Russian forces effectively closed the ring around Yampil in eastern Ukraine during the 30-minute reporting window from 4:15:47 PM to 4:45:50 PM UTC on February 25, 2026, with Ukrainian Armed Forces positions' status unknown in the village, according to Steppe & State on X. Explosions were reported in Sevastopol, as stated by ЧП / Севастополь on max.ru. The Steppe & State report indicated the closure occurred amid ongoing frontline developments in the Pokrovsk direction, following Ukrainian breakthroughs to nearby Udachne reported in prior periods. Two sequential explosions in Sevastopol were announced by ЧП / Севастополь, with posts stating 'Boom, the first one's off' and 'Boom, Boom, there goes the second one,' linking to max.ru/chp_sevastopol. Former Donbas separatist leader Igor Girkin criticized Russia's 'special military operation' on its four-year anniversary, stating negative results and poor prospects in a post shared by Radar⚡️Россия and NSTRIKE1231 on X during the window, blaming military leadership and Supreme Commander-in-Chief Vladimir Putin. These events follow President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's promotion of Azov commander Colonel Denys Hennadiyovych Prokopenko to Brigadier General via Decree No. 195/2026 at approximately 4:00 PM UTC, as published on the Office of the President website and reported by Legion Divannoyi Rozvidky on X in the prior window.
