Russian Occupation Update February 19, 2026

(Institute for the Study of War)

Russia is likely using “temporary accommodation centers” (TACs) to facilitate the forcible transfer of Ukrainians within Russian-occupied territories or their deportation to Russia under the guise of humanitarian evacuations.
The Russian public charitable fund “Russian Children’s Fund,” which has been involved in the deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia, plans to sponsor medical examinations for Ukrainian children living in frontline communities of occupied Luhansk Oblast.
Russia continues efforts to train and integrate young Ukrainians into its nuclear energy operation ecosystem.
Russia is using gamified drone racing competitions to prepare Ukrainian children for future service as Russian drone developers, producers, and operators.
Russia continues to install veterans of the war in Ukraine to various public-facing positions in occupied Ukraine.
The Donetsk Oblast occupation administration has begun the process of issuing “Donetsk People’s Republic (DNR) Resident Cards” to residents.
The Russian federal government is investing heavily in the agricultural sector in occupied Ukraine in order to maximize the extraction potential of valuable resources for Russia’s profit.
Russian student programs are directly training Ukrainian youth to serve the Russian defense industrial base (DIB).

Russian Occupation Update February 19, 2026 | ISW

Latest articles

Related articles