Ukraine Invasion: Part 60

[MagicFox]

We have got to thread 60. So many thanks as always to regular contributors and to those providing updates. For the 60th time, Slava Ukraini 🇺🇦

**
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Blumenthal stated that Russia has opened a hunt for American companies in Ukraine, but assured that the USA will continue to do business here.

"We will be as resilient as the people of Ukraine. But Americans should understand that companies here — including famous brands of American business — have become targets of deliberate, repeated, and relentless attacks by Russia. And such actions should cause even more outrage than we are seeing now," he added

Didn't Trump say that Russia wouldn't dare to attack American businesses in Ukraine? I thought that was the benefit of the mineral deal. He wouldn't have lied about this and created an agreement under false pretences would he?

https://understandingwar.org/research/russia-ukraine/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-february-17-2026/

Key Takeaways

1. Russian forces conducted another large, combined strike package against Ukrainian energy infrastructure overnight on February 16 to 17 — the eve of trilateral US-Ukrainian-Russian negotiations in Geneva.
2. Russian forces have been launching large strike packages in recent months in the days before and after bilateral and trilateral negotiations but are likely refraining from fully maximizing Russia’s strike capabilities in order to avoid upsetting US President Donald Trump.
3. Russian strike packages against Ukraine are dangerous regardless of their size.
4. Kremlin officials and Kremlin-affiliated media sources reaffirmed Russia’s unwillingness to compromise as trilateral talks started in Geneva on February 17.
5. Russian Presidential Aide and former Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev used escalatory language to try to push the West to stop the seizures of Russian shadow fleet tankers.
6. ·Patrushev baselessly criticized Finland for preparing to attack Russia.
7. Russian forces recently advanced near Borova, in the Kostyantynivka-Druzhkivka tactical area, and near Pokrovsk.

A longrunning Russian disinformation campaign, appropriately named Matryoshka, is using the Olympics as the hook for its latest round of attacks. Lots of stories trying to make Ukrainians sound unlikeable.

BBC Verify has been tracking the activities of Matryoshka for years.

Fake news stories part of Winter Olympics disinformation campaign
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cr5l2p3j261t?post=asset%3A24d565f2-fd8a-484f-8d8a-fa3c583a3e3c#post

Live:Ukraine

⚡️ In the Krasnodar Krai of Russia, drones attacked the Ilsky Oil Refinery.

A fire broke out over 700 square meters; a petroleum products tank and a locomotive depot building were damaged, according to local authorities.

Additionally, drone debris fell in several districts of the city of Sochi.

City authorities report that air defense was repelling the attack for 10 hours.

❗️The Ukrainian military hit a Ka-27 helicopter, attacked several drone control points and a Russian oil refinery.

The helicopter was attacked on the night of February 17 near the village of Kamyshly (Crimea). A day earlier, 3 Russian UAV control points were under attack — in the occupied parts of the Zaporizhzhia region and in the Kursk region.

The General Staff also confirmed the attack on the Ilsky Oil Refinery in the Krasnodar Krai. This is one of the largest enterprises in the oil industry in southern Russia and plays an important role in the production of petroleum products.

The plant can process up to 6.6 million tons of oil per year and supplies the Russian army.

Additionally, Ukrainian troops attacked Russian positions and a communication hub in the Zaporizhzhia region and several warehouses in the Donetsk region.

⚡️ Trump stated before the trilateral negotiations in Geneva that it would be better for Ukraine to "quickly sit down at the negotiating table" with Russia.

⚡️ SBU drones attacked the Russian chemical plant "Metafrax Chemicals" in the Perm Krai — more than 1,600 km from the border with Ukraine, reported sources in the special service.

The enterprise is one of the largest producers of methanol in the Russian Federation and Europe. It also manufactures hexamine, urea, and pentaerythritol — components used for explosives and other military grade products.

Local Telegram channels reported at least six explosions and the evacuation of employees. According to preliminary data, a methanol production unit was damaged.

⚡️ In the Leningrad Region of the Russian Federation, an explosion destroyed two floors of the military unit's commandant's office, report Russian media and Telegram channels.

Three people were killed, and several more may be under the rubble.

