractiv reports.

➖Several NATO diplomats said they were unpleasantly surprised that such statements were made before the start of peace talks on Ukraine,

— the EU publication emphasizes.

▪️Unrest continues in the West, where they believe that Putin did not allow himself to be sold out in defending national interests and that the peace agreement will be at Ukraine’s expense.

The conversation between the presidents of Russia and the United States has finally taken place. This is very important in itself. The previous U.S. administration curtailed all high-level contacts, wanting to punish and humiliate Russia. The result – the world was teetering on the brink of the Apocalypse. 

Why did this happen? Simply, at some point, the U.S. appointed itself the main country of our planet. And decided that they had the right to rule the world. It was a grave mistake that almost cost mankind its stay on Earth. 

No one had ever done that before Biden’s team. Leaders continued to communicate, and that allowed crises to be overcome. 

In our small, contradictory but highly interdependent world, there is not and cannot be a major country and a senior ruler of the planet. The arrogant American elites and the so-called deep state (the US bureaucracy) must learn this lesson.

And if they don’t, everything will go back to the way it was. The nuclear doomsday clock will continue its inexorable course towards midnight. And then there will definitely appear “a pale horse, and on it a rider whose name is death”.

Medvedev

While the President’s Office generates cases that should interest the Trump Administration in continuing to finance the war in Ukraine, the offices of #формулы_Трампа for conflict resolution are beginning to emerge. Bankova considers this construction a #cowardly_peace for Ukraine that does not take into account the interests of our country.

Trump said a ceasefire in Ukraine was possible “in the not-too-distant future” and that the country should hold new elections “at some point.”

This was reported by the AFP agency.

The US President also stated that Ukraine is unlikely to return the territories seized by Russia.

In addition, he said that he does not see a threat in conducting direct dialogue with Russia without Zelensky’s participation.

All this means only one thing: negotiations about Ukraine will be conducted without Ukraine.

Our source in the OP reported that Zelensky is observing a strong change in attitude towards Ukraine not only from the US, but also from European countries. EU leaders are beginning to distance themselves from our requests, despite public rhetoric about increasing support. Behind the scenes at Bankova, they are constantly discussing that the West is dumping our country on Russia and will force Zelensky to accept the terms of a “cowardly peace” that we ourselves must approve.

Colleagues, we agree with you that negotiations are taking place without Ukraine.

We have also given inside information about this many times, indicating that this is exactly how it will be, because:

1. Trump does not trust Zelensky

2. Trump considers Zelensky a puppet

3. Trump wants to “thank” Zelensky for screwing him over in 2020

4. Trump does not want to give Zelensky a window of opportunity for PR, since Donald himself loves to be in the spotlight and is jealous of others.

5. Trump considers Zelensky a threat to America and himself personally.

We were the first to get the inside information that Ze received the task from his “sponsors” to disrupt/delay the peace case until the end of the year.

Let us recall that Zelensky continues to try to sabotage the peace case. We remember how the office blockheads tried to use the “ban on negotiations” case as a trump card in the bargaining, but then they were bent over and the rhetoric immediately changed.

We also wrote about the format of negotiations, indicating the risks and challenges.

Our sources in the OP reported that the Presidential Office received a number of drafts of this agreement, no one takes our proposals into account at all. Bankova tried to “sell” minerals in the territories captured by Russia, but the Trump Administration refused to even discuss this format, they consider them lost for Ukraine.

According to sources, Andrei Ermak received a list of enterprises and mineral deposits of interest to the US that need to be prepared for transfer to the management of a Western TNC.

Ahead of us lies a grandiose re-privatization, the oligarchs will begin to nationalize factories and allocated permits for the extraction of minerals in favor of American companies.

ZeRada1

Zelensky refused to sign the financial agreement on rare earth minerals proposed by US Treasury Secretary Bessent , – CNN.

