United 24 Media:
⚡️ The IOC did not ban a Ukrainian athlete — it banned its own reputation. Future generations will remember this as a moment of shame, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said about the disqualification of Ukrainian skeleton athlete Vladyslav Heraskevych.
“He only wanted to honor athletes killed in the war. There is nothing against the rules or ethics in this.
The IOC intimidated, disrespected and even lectured our athlete and other Ukrainians on how to remain silent about ‘one of 130 conflicts in the world.’
The IOC has also systematically failed to confront the biggest violator of international sport and the Olympic Charter — Russia. A country that launched three invasions during the Olympic Truce over the past three decades, implemented the largest state-sponsored doping program, killed 650 Ukrainian athletes and coaches and destroyed 800 sports facilities in Ukraine.
It is the Russians who should be excluded — not those honoring their victims. None of them are ‘neutral.’
If the Olympic credo says that ‘the most important thing in the Olympic Games is not victory but participation,’ then the IOC completely betrayed it by not allowing Vladyslav Heraskevych to participate — and betrayed the 650 Ukrainian athletes and coaches killed by Russia.
We are proud to have Vladyslav, who did not betray them. Thank you for your principles and courage,” Sybiha said.
❗️President Zelenskyy reacted to the IOC’s decision to disqualify Heraskevych for his intention to compete in a “remembrance helmet” at the Olympics.
“I thank our athlete for his clear position. His helmet with portraits of deceased Ukrainian athletes is about honor and memory. It is a reminder to the whole world of what Russian aggression is and what the price of the fight for independence is. And there is no violation of any rule in this.
We are proud of Vladyslav and his act. Having courage is more than having medals,” the president noted.
⚡️ “In December, we eliminated 35,000 Russians, in January — 30,000. Our strategy is working,” Defense Minister Fedorov said in Brussels.
⚡️ President Volodymyr Zelenskyy awarded Vladyslav Heraskevych the Order of Freedom for “selfless service to the Ukrainian people, civic courage, and patriotism in upholding the ideals of freedom and democratic values.”
⚡️ The Ukrainian Ministry of Youth and Sports plans to challenge Heraskevych’s disqualification.
“According to the IOC, the IBSF jury made the decision due to the helmet’s alleged non-compliance with the rules. This decision appears to be a mistake that they failed to correct. We will correct this error within the legal framework. This story will definitely continue,” stated Minister Matvii Bidnyi.
🇳🇱🇺🇦 The Netherlands will transfer F-16 fighter simulators to Ukraine for pilot training, the Dutch Defense Minister said.
Brekelmans noted that simulators make it possible to practice flight scenarios and skills without unnecessary training flights on real aircraft, which is especially important given the intensive use of F-16s.
He added that in recent weeks the Netherlands has already allocated hundreds of millions for drones and ammunition to help Ukraine “survive this winter” and strengthen its position until spring.
💥 Ukraine’s Defense Forces struck a refinery in the Russian city of Ukhta, 1,750 kilometers from Ukraine, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported.
The attack caused a fire in the AVT technological section and the visbreaking unit.
The facility is part of PJSC Lukoil and processes about 4.2 million tons of oil annually. Its main products include automotive and straight-run gasoline, diesel fuel, fuel oil, and vacuum gas oil.
The strike set a new distance record for Ukrainian drones, which reached the target over 1,750 kilometers away.
🇱🇻🇱🇹 Two countries demand explanations over Heraskevych’s disqualification from the 2026 Olympics
“We consider it important to receive explanations regarding the validity and proportionality of the decision.”
The National Olympic Committees of Latvia and Lithuania have appealed to the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (IBSF).
They noted that the design of Heraskevych’s helmet contained no political slogans or appeals and was dedicated to the memory of Ukrainian athletes killed in the war.
The NOCs asked the IBSF to clarify the regulatory basis of the decision, assess the helmet design in line with IOC principles, and provide recommendations on distinguishing commemorative actions from political statements in the future.
👏 Partners announced nearly $38 billion in defense assistance to Ukraine — Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov after Ramstein
A significant portion of the funds will be directed toward air defense systems, UAVs, the development of drone assault units, Deep Strike capabilities, and interceptor drones.
