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Historical Intelligence

Situation Report

Archived operational intelligence briefing

Report Time
2026-02-16 19:49:07Z
8 days ago
Previous (2026-02-16 19:19:07Z)

Situation Update (1948Z 16 FEB 2026)

Key updates since last sitrep

  • SBU Internal Purge Mandated: (1922Z, Zelenskyy, HIGH) President Zelenskyy has ordered SBU Major General Oleksandr Poklad to conduct a systemic "cleansing" of the Security Service to remove personnel serving foreign interests. This follows a briefing on countering enemy plans.
  • RU Aviation Staging at Lipetsk: (1940Z, Tsaplienko, HIGH) Satellite imagery confirms a significant concentration of Russian military aircraft at Lipetsk Airfield. This aligns with warnings of an imminent massive strike package.
  • Urgent Energy Strike Warning: (1934Z, Zelenskyy, HIGH) Ukrainian intelligence confirms RU is preparing "evolved" massive strikes on energy infrastructure. Zelenskyy emphasized that these are "combined strikes" requiring immediate Western air defense (AD) replenishment.
  • Multi-Vector UAV Incursions: (1929Z-1937Z, Air Force, HIGH) New Shahed-type UAV groups have been detected moving from the east toward Dnipro and from the Black Sea toward Ochakiv.
  • Ukrainian Strikes on Sochi: (1926Z, Two Majors, HIGH) Air raid sirens and UAV threat warnings are active in Sochi (Krasnodar Krai), indicating an expansion of the UAF drone offensive against RU's southern littoral hubs.
  • Geneva Negotiations Status: (1936Z, TASS, HIGH) The Swiss MFA confirmed that the tripartite talks involving UA and RU delegations will be conducted in a closed-door format, barred from media access.

Operational picture (by sector)

1. Northern Axis (Kharkiv/Sumy/Chernihiv):

  • Kharkiv/Vovchansk: Current temperature has dropped to -6.0°C with 72% cloud cover. Ground conditions are now fully conducive to heavy mechanized movement. No new ground maneuvers reported since 1905Z, but the freeze increases the risk of a breakout attempt.
  • Sumy/Chernihiv: Tactical threat remains high from transiting UAVs; however, focus has shifted toward the Dnipro and Southern vectors in the last hour.

2. Eastern Axis (Donbas/Luhansk):

  • Donetsk/Pokrovsk: (1941Z) RU tactical aviation has launched KAB (guided aerial bombs) strikes against targets in Donetsk Oblast.
  • Tactical Engagement: (1935Z) Footage from the "Azov" unit confirms active drone-drop operations against RU infantry in the Donetsk steppes, indicating high-intensity trench/vegetation clearing operations despite 100% cloud cover and -2.0°C temperatures.

3. Southern Axis (Zaporizhzhia/Kherson/Crimea):

  • Ochakiv/Mykolaiv: (1937Z) A new group of UAVs is approaching Ochakiv from the Black Sea, likely intended to pin down AD assets or strike maritime infrastructure.
  • Dnipro: (1929Z) UAVs approaching from the east; this vector suggests a coordinated attempt to bypass southern AD screens by utilizing inland approach paths.
  • RU Rear (Krasnodar/Sochi): UAF deep-strike operations continue to force RU into defensive postures along the Black Sea coast. The use of sirens in Sochi suggests UAF drones are successfully penetrating long-range PVO (Air Defense) zones.

Enemy activity / threat assessment

  • Strike Capability: The staging of aircraft at Lipetsk (1940Z) combined with the "flatlined" activity at the 260th GRAU Arsenal (Ref: Daily Report) suggests that RU has completed the "loading phase" for a multi-domain strategic strike.
  • Tactical Adaptation: Zelenskyy’s reference to "evolving" strikes (1934Z) likely refers to the integration of Lipetsk-based tactical aviation (KABs/ALCMs) with the Shahed swarms currently entering the Dnipro and Ochakiv sectors to saturate PPO "recalibration."
  • Internal Sabotage: The mandate for an SBU purge (1922Z) suggests that RU may be leveraging "stay-behind" assets or high-level informants to provide BDA (Battle Damage Assessment) or targeting data for the upcoming energy sector strikes.

Friendly activity (UAF)

  • Strategic Defense: Focus is currently on the optimization of PPO (Air Defense) geometry ahead of the anticipated massive strike.
  • Counter-Sabotage: The SBU is pivoting toward internal security to prevent RU intelligence from exploiting the "Geneva window."
  • Deep Strike: UAF is maintaining a high tempo of UAV operations against RU's southern economic and military hubs (Sochi/Anapa) to disrupt the logistics of the RU Black Sea Fleet and southern aviation groups.

Information environment / disinformation

  • AD Depletion Narrative: (1933Z, 1941Z, Multiple Sources, LOW CONFIDENCE/UNCONFIRMED) Claims that Germany has completely exhausted its AD missile stocks for Ukraine are circulating in both RU and UA channels. While likely a RU-origin info-op to demoralize UAF ahead of the "massive strike," the proliferation in UA-aligned channels (Tsaplienko) suggests it is gaining traction.
  • Social Normalization: RU channels continue to use cultural themes (Maslenitsa) to fundraise and mask the mobilization of resources for the spring offensive.

Outlook (next 6-12h)

  • Most Likely Course of Action (MLCOA): A massive, synchronized missile and UAV strike targeting the Ukrainian energy grid within the next 6 hours, utilizing the aircraft staged at Lipetsk and the "silent" munitions from the GRAU arsenals.
  • Most Dangerous Course of Action (MDCOA): A multi-corps mechanized offensive in the Pokrovsk or Kharkiv sectors, launched under the cover of the massive strike to exploit PPO saturation and the -6°C frozen ground.

Intelligence gaps & collection requirements

  1. [TACTICAL] Determine the current inventory and operational status of RU airframes at Lipetsk—are they Tu-95MS (strategic) or Su-34/35 (tactical)?
  2. [STRATEGIC] Verify the validity of the "German AD depletion" claims; evaluate if this reflects a genuine logistical pause or a coordinated disinformation campaign.
  3. [INTERNAL] Identify specific sectors where SBU "cleansing" is most urgent to assess potential vulnerabilities in local defense administrations.

//ANALYSIS ENDS//

Previous (2026-02-16 19:19:07Z)

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