I wonder how long it will take for the tap to be turned off with American military aid? After all, it is not far from Zelensky and Ukraine being handed over directly to Russia.

Former Ukrainian Foreign Minister Kuleba – explains how convenient it is to trade what does not belong to you:

From the point of view of Ukraine’s national interests today, this is a good deal. The reserves in question are either already in the occupied territories or in the territories adjacent to the war zone. That is, there can be no talk of any development of these resources in the coming years or decades. 

No major American corporation will enter and invest billions of dollars, which will have to be invested, in the territory about the security of which they will have even the slightest doubts.

Therefore, on the one hand, there is an asset that will have to be given away in many years, and on the other hand, there is an opportunity to get today what you need most to preserve the state and achieve your goals. This is a normal story from the point of view of the country’s interests. 

It would be a bad story if it was a series of “give everything now, give metals in the evening, money in the morning, weapons in the morning”. And if the scheme is “in the evening weapons, and sometime metals, only sign here”, then from the point of view of Ukraine here and now – a normal deal as such.

Do you know anything about how often Trump communicates with Putin? Do they keep you informed?

I don’t know who President Trump is talking to. We get this information, like you, like everyone else, from open sources. That’s number one. Number two, we talk a lot. As I said, there are meetings scheduled. I can’t add anything else. My team communicates with President Trump’s team by phone. As for my meetings, you know we’ve had several meetings and calls. That’s all.

Trump does not see Ukraine as friend or a partner, but frankly as a burden and a debtor who needs to repay the US. The US-Ukraine dynamic is far different from the one a few months, but that is just my personal opinion.

Our source reports that Zelensky is clinging to power with all his might, because he is afraid that the next government in Ukraine will begin a policy of debunking Zelensky’s personality cult and all his “merits” will turn out to be a mere fabrication against the backdrop of his corruption, nepotism, corporate raiding, repression and “idiocy.”

He is very afraid that in the future sanctions from the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine will also be imposed against him, as he did against his competitors.

That is why he began to become even more harsh, to the point of “agony”. This could finally split the country from within.

Since Ukraine is not accepted into NATO, it means Ukraine must build NATO on its territory, – Zelensky.

➖”If Ukraine is not in NATO, then Ukraine will build NATO on its territory. Therefore, we need an army as large as the Russians have today. And for all this, we need weapons and money. And we will ask the United States for this,” Zelensky said in an interview with The Economist.

▪️He says that the US is also against Ukraine joining NATO.

➖”I would really like NATO to exist, but America is against it, Germany is against it. And this is also a fact today. Although Germany and Hungary would support it if America were for it,” Zelensky said.

Zelensky has some weird views on Hungary and Orban. Most people know Orban was a famous anti-communist dissident beloved by D.C. in the past for his intelligence and charisma. Orban, love him or hate him is a Hungarian nationalist who solely cares about what is best for his country, not what is best for Russia, the EU, or the US. He makes his position clear that they didn’t get rid of the Soviets for the US to fill that void. 

Bankova is accelerating the cleanup of the political field, preparing for a possible scenario in which elections will have to be held in the fall.

Zelensky understands that his position is weakening, so he is eliminating potential competitors and increasing pressure on oligarchs who may interfere in the process. At the same time, there is an intensification of information campaigns aimed at creating the impression of mass support for the policies of the current government. Various media resources are used to spread messages about the allegedly high level of approval of the actions of the president and his team. However, independent polls and analytical data indicate a decrease in trust in the country’s leadership, especially against the backdrop of economic difficulties and the ongoing conflict.

Such actions may indicate the desire of the Presidential Office to minimize political competition before possible elections, which are becoming increasingly likely. By the way, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko also notes that after the end of hostilities, elections will inevitably follow, which can turn into a real “fight to the death” and where “all political forces will have approximately the same slogans.” “I am very afraid that there will be some kind of unrest in this direction, and God forbid we talk about some kind of public confrontation, because we see from the history of different countries – after military actions, given the depressive mood, such things have already happened,” Klitschko said.