The Minister of Defense noted that the Defense Contact Group has already provided Ukraine with $35 billion in military aid. During the latest meeting, partner countries announced new support packages, bringing the total amount to nearly $38 billion.
⚡️ Despite Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine, Kirsty Coventry, the IOC president, opposes bans on countries over wars and is open to discussions about allowing Russian athletes back into the Olympics. She claims that the sport is “neutral”.
Meanwhile Ukrainian skeleton athlete Vladyslav Heraskevych was disqualified before his first Olympic run because of a helmet featuring portraits of fallen athletes.
⚡️ I would rather not agree to any deal than force my people to accept a bad one. Even after four years of intense war, I am ready to continue fighting if necessary to achieve a dignified and lasting peace. Ukraine will not lose, — President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in an interview with journalist Simon Schuster for The Atlantic.
Key statements from the Ukrainian president:
▫️ We are working to end the war quickly. But that does not mean rushing into a deal at any cost.
▫️ The Russians can use this moment to end the war while President Trump is truly interested in it, when it is important and valuable to him.
▫️ Combining elections with a referendum could increase turnout and make it harder for Russia to question the results.
▫️ However, the deal must be the right one. A bad deal should not be put to a referendum.
▫️ The idea of holding elections during the war comes from Russia because they want to remove me.
▫️ The first step toward peace must be guarantees from the United States and Europe that they will defend Ukraine from any future Russian attack once a ceasefire is established. Otherwise, a ceasefire would seem meaningless to many Ukrainians.
▫️ Key issues remain unresolved. For example, whether the US would be ready to shoot down missiles flying toward Ukraine if Russia violates a peace agreement and resumes attacks. This must be clearly spelled out.
▫️ We were not enthusiastic about the idea of turning part of Donetsk region into a “free economic zone” without Ukrainian or Russian troops. We agreed to discuss it to show that Russia, not Ukraine, remains the obstacle to peace.
▫️ We are not afraid. Are we ready for elections? Yes. Ready for a referendum? Yes.
▫️ No one is clinging to power. I am ready for elections. But they require security, guarantees and a ceasefire.
▫️ Ukraine has never opposed ending the war. Russia has shown it is not ready for dialogue. Today there are new people with a different perspective.
🇺🇸🇺🇦 Melania Trump helped return Ukrainian children abducted by Russia for the third time — White House
Today marks the third family reunion since I began strategic cooperation with both countries. I have no doubt there will be further progress. While all parties continue to cooperate and communication remains strong, I call on Russia and Ukraine to intensify efforts to ensure every child is safely returned to their families and caregivers, the US First Lady emphasized.
🇺🇦 Heraskevych has filed a lawsuit over his disqualification from the 2026 Olympics. The case will be heard on the morning of February 13.
At 10:00 Kyiv time on February 13, he will participate in a hearing at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Milan.
“I know that we have not broken any rules. I believe that we are on the right side, and everyone knows it — and that is the most important thing. I have not violated anything, so I have appealed to the Court of Arbitration and other instances. The hearing will take place on the morning of February 13. I will participate in person, on site, not online,” the athlete said.
If the disqualification is lifted, he will need to travel about five hours back to Cortina d’Ampezzo, where the third and fourth runs are scheduled for the evening (20:30 and 22:05).
After two runs, Briton Matt Weston leads, while Germans Axel Jungk and Christopher Grotheer are in second and third place.
⚡️ London will urgently provide Ukraine with 1,000 additional British-made missiles and air defense systems worth more than £500 million (€574 million), the UK Ministry of Defence reported.
The package is aimed at protecting energy infrastructure and residential areas from Russian attacks.
Of the total amount, £150 million (€172 million) will be allocated through the PURL program (Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List).
On February 12, London co-chaired the 33rd meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group at NATO headquarters in Brussels.
The deliveries will include multi-purpose lightweight LMM missiles manufactured in Belfast, with £390 million (€447 million allocated for this component.
In the coming months, the UK will also supply Kyiv with an additional 1,200 air defense missiles and 200,000 artillery rounds as part of the Air Defence Consortium.