The military unit in the city of Sertolovo houses the 56th training center of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation. Specialists for tank and motorized rifle forces, signalmen, scouts, drone operators, and EW operators are trained there.

In December 2025, the first "Science and Technology Center of the People's Military Industrial Complex" was opened at the center's testing range. There, inventions for the war against Ukraine are tested.

⚡️ Since the beginning of the full scale invasion, 2,000 children abducted by Russia have been successfully returned to Ukraine.

Specifically, 83 children returned home with the assistance of Qatar, and 19 through the mediation of Melania Trump.

According to the Ombudsman, more than 1.6 million Ukrainian children remain in the temporarily occupied territories.

⚡️⚡️Trilateral negotiations between Ukraine, the USA, and Russia have concluded in Geneva, reports a "Suspilne" correspondent from the scene.

A German government official informed "Suspilne" that delegations from the United Kingdom, France, as well as the Chancellor of Germany's advisor on foreign policy and security were present at the meeting. They were there for consultations.

🇵🇱Poland is preparing a lawsuit against Russia for Soviet crimes during World War II and the Cold War.

In addition to war crimes, the team from the Polish Institute of War Losses aims to assess the consequences Poland faced after losing part of its population and eastern territories after 1945. They will also evaluate the long term consequences of Soviet rule during the Cold War.

With this lawsuit, Poland will repeat its 2022 demand for €1.3 trillion in compensation from Germany for Nazi crimes. Germany maintains that the issue of reparations was legally closed after World War II.

🇺🇦🇺🇸Ukraine and the USA agreed that any peace agreement will be put to a referendum, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported in an interview with Axios.

He added that he believes: if the agreement involves simply Ukraine's withdrawal from Donbas — Ukrainians will reject it.

"Emotionally, people will never forgive this. Never. They won't forgive... me, they won't forgive [the USA]," the president said.

At the same time, Zelenskyy believes that Ukrainians would support a freeze along the front line.

He also shared that the parties have mostly agreed on a ceasefire monitoring mechanism — using drones and under the leadership of the USA.

⚡️ At night, drones attacked a plant in Cheboksary where components for Russian missiles and drones are manufactured.

The enterprise "VNIIR-Progress" is located about 1,000 km from Ukraine. It has been attacked by Ukrainian drones multiple times.

Additionally, explosions were heard tonight in Belgorod — locals report a hit on an electrical substation. It was also loud in the territory of temporarily occupied Mariupol.

⚡️ At night, Russians struck Ukraine with ballistics and 126 drones. Air defense shot down 100 UAVs, according to the Air Force.

An "Iskander-M" ballistic missile and another 23 strike drones hit 14 locations; debris fell in three others.

The Nikopol and Pavlohrad districts of the Dnipropetrovsk region were under attack — houses, cars, an enterprise, an administrative building, and a gymnasium were damaged there.

Additionally, private houses were damaged due to the Russian attack in Mykolaiv.

In Zaporizhzhia, the number of casualties from yesterday evening's shelling has risen to seven; one woman was killed.

Photos from the Dnipropetrovsk region

⚡️ Russians have begun transporting FPV drones on "Shahed" UAVs.

Advisor to the Minister of Defense Serhii ("Flash") Beskrestnov demonstrated the first video of such an instance.

According to him, factory mounts for carrying FPVs were previously recorded on Russian "Molniya" and "Gerbera" drones. Beskrestnov urged zenith drone crews to take note of the information regarding these new risks.

Video: Serhii FLASH

⚡️The second day of negotiations between Ukraine, the USA, and Russia has concluded in Geneva, reported the spokesperson for the Secretary of the NSDC Diana Davityan.

Both political and military groups have finished their consultations. In total, the negotiations lasted about two hours.

❗️At the peace negotiations in Geneva, the military has almost agreed on how to monitor the ceasefire. Regarding the issues of territories and the ZNPP, there is no progress yet, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated in a comment to journalists.

"The military understands how to monitor the cessation of fire and the cessation of the war, if there is political will. They have agreed on almost everything. The monitoring will definitely involve the American side. All other details — where, how to monitor, technical details — General Hnatov will report to me upon his return," he noted.