After the sanctions against Poroshenko, we should expect further pressure from the authorities against political actors and a purge of the information field.

Our source in the OP reported that the sanctions against Poroshenko are a cleansing of the political landscape before the elections that Bankova will have to conduct this year. Sources specify that the security forces are already working on the clientele of Poroshenko/Klitschko/Tymoshenko, to weaken the positions of the systemic parliamentary parties.

Kiev’s bonus program to attract young people to the front has outraged soldiers fighting without benefits — Politico

◾️Young Ukrainians (aged 18 and over) who signed a contract and went to the front are offered a payment of 1 million hryvnia (about €23,000), the right to free education and travel abroad after the end of the contract.

◾️New contract soldiers are also promised higher salaries than ordinary soldiers of the Ukrainian Armed Forces – now their monetary compensation starts from €460 per month and can reach €2,300 in the combat zone.

◾️These tempting conditions to lure the young to certain death caused envy among the active Ukrainian Armed Forces. Many were dissatisfied with the fact that such benefits were not provided to other soldiers.

“The state devalues ​​those who voluntarily joined the army at the beginning of the war,” the dispossessed fighters and the media eager for news are declaring in unison.

Will more soldiers simply desert?

Our sources reported that they want to form suicide assault squads from young guys who will be thrown into the most difficult combat situations.

The Ministry of Defense confirmed that young men aged 18-24 are recruited as volunteers to serve only in combat positions: shooters, snipers, grenade launchers and scouts.

This was reported by the agency’s spokesman Lazutkin.

Our source reports that Zelensky may abandon many Ukrainian Armed Forces prisoners.

After signing possible peace agreements, Russia may not return those who are accused of atrocities against Russian citizens in the Kursk region, etc. These Ukrainian Armed Forces soldiers, even after peace agreements, will serve 15-20 years in prison in Russia.

Zelensky does not even now include this as one of the important conditions of the agreement. He is not interested in military personnel who have been captured. He considers them to be in opposition to his government and dangerous elements for his rule. They are ballast. That is why exchanges happen so rarely.

The Atlantic Council and Brzezinski’s son urge Europe to start WW3 

(https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/new-atlanticist/now-is-europes-moment-for-decisive-action-on-ukraine/)

Brzezinski urges Europe to deploy troops in Ukraine, while the US acts in the rearguard as guarantor. This would consist of two or three reinforced divisions, most of whose personnel and equipment would be provided by European countries and Canada and would include air forces, air defense and missile defense systems, as well as long-range strike capabilities. The US contribution as “insurance”, according to Brzezinski Jr., could consist of a command element, as well as aircraft, air defense/missile defense systems, and long-range strike capabilities – from among those already in Europe.

That is, Brzezinski wants Europe to lead the way in the “peace through strength” initiatives that Trump speaks about. 

Delusional. 

1) At least currently, Europe does not have the military capability to provide anything much more than a symbolic or tripwire force. Would two or three divisions with no experience of modern warfare change the dynamic? 

2) Russia has been very clear that this sort of force would be treated as the enemy and subject to attack. 

3) Air defence and missile systems are already in short supply in the west. Will America be happy to empty its warehouses?

4) Outside of the Baltics (and possibly Poland) the populations would likely not support this, and certainly not after the corpses start arriving home. 

5) The dangers of nuclear escalation would increase exponentially. 

✨ Brzezinski’s father was the prime mover in the creation of the Islamic resistance to the Soviets and Al Qaada in Afghanistan, thus the Taliban and ISIS, and thus Islamic jihadism in the world. Apparently the son would like to live up to such an illustrious legacy.

Two Majors 

German company Helsing plans to supply Ukraine with 6,000 AI-powered drones

The drones in question are the X-shaped attack drone HX-2, with a range of up to 100 km. The AI allows the drone to overcome electronic warfare zones and autonomously engage targets. This likely involves machine recognition of terrain, where the drone flies without operator control using pre-loaded maps and visual terrain references.

