Resolution supporting Ukraine passes in the UN

Cedric: Welcome to the Geopolitical
Report Daily for February 25, 2025.

Complete reports with casualty
information, interactive web maps, and

our IntelHub dashboard are available with
a Geopolitical Report Pro subscription.

Monday was a lighter day and we mapped
35 events, including the drama over

Ukraine resolutions in the UN, and
China's reaffirmation of support

for Russia, so let's get started.

Political Conflict

"China

Chinese President Xi Jinping reaffirmed
China's ""no-limits"" partnership

with Russia's Putin during a phone
call on the third anniversary

of Russia's Ukraine invasion.

The leaders stressed their alliance
won't be influenced by ""third

parties"" amid Trump's efforts
to potentially separate them.

While China claims neutrality in
the Ukraine conflict, it maintains

strong economic ties with Russia
through energy purchases."

"Germany

After CDU's election victory,
Friedrich Merz made strong

comments about seeking European
independence from the United States.

He criticized what he called US
""intervention"" in the German

election, comparing it to Russian
interference, and expressed concern

about the Trump administration's
apparent indifference toward Europe.

Merz, 69, who has never held a
government position before, emphasized

that strengthening European unity and
achieving independence from the USA would

be top priorities of his leadership."

"Iran

The U.S.

Treasury Department has announced
new sanctions targeting over 30

individuals and vessels involved in
Iran's ""shadow fleet"" petroleum trade.

The sanctions affect oil brokers in
the UAE and Hong Kong, tanker operators

in India and China, Iran's National
Iranian Oil Company leadership, and

the Iranian Oil Terminals Company.

These entities were involved in shipping
millions of barrels of crude oil

worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

The measures, building on previous
Biden administration sanctions, aim

to restrict Iran's ability to fund
its nuclear and missile programs by

freezing assets and prohibiting U.S.

entities from conducting business
with the sanctioned parties."

"Philippines

Defense Ministers Gen Nakatani
and Gilberto Teodoro met in Manila

to enhance military cooperation
through joint training, information

sharing, and implementation of
the Reciprocal Access Agreement.

This pact allows both countries
to deploy forces in each other's

territory for military exercises.

As U.S.

treaty allies, both nations are
responding to increasing tensions in

the South China Sea and East China Sea.

The partnership marks a significant step
in Japan's expanding defense initiatives

in Asia, despite historical sensitivities,
and aligns with Japan's efforts to

strengthen its military capabilities."

"Russia

The UK announced its largest sanctions
package against Russia since the

Ukraine invasion began, targeting
107 individuals and entities.

The measures include military
equipment suppliers (notably from

China), North Korean officials
who deployed troops to Russia, and

Kyrgyzstan's OJSC Keremet Bank.

The package also specifies 40 more
'shadow fleet' ships carrying Russian

oil and sanctions 14 'New Kleptocrats.'"

"Sudan

MSF has suspended operations at their
field hospital in Zamzam camp, North

Darfur, Sudan, due to dangerous conditions
amid escalating violence between the

Rapid Support Forces and Joint Forces.

The camp, hosting 500,000 displaced
people, saw 139 wounded patients in

early February, with 11 deaths due
to limited treatment capabilities.

Already facing famine conditions,
the situation worsened after the

camp's market was looted and burned.

New arrivals report violence,
killings, and abuse in nearby areas.

MSF continues operations in other
parts of Darfur while urging warring

parties to allow humanitarian aid
access and protect civilians."

"Ukraine

President Zelensky outlined five
steps for achieving peace at the

Support Ukraine Summit in Kyiv.

He emphasized that peace must be
achieved through strength and unity,

not through Putin's concessions.

The steps include having Ukraine
and Europe at peace negotiations,

initiating prisoner exchanges to
build trust, securing NATO membership

(or building equivalent security
measures if membership isn't possible),

strengthening bilateral security
agreements and air defense systems,

and maintaining unity among allies.

Zelensky stressed that peace cannot
be declared overnight but requires

sustained effort and cooperation.

The summit gathered leaders from multiple
European nations and EU officials."

"Ukraine

Ukrainian President Zelenskyy declared
he would be willing to resign from his

position under two potential scenarios:
either to secure peace for Ukraine or

to gain NATO membership for his country.

This statement came in response to
recent criticism from former U.S.

President Trump, who called him
a ""dictator"" and made false

claims about his approval ratings.

The declaration was made during a
conference in Kyiv, following a major

Russian drone attack on Ukraine."

"United States

At the UN General Assembly's
third anniversary of Russia's

invasion of Ukraine, two competing
resolutions were presented.

Ukraine's resolution, demanding
immediate Russian withdrawal and

condemning aggression, passed
with 93-18 votes (65 abstentions).

