Ukrainian forces neutralized the direct threat to Dnipropetrovsk Oblast through an operation at Verbove on February 26, 2026, shifting the operational balance in Zaporizhzhia in Ukraine's favor, according to @UAControlMap in a post captured during the 30-minute reporting window from 9:45:41 PM to 10:15:43 PM UTC. Russian forces now face a reactive stance, according to the source. @UAControlMap stated that the operation at Verbove has forced Russia to accept territorial losses or exhaust critical reserves to stop further Ukrainian penetration. This marks the sole new verified military development in the short window. The update follows prior reports of Russian shelling prompting an emergency shutdown of high-voltage lines and nuclear capacity reduction, as reported by Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal earlier on February 26, according to Andriy Smoliych. The Vatican also unveiled a postage stamp honoring Ukrainian Catholics amid war-related blackouts, depicting Kyiv's Patriarchal Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ.