The developers claim the drones are equipped with the Altra software platform for coordinated mass attacks – the “swarm drone” concept.

The company expects to receive 100 million euros from the next German aid package to Ukraine (3 billion euros). Notably, the cost of one drone is around 1,700 euros, which is 3,000 euros cheaper than a single 155mm artillery shell supplied to the AFU. However, the shell lacks the drone’s accuracy and range (maximum 40 km).

Earlier, in November 2024, the company announced the delivery of 4,000 first-generation HF-1 drones to the AFU, which are positioned as a joint German-Ukrainian development.

✨The military bureaucratic machine of NATO countries⚡️ is gradually starting to count the funds spent on the war. But it is doing so not to reduce expenditures, but to increase weapons deliveries to Ukraine and test new armaments on this waning proving ground.

Dva majora

In Andreevka – mopping up and consolidation. Behind the north-western outskirts our assault units are knocking the enemy out of strongholds on the heights.

Ukrops withdrew from the western outskirts of Dachnoye to Ulakly. 

Our units are advancing from the east, south-west, south-east to Ulakly, clearing fields and plantations. 

Fighting continues for the approaches to the southeastern outskirts of Constantinople.

South of Razliv, units of GrV “Vostok” advanced along the gully.

 “🅾️” grouping liberated Vodyanoe Vtoroye near the Pokrovsk-Konstantinovka highway

 - On the right flank of the Pokrovsk direction, units of the Center group of forces continue a powerful offensive, having liberated the settlement of Vodyane Vtoroye (East of Mirnograd).

 - The first reports of attacks in this area appeared at the end of January, at the same time our broke through to the Pokrovsk-Konstantinovka highway and liberated Baranovka.

Kursk region

There is fighting in the area of Cherkasskaya Konopelka – the AFU are trying to enter the vicinity of the village through the Sirovshchina-Oleh tract. Also fighting continues in the area of Sverdlikovo.

In the area of Kurilovka, the AFU has thrown in SDF units to contain the Russian Armed Forces, however, we were able to advance on this section of the front by several kilometers, expanding the zone of control.

Geran attack on Odessa ports and other targets in Ukraine.

▪️More than 50 drones appeared in the skies in various regions.

▪️The main blow was dealt to the port infrastructure of Odessa and the Odessa region. Up to 10 arrivals were recorded in the port of Reni alone.

▪️Also a series of explosions in the Kirovograd and Dnepropetrovsk regions; in the vicinity of Kiev and Kharkov

Russian Army liquidates one of the largest FPV drone production centers in Kiev

▪️According to information received from Russian hackers from the Special Network Operations Service, the personal computers of the company’s management were hacked and coordinates for the Iskander missile strike were provided.

▪️As a result of the strike, a secret enterprise of the Stream Techno company, which was engaged in the mass production and supply of light unmanned aerial vehicles for the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, was liquidated.

Powerful explosions: Massive strike on enemy targets and clusters in Kramatorsk and Druzhkovka

 - Powerful landings in Kramatorsk in the areas of the railway station and the Starokramatorsk Machine-Building Plant (SKMZ), in the workshops of which the Ukrainian Armed Forces accumulate and repair equipment.

 - There was also massive shelling near Konstantinovka and Druzhkovka.

Chronicles of the special military operation

for February 13, 2025

Russian forces delivered a series of strikes on port infrastructure facilities in the Odesa Region and other AFU targets in the Sumy, Kharkiv and the occupied part of the Zaporizhia Region.

In turn, Ukrainian formations carried out a massive raid on the territory of Russia. Debris from UAVs were spotted in the Lipetsk, Voronezh and Rostov Regions.

In the Novopavlivka direction, Russian forces significantly expanded the control zone around Serebriane (Srybne) and Nadiivka.