The US resolution, which called for
ending the war without mentioning

Russian aggression, failed.

The situation highlights growing
tensions between allies and diminishing

international support for Ukraine compared
to previous UN votes, where over 140

nations had condemned Russia's actions."

Military Conflict

"Gaza Strip

According to the Hamas-run Civil Defense
agency, an Israeli drone strike near a

school in Rafah's Tel Sultan neighborhood
in southern Gaza injured two Palestinians.

The severity of their injuries is
currently unknown, and the Israel

Defense Forces (IDF) has not provided
any comment on the incident."

"Gaza Strip

The Israel Defense Forces
conducted strikes on two rocket

launch sites in southern Gaza.

The first strike targeted a location
from which a rocket had been fired

but fell short within Gaza itself.

The military then struck a second
launch site in the same area."

"Haiti

A Kenyan police officer, the first
casualty of the Multinational

Security Support Mission (MSS) in
Haiti, was killed during a gang

confrontation in the Artibonite region.

The Kenyan-led force, deployed in
June 2023, aims to restore order

in Haiti, where gangs control most
of Port-au-Prince and rural areas."

"Nigeria

The Nigerian Army destroyed 18 illegal
refineries across Rivers, Bayelsa, and

Delta States in the Niger Delta Region.

In Rivers State, troops seized
9,000 liters of stolen crude, 2,100

liters of AGO, and multiple vessels.

Bayelsa operations resulted in the
destruction of three refineries and

recovering 3,500 liters of stolen crude.

In Delta State, six suspects were
arrested for transporting illegal diesel.

The 6 Division troops also decommissioned
10 boats and seized over 25,000 liters

of stolen fuel across the region."

"Russia

A drone attack on February 24
caused a fire at the Ryazan Oil

Refinery in Russia, one of the
country's five largest refineries.

While regional head Pavel Malkov reported
that air defense systems destroyed two

drones and no casualties occurred, he
didn't specifically name the facility.

The Russian Ministry of Defense claimed
to have shot down 22 drones total

across several regions that night."

"Somalia

Puntland regional forces conducted
a successful military operation

against ISIS in Somalia's Bari region,
capturing several strategic mountain

locations that served as ISIS bases.

The operation revealed explosive-rigged
vehicles previously destroyed

by US-backed airstrikes and mass
graves containing ISIS members.

This operation, which has
been ongoing for over a month,

represents significant progress in
Somalia's fight against terrorist

groups like ISIS and al-Shabaab."

"Sudan

The Sudanese army has broken a two-year
RSF siege on el-Obeid, a strategic

city linking Khartoum to Darfur.

This victory comes as the RSF signed
a charter in Kenya to form a breakaway

government in their controlled areas."

"Syria

A series of military exchanges were
reported between Syrian Democratic Forces

(SDF) and Turkish forces near Kobane.

SDF initiated rocket launcher attacks
on a Turkish base, followed by Turkish

retaliation with three airstrikes on
Jabal Al-Qasq and Al-Tayarah near Sarrin.

While no casualties were reported, the
situation represents an ongoing military

escalation in Aleppo countryside."

"Taiwan

Taiwan's Ministry of National
Defense reported detecting multiple

Chinese military assets near
Taiwan during a 24-hour period,

including 10 naval vessels, five
aircraft, and two official ships.

Three Chinese military aircraft crossed
the Taiwan Strait median line, and

two Chinese balloons were tracked
over northern and central Taiwan.

Taiwan responded by deploying
its own aircraft, naval vessels,

and coastal missile systems
to monitor these activities."

"Ukraine

A Russian drone attack occurred in
Odesa's suburbs on February 24, resulting

in damage to port infrastructure,
a private residence (including its

roof and windows), and vehicles.

According to Oleh Kiper, head of the
Odesa Regional State Administration,

no casualties were reported."

"Ukraine

Russian forces used a drone to
attack a civilian vehicle in Sumy.

The attack resulted in the death
of the 62-year-old driver, who

succumbed to his injuries while in
an ambulance and left a 31-year-old

passenger injured and hospitalized."

"Ukraine

Ukrainian border guards successfully
intercepted and shot down four Russian

Privet-82 drones in the Sumy region.

These catapult-launched drones
have a range of up to 30 km and

can carry over 5 kg payload."

"Ukraine

Ukrainian forces successfully
intercepted a major Russian drone

attack, shooting down 113 out of 185
Shahed-type attack UAVs and decoy

drones launched on February 23-24, 2025.

The drones were launched from
multiple locations, including Orel,

Bryansk, Kursk, and occupied Crimea.

While Ukrainian defenses neutralized
many threats across twelve regions, some

attacks still affected the Dnipropetrovsk,
Odesa, Kyiv, and Khmelnytskyi regions.

Additionally, 71 Russian decoy
drones were lost from tracking

without negative consequences."

"Ukraine

Over 24 hours, Russian forces launched
421 attacks on nine settlements in

Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia region, including
four air strikes, 242 drone attacks, 13

MLRS attacks, and 162 artillery strikes.

The targeted settlements
included Zaporizhzhia, Pryvilne,

Piatykhatky, Huliaipole, Shcherbaky,
Novodanylivka, Mala Tokmachka,

Bilohirya, and Novodarivka.

The attacks damaged 12 residential
buildings, and one woman was injured

in a drone attack in Zaporizhzhia."

"Ukraine

Russian forces conducted an early morning
attack on Kharkiv using a guided aerial

bomb, striking a civilian enterprise
in the city's Kyivskyi district.

According to Mayor Ihor Terekhov,
while the attack caused damage to the

facility, no injuries were reported.

This incident occurred during a broader
wave of Russian attacks on Ukraine

involving multiple UAVs, which triggered
air raid alerts across several regions."

"Ukraine

A Russian attack on February 23,
2025, resulted in one civilian

casualty in Myrnohrad, Donetsk region.

Damage assessments were not
reported in the attack."

"Ukraine

Russian forces conducted multiple
attacks on Ukraine's Sumy region,

resulting in one death and five injuries.

In Myropillia village, guided aerial
bombs struck civilian infrastructure,

wounding three elderly residents.

In Shevchenkove village, artillery fire
targeted a farm, killing a 44-year-old

worker and injuring two others."

"Ukraine

Russian forces conducted an aerial
attack on the village of Tsupivka

in Ukraine's Kharkiv region around
10:15, using a guided aerial bomb.

Several private houses were damaged
in the attack, though no injuries

were reported at the time."

"Ukraine

Russian forces conducted an artillery
attack on Kherson's Dniprovsky district

on Monday evening, resulting in six
people being wounded in the attack.

All victims sustained various injuries,
including blast trauma, shrapnel wounds,

and head injuries, and were hospitalized."

Terrorism

"France

An incident occurred at the Russian
consulate in Marseille, France,

where three plastic bottles were
thrown into the consulate's garden.

Two of the bottles exploded, but
no injuries were reported among

staff or the Russian consul.

While police and anti-explosive
teams were investigating the

incident and analyzing the bottles'
contents, the suspect fled the scene.

In response, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry
Peskov called for enhanced security

measures at Russian consulates,
though the extent of damage and

the motive remains unclear."

"Gaza Strip

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reports
detecting a rocket launch from southern

Gaza that failed to reach its intended
target and landed within Gaza itself.

The incident is currently
under investigation by the

IDF for additional details."

"Philippines

A municipal employee, Joseph Ferdinand
Gimenez, was fatally ambushed by two

gunmen on a motorcycle while driving
a government truck in Cotabato.

Police recovered .45-caliber

bullet evidence at the scene.

This was the first shooting
since the election gun ban."

"Syria

A targeted attack on a Ministry of
Defence vehicle near Al-Jumhoriya

Street in Latakia resulted in one
military casualty and multiple injuries,

including civilians and children.

The gunmen's assault caused the
vehicle to veer off the road, and

the wounded were transported to
Teshrin Hospital for treatment."

"West Bank

The IDF arrested two Palestinian
suspects in Dayr Dibwan for allegedly

attacking two Israelis with batons,
a knife, and stones in the central

West Bank, causing light injuries.

Additionally, the IDF detained eight
other wanted Palestinians during

separate raids in Jenin and Qaffin."

Civil Unrest

"Syria

Syrians protested in Quneitra, Suweyda,
and Daraa provinces against Netanyahu's

call to demilitarize southern Syria.

Demonstrators waved banners
opposing Israeli interference

and affirming Syrian unity.

Netanyahu demanded the demilitarization
of these provinces and announced

Israel's indefinite military presence
in Syria's buffer zone, claiming

to protect the Druze community."

Accidents

"Syria

Two civilians were hit by landmine
explosions from war remnants in Syria:

one person died in Al-Ramthan Village
in the Al-Mansoura district of western

Al-Raqqa, while another was injured
in Shurlin Village in southern Idlib."

"United States

A small plane crashed into Lake
Dora in Lake County on Sunday

afternoon around 2:10 p.m.

Both occupants managed to escape
the aircraft - one with minor

injuries and another with facial
injuries requiring hospitalization.

The cause of the crash is
currently unknown and under

investigation by local officials."

"Thanks for joining us for the February
25, 2025 Geopolitical Report Daily.

As a reminder, complete reports with
casualty information, interactive web

maps, analysis, and our IntelHub dashboard
are available with a Geopolitical

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