There’s a lot of noise about trilateral talks in the UAE right now, but looking at the situation on the ground, I’m not buying the optimism. The strategy has clearly shifted from general strikes to a "City-Kill" doctrine. Just look at Kherson—the heating plant has been getting hammered for 24 hours straight. They aren't just hitting infrastructure; they're trying to make urban centers unlivable before anyone sits down to draw ceasefire lines.

Inside Russia, the Kremlin is locking things down. The Ministry of Defense officially requested access to private banking data today. You don't build that kind of financial surveillance unless you're digging in for a long war or preparing to drag another wave of people into the mobilization centers.

The situation around Kyiv is genuinely making me nervous. UAVs are bracketing the city from three sides, but the real worry is that low-flying Russian ISR drone that breached the city center earlier. That wasn't an attack run; it was a mapping run. They’re fixing Air Defense positions for a follow-up, and that usually happens fast.

On the eastern front, the defense is scraping by but biting back. The "Spartan" brigade actually grabbed a POW in Pokrovsk today, which proves the lines haven't totally collapsed. The 8th SSO Regiment also managed to clear out a Russian strongpoint in a gutted supermarket near Kupyansk. However, I'm hearing unconfirmed reports of Russian gains near Zakotnoye. If those turn out to be true, the Seversk salient is going to get squeezed hard.

The satellite data is flashing red, too. Activity at the Morozovsk airbase is climbing, which usually precedes a wave of glide-bomb sorties. We’re also seeing a massive spike at the 1532nd AA Regiment. My read is that the "reload" phase at the depots is done. The munitions are moving, and Russia is repositioning air defenses to cover their rear logistics against deep strikes.

There were a few small tactical wins—the SBU caught a mole in Air Defense who was leaking coordinates, and the 46th took out another one of those ridiculous "turtle tanks." But honestly, don't let the headlines about negotiations distract you. That mapping drone over Kyiv wasn't sightseeing. It gathered intelligence, and I have a bad feeling they're going to use those coordinates tonight. Watch the energy infrastructure.