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Russia-Ukraine
Ukraine Defends Territory
At the fourth anniversary yesterday of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the conflict is now the longest-lasting land war in Europe after World War II. Despite Russia’s much larger military, Ukrainian defenders have managed to slow the Russian advance into Ukrainian territory. As of February 2026, Russian forces occupy the southeastern Kherson, Zaporizhia, Donetsk, and Luhansk oblasts in addition to Crimea, which Moscow annexed in 2014. However, Ukrainian innovation in drone warfare has prevented the complete occupation of these territories, and recent counteroffensives have seen Ukraine’s army reclaim around 77 square miles (200 km sq), its largest battlefield gains since 2023. Despite seizing broad swaths of land early in the conflict, the Russian army has apparently suffered massive losses to make only incremental gains into Ukrainian territory over the past three years, with estimates that Russia has suffered 1.2 million casualties, with as many as 350,000 deaths, or 367 soldiers for every 38.6 square miles (100 km sq) occupied.
This map depicts Russia’s occupation of Ukrainian oblasts and the territory which it annexed prior to its invasion in 2022. Click on the map to learn more.
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Brazil
Deadly Floods & Landslides
Record rainfall in the southeastern Brazilian state of Minas Gerais has caused flooding and landslides, including a river bursting its banks, killing 36 people with another 39 reported missing. Over half of the deaths are reported in the city of Juiz de Fora, where the government has declared a “state of calamity.” At least 200 people have been rescued, while over 440 people have been left homeless. Brazil’s peak rainy season runs from December to March, with intense downpours, thunderstorms, flooding, and mudslides. Juiz de Fora officials said this has been the rainiest February in the city’s history, with rainfall already more than double the amount normally expected. Brazil’s National Institute of Meteorology has issued heavy-rain alerts across 14 states, including the entire area of Minas Gerais and Rio de Janeiro.
This map depicts the neighborhoods of the city of Juiz de Fora, in Brazil’s Minas Gerais state, affected by floods and landslides. Click on the map to learn more.
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Graphic Source: Grupo Globo
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Africa
Carbon Releasing in Congo Basin
A new study in Nature Geoscience found that parts of the Congo Basin, often referred to as the world’s largest land-based carbon sink, are releasing previously stored carbon into the atmosphere. Researchers reported that two lakes in the Basin, Lac Mai Ndombe and Lac Tumba, are emitting carbon dioxide (CO₂), with up to 40% of those emissions coming from ancient peat rather than recently produced plant material. Although the Basin’s peatlands cover just 0.3% of Earth’s land surface, they store an estimated 30 billion metric tons of carbon, roughly one-third of all tropical peatland carbon. The researchers estimate that Lake Mai Ndombe alone may be releasing more than 150 gigatons of ancient carbon each year. The findings suggest that microbial activity and changing environmental conditions may be mobilizing this long-stored carbon, creating the potential for further warming.
This map depicts the central Congo Basin showing sampling locations for lakes (Mai Ndombe and Tumba: red circles) and rivers (Fimi and Ruki: blue squares). Click on the map to learn more.
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Q: Home to over 500 castles, what country is known as the castle capital of the world?
A: Wales
The geography of Wales played a prominent role as to why the country built so many castles. Estimates suggest there was one castle for every 12 square miles (31 sq km) in the medieval period. Along with constant warring with the English, Wales’ mountains and valleys created natural strategic posts to control the surrounding land, with rivers and sea providing a constant supply of water for the outposts. Castles were built for a multitude of reasons and have evolved over the centuries, from baronial power and commerce to royal castles built to protect the English crown. The English Civil War in the 1640’s was one of the last conflicts where castle warfare played a significant role. In the 20th century, numerous castles came under the government’s control, and coordinated conservation efforts saved many of Wales’ historic landmark castles.
Source
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Q: Which Caribbean country holds the record for both the highest and lowest elevations in the region?
Stay tuned for the answer to today’s question in tomorrow’s DailyGeo.
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