As for the political component — the East, ZNPP, etc. — there are developments, but for now the positions are different, and the negotiations were not easy. According to Zelenskyy, in this block "there was a dialogue, we agreed to go further," but he did not hear of such progress as on the military level.

⚡️ The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) raid on Valerii Zaluzhnyi's office in 2022 and the reasons for the failure of the 2023 counteroffensive. Highlights from the former Commander-in-Chief's interview with Associated Press.

About the raid. According to Zaluzhnyi, in September 2022, dozens of employees of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) appeared at his office for a search. They did not state what they were looking for, so he did not allow them to view documents or computers.

Zaluzhnyi called the then Head of the Office of the President Andriy Yermak and said he would "repel this attack because he knows how to fight." He then called the then head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) Vasyl Malyuk, but the latter replied that he knew nothing about the raid and promised to look into it.

Later, Zaluzhnyi learned that two days prior, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) had applied to a Kyiv district court for a search warrant at the same address. Court documents seen by AP journalists indicate the special service was supposed to search a strip club allegedly run by a criminal organization. However, the mentioned strip club had closed even before the full-scale invasion. Zaluzhnyi believes the search warrant was merely a pretext and that the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) could hardly have entered the country's main military command center by mistake.

About the counteroffensive. Zaluzhnyi believes the plan he developed with NATO partners failed because Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other officials did not allocate the necessary resources.

The original plan was to concentrate enough forces into a "single fist" to retake the occupied part of the Zaporizhzhia region, including Enerhodar, and then move them south to the Sea of Azov. This would have cut the corridor the Russian army used to resupply from Crimea.

According to Zaluzhnyi, success required a serious troop buildup and tactical surprise. Instead, the troops were dispersed across a large territory, which diminished their striking power.

His account of how the counteroffensive deviated from the original plan was confirmed by two Western military officials in comments to AP.

Photo: Valerii Zaluzhnyi / Telegram

United 24 Media:

🔷 Ukrainian civilian casualties rose by 26% in 2025, The Guardian reports.

According to a report by the British monitoring group Action on Armed Violence (AOAV), 2,248 civilians were killed and 12,493 injured in Russian attacks in Ukraine last year. The average number of casualties per attack also increased, reaching 4.8 deaths or injuries — 33% higher than in 2024.

The deadliest attack occurred on June 24 in Dnipro, when Russian missiles struck a passenger train, residential buildings, and schools, killing 21 people and injuring 314, including 38 children.

Throughout last year, Russia launched near-nightly missile and drone attacks on Ukraine, depriving millions of reliable access to electricity, heating, and water. On the night of September 9, 805 drones and 13 missiles were recorded — the largest attack since the start of the full-scale war.

🗣 Another round of peace talks in a trilateral format — Ukraine, the United States, and Russia — has begun in Geneva, said Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council and head of the Ukrainian delegation Umerov.

“We have a framework for work agreed upon by the President of Ukraine and a clear mandate. Security and humanitarian issues are on the agenda,” he wrote.

🤬 Russian forces attacked Kherson State University for the fourth time in February.

As a result of the February 17 strike, the fifth building — home to the faculties of philology, journalism, and history — was damaged.

Windows were shattered, doors and walls damaged, and furniture and equipment destroyed. Trees near the main entrance were also affected.

“Russian barbarians continue to destroy the main building of Kherson State University. My native classrooms of the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics, where physics laboratories were located. Where hundreds of physics teachers were trained…” wrote the university’s rector, Oleksandr Spivakovsky.

🔶 Ukraine has returned 2,000 Ukrainian children from the temporarily occupied territories and the Russian Federation since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, said President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Each return became possible thanks to the daily work of Ukrainian officials, public organizations, and international partners. “We are grateful to everyone who joined this fight for the future of our children, our country, and the entire free world,” the president said.

The returns were carried out under the president’s initiative Bring Kids Back UA with international support, in particular from Qatar and the United States, said Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets.

Since July 2022, the Ombudsman’s Office has returned 419 children, including 83 with Qatar’s assistance and 19 with the mediation of the First Lady of the United States.