“On the eve of the anniversary of Putin’s full-scale invasion, the UK and our allies are more determined than ever to support Ukraine,” UK Defence Secretary John Healey said.
⚡️ Zelenskyy’s statement that he will not go to Moscow is nothing new, and Putin’s position on the meeting location remains unchanged, Kremlin spokesman Peskov said.
Other statements:
▫️ The Kremlin understands that a new round of negotiations with the US and Ukraine is expected soon;
▫️ Macron and Merz could simply call Putin; he has never declined direct contact;
▫️ Two camps have formed in Europe: some say they need to talk to the Russians, while others follow a “short-sighted approach.”
⚡️Three brothers from one family were killed in Russian strike on Kramatorsk — an 8-year-old and two 19-year-olds. Their mother and grandmother were injured.
⚡️ $38 billion in support for Ukraine for drones, air defense, and Patriot missiles — results of one of the most successful Ramstein meetings by the Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov
"Following the Ramstein meeting, partners confirmed one of the largest support budgets for Ukraine — $38 billion for 2026. More than $6 billion comes in specific assistance packages. This includes over $2.5 billion for Ukrainian drones, more than $500 million for PURL, and $2 billion for air defense. Additional funds will go to artillery ammunition, training, naval capabilities, and other needs.
At the President’s request, we agreed with several European partners on the urgent delivery of Patriot missiles from their warehouses. We thank our partners for this initiative.
The final number of missiles will be confirmed after approval by the leadership of the partner countries. We expect the fastest possible delivery.
Agreements with partners following Ramstein:
🇬🇧 The UK allocates £500 million for air defense and contributes £150 million to the PURL initiative. In total, it will provide £3 billion in military assistance to Ukraine in 2026.
🇩🇪 Germany allocates at least €1 billion to purchase drones for Ukraine. It will finance the air defense “dome” project over our cities and the drone assault unit project within its €11.5 billion assistance budget.
🇳🇴 Norway allocates $7 billion in 2026, including $1.4 billion for drones, $700 million for air defense, $200 million for artillery, and $125 million for PURL.
🇳🇱 The Netherlands pledges to allocate at least 0.25% of GDP to Ukraine’s defense in 2026 and contributes €90 million to PURL.
🇧🇪 Belgium allocates €1 billion in military assistance this year.
🇸🇪 Sweden announces its 24th aid package worth €1.2 billion and contributes €100 million to PURL. In total, it allocates €3.7 billion this year.
🇩🇰 Denmark increases its military assistance budget by $425 million, bringing total support to $2 billion in 2026.
🇪🇸 Spain provides $1.2 billion in 2026.
🇨🇦 Canada allocates $50 million for the “Danish model” and $45 million for medical support.
🇮🇸 Iceland contributes $8 million to PURL and allocates $2.4 million for weapons procurement through the NSATU trust fund.
🇱🇹 Lithuania allocates $265 million this year.
🇱🇻 Latvia provides at least 0.25% of GDP to support Ukraine.
🇪🇪 Estonia also allocates at least 0.25% of GDP to strengthen Ukraine’s defense.
🇦🇺 Australia announces a new contribution to PURL.
🇵🇹 Portugal contributes to PURL and the “Czech initiative,” and transfers armored vehicles and drones under the SAFE program.
🇹🇷 Turkey strengthens Ukraine’s air defense with its contribution.
🇸🇮 Slovenia announces a $5 million assistance package.
At the meeting, we presented our defense goals for the year, agreed upon by the President of Ukraine and our military. We brought a clear plan and concrete solutions to implement together with our partners.
We are grateful to every country in the Ramstein format for the strong new contributions to our defense."
President Zelenskyy arrived in Germany to participate in the Munich Security Conference.
Presidential spokesperson Serhii Nikiforov said that on Friday the head of state will visit the joint Ukrainian-German defense enterprise Quantum Frontline Industries GmbH.
Bilateral meetings are planned with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof, and Iranian opposition figure Reza Pahlavi.
Zelenskyy will also take part in the “Berlin format” meeting with European leaders, representatives of the European Union and NATO, and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
⚡️President Zelenskyy presented the first German-Ukrainian joint venture already producing drones for the Ukrainian army.
The President of Ukraine received the first jointly produced attack drone.