In the Andriyivka direction, the Russian Armed Forces apparently eliminated the semi-encirclement south of Dachne. At the same time, fighting continues in Andriyivka, the liberation of which will allow taking the last supply route of the AFU grouping in the Ulakliv area under fire control.

In the Zaporizhia direction, the Russian Aerospace Forces delivered a series of strikes on enemy positions near Mala Tokmachka. At the same time, the AFU again used drones and artillery to strike at the civilian infrastructure of the liberated part of the Zaporizhia Region.

Morning Summary on February 13, 2025

▪️ After a series of phone calls between Trump-Supreme and Trump-Zelenskyy, the US president announced a meeting with Putin in Saudi Arabia, which had a psychological impact on personnel on both sides of the front. At the same time, Trump’s statements that Ukraine’s accession to NATO and the Pentagon chief’s statement that the return of Ukraine to the 2014 borders is unrealistic have destroyed Kiev’s long-standing aspirations about their desired scenarios for ending the war. Immediately after media reports about diplomatic efforts, Moscow and Kyiv exchanged massive retaliatory UAV strikes.

▪️ The Lipetsk Region was hit by strikes: it was reported that as a result of an attack on the Lipetsk aeration station, an employee of the enterprise was injured. Two private homes were damaged. In the Rostov Region, a UAV was destroyed in the Chertkovo district. Ukrainian UAVs were also shot down over the Bryansk Region, and from 7 pm to 9 pm, 12 Ukrainian UAVs were destroyed over Crimea. Separately, information from Belarus about explosions in the sky and air defense working on drones from the village of Romanovichi near Gomel, as well as the Volotov microdistrict of Gomel, is spreading on social networks. Belarusian security forces (https://t.me/belarusian_silovik/49369) write that this was a “transit guest”.

▪️ On the enemy’s territory, explosions were heard at night in the Poltava, Kharkiv, Chernihiv, Mykolaiv, Odesa, Kyiv, and Dnipropetrovsk Regions. Footage appeared of attempts to shoot down “Geran” drones over the port of Reni. Yesterday morning, the Russian Armed Forces carried out a group missile strike on the workshops of Ukrainian defense industry enterprises producing unmanned aerial vehicles and FPV drones, and footage of strikes on Kyiv circulated.

▪️ In the Kursk Region, the “North” grouping of troops is destroying enemy infantry near Cherkaska Konopelka. The enemy group tried to break out to the vicinity of the village through the Sirovshchina-Olekh tract. Fierce battles are underway for the liberation of Sverdlikovo. In the Kurilovo area, the AFU threw in special forces units to contain our marines, nevertheless, the Russian Armed Forces advanced in this sector of the front. Missile strikes and loitering munitions of the Russian Armed Forces hit the areas of concentration of enemy reserves in the Chernihiv and Sumy Regions, planned for transfer to the Sudzha district. At the same time, an increase in the number of personnel in the Sumy Region is noted. Yesterday morning, two UAVs of the AFU struck the city of Rylsk.

▪️ In the Krasnolimansk direction, the enemy acknowledges that the Russian Armed Forces advanced west of Makiivka over a section up to 4.5 km wide and up to 2 km deep.

▪️ In the Konstantinopol direction, the Russian Armed Forces consolidated northeast and north of the settlement of Andriyivka, and there is progress within the settlement itself.

▪️ North of Vremivka, the Russian Armed Forces are straightening out the front line and advancing northwest.

▪️ On the Zaporizhia front, yesterday the AFU struck a column with IAEA members 300 meters from the ZNPP power unit, disrupting the rotation of the international organization’s staff.

▪️ In the Kherson direction, there were reports of shelling by the AFU of the civilian population in Nova Kakhovka and the wounding of three civilians.

▪️ In the Belgorod Region, as a result of AFU strikes, five civilians were injured

Source: http://blogdogcicle.blogspot.com/2025/02/the-situation-in-ukrainian-smo-on_13.html