At the same time, more than 1.6 million Ukrainian children remain under occupation, where efforts are being made to strip them of their identity and native language. Lubinets called on international partners to increase pressure on Russia and help return every child without exception.

“We will not stop until we bring every Ukrainian child home,” Zelenskyy stressed.

🔷 Negotiations between Ukraine, the United States, and Russia in Geneva have concluded.

The meeting lasted more than four hours.

The second round of talks is scheduled for tomorrow.

❗️Umerov on the first day of talks in Geneva: “We discussed practical issues and the mechanics of solutions.”

After the joint session, work continued in groups by direction. The discussions focused on practical matters and the mechanics of possible solutions. As of today, both the political and military blocs have completed their work, the NSDC chairman said.

Umerov added that tomorrow morning the political and military groups will continue their work.

🔶 Russians and Belarusians have been allowed to use their national flags at the 2026 Paralympic Games.

The decision was confirmed by the International Paralympic Committee, which said in a statement that they would be treated “like athletes from any other country.”

🔷 President Zelenskyy stated in his address that Ukraine is ready to refrain from strikes on the Russian Federation, but the key question is what Russia wants.
“We do not need war. We always act in a mirror response — we defend our state and our independence. We are also ready to move quickly toward a worthy agreement to end the war. The only question is for the Russians: what do they want.”

🇪🇺 The European Union may impose a full ban on maritime services for all ships transporting Russian oil, even if the G7 countries do not support it.

European Commissioner Dombrovskis denied claims that the EU would apply such a ban only in coordination with Western allies.

The adoption of the 20th package of EU sanctions against Russia has faced resistance within the bloc, Bloomberg reports.

According to the publication’s sources, Italy and Hungary oppose restrictions on the Georgian port of Kulevi. Greece and Malta object to sanctions targeting one of the ports in Indonesia.

“Italy’s reluctance to impose sanctions on the port of Kulevi is explained by the fact that gas from Azerbaijan — an important energy source for Europe — also passes through it. Hungary traditionally opposes measures that, in its view, limit its energy supply,” the report says.

It is also noted that Italy and Spain opposed sanctions against a bank in Cuba.

“Sources emphasize that this is the only bank on the island that operates in foreign currency and serves diplomats and EU citizens.”

In addition, Bloomberg reports that Greece and Malta have expressed skepticism about a proposal to replace the price cap on Russian oil with a ban on maritime services, including insurance and transportation.

Both countries fear the potential consequences of such a move. At the same time, the initiative depends on support from the G7 countries, where the United States has not yet taken a clear position.

🔶 The Polish government is planning to sue Russia for reparations for the consequences of World War II and the subsequent period when the country was under communist rule, the Financial Times reports.

As Bartosz Gondek, director of the Polish Institute for War Losses, told reporters, an investigation into Russia’s historical crimes is currently being conducted on behalf of Prime Minister Donald Tusk. He said it “will be much larger than the work on studying Nazi atrocities, given the more than four decades during which Poland remained under Soviet influence during the Cold War.”

🔷 The second day of trilateral talks has begun in Geneva, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Rustem Umerov said.

“Consultations are taking place in groups by direction within the political and military blocs. We are working to clarify the parameters and mechanics of the decisions discussed yesterday.

We are focused on substantive work. We will inform you about the results later,” the statement says.

🇺🇦 President Zelenskyy held a meeting with the Ukrainian team before the start of today’s work of the delegations in Geneva.

He set a clear task — to do everything possible to ensure the negotiations remain effective and increase the chances of peaceful solutions. Among other issues, the humanitarian track is to be discussed today, including steps for the exchange of prisoners of war and the release of civilians, the president said.

🔷 According to the results of the talks in Geneva, there are achievements in the political component, but the positions still differ, President Zelenskyy said.

“These are all sensitive issues you know about: the east, the ZNPP. We see progress, but the positions remain different because the negotiations were not easy. My team will present me with all the nuances.

I heard about progress in the military direction. There was dialogue in the political direction. We agreed to move forward and continue,” the president noted.

I didn't know that Russia and Belarus were allowed tocompete under their own flag at the Winter Paralymics

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/feb/18/ukraine-sports-minister-slams-russia-winter-paralympics-entry

Kyiv Independent:

⚡️ Ukraine, Russia start US-mediated Geneva peace talks as Moscow signals harder line.

The two-day meeting marks the third round of negotiations since January, following earlier sessions that failed to deliver any breakthrough.

⚡️ DTEK to spend $355 million restoring 4GW of power generation destroyed by Russia before next winter.

DTEK has set aside 150 million euros from its own pockets, but needs help from partners to close the rest by the end of the year.

⚡️ Russia launched 229 attacks on Ukraine's Naftogaz in 2025, more than previous three years combined.

The most difficult period was October, when Russia struck the company 25 times and took out nearly 60% of Ukraine’s gas production.

⚡️ Exclusive: European officials present in Geneva as Russia, Ukraine hold US-mediated peace talks.

Officials from Germany, the U.K., and France are also in Geneva, the Kyiv Independent has learned.

They are expected to hold separate meetings with Ukrainian officials — and possibly U.S. representatives — after the trilateral talks conclude.

They will not participate in direct negotiations with the Russian delegation.

⚡️Kremlin threatens to deploy navy if Europe seizes more Russian shadow fleet vessels.

The threat comes as European countries toy with more direction action against Russia's "shadow fleet," a network of hundreds of tankers, flying foreign flags to evade sanctions.

⚡️ Update: Ukraine, Russia hold 5-hour US-mediated Geneva talks, negotiations to resume Feb. 18.

The first day of talks lasted around five hours. [Or 4 hours or 2 hours, depending which news agency you’re reading!]

⚡️ 'If you stop, you die' — Inside Ukraine's last fight for Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad

The Pokrovsk front currently faces the fiercest fighting, with Russia ramping up its offensive in late 2025 to finally capture the city, a highway and railway junction.

"If you stop, you die," said 22-year-old infantryman Mykola.

"When we were walking to get to the positions, it wasn't hard to walk — it was hard to realize that you may not walk out alive because there were a lot of our dead around”.

⚡️ Ukraine war latest: Drones strike oil, chemical plants in Russia as fresh peace talks begin in Geneva

Ukraine, Russia, and the U.S. held a new round of trilateral peace talks in Geneva on Feb. 17; Deep strike drones operated by the Security Service of Ukraine successfully hit a large Russian chemicals plant that supplies the country's explosives production; and more.

⚡️Russian, Belarusian athletes to compete under national flags at 2026 Winter Paralympics.

Six Russians and four Belarusians will be allowed to compete at the upcoming Games in Milan. It will be the first time the Russian flag has flown at the Paralympics since 2014.

⚡️ Investigation: How Russian drones exploit European technologies to strike Ukraine, and beyond

A tiny Austrian sensor designed for precise motion control made an impressive journey across the globe. Some time after being sold to a company in Hong Kong, it turned up in Ukraine inside a long-range military drone launched from Russia.

Its path offers a case study in how European goods can still be incorporated into Russian weapons systems.

⚡️At least 5 killed, 30 injured in Russian attacks on Ukraine over past day.

Russia launched an Iskander-M ballistic missile and 126 drones at Ukraine overnight, the Air Force said.

⚡️ Ukraine, Russia begin second day of Geneva talks as US envoy claims 'meaningful progress.'

While reporting suggested the political track stalled during the first day — partly due to Moscow's appointment of hard-line aide Vladimir Medinsky as chief negotiator — U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff said "meaningful progress" had been made.

⚡️ 'Special consequences' — Zelensky announces new sanctions against Lukashenko for aiding Russian war effort.

"We will significantly step up efforts to counter all forms of his facilitation of the killing of Ukrainians. We will work with our partners so that this has a global effect," Zelensky said.

⚡️ Update: Zelensky calls Geneva peace talks 'indeed difficult,' accuses Russia of dragging process out.

"I would like to thank the American side for their attention to detail and patience in discussions with the Russian representatives present," President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

⚡️ Update: 'Difficult but practical' — Russia describes day 2 of Ukraine talks in Geneva.

The meeting lasted around two hours.

⚡️ Update: Geneva talks give Ukraine clarity on ceasefire monitoring, Zelensky says.

"They have basically agreed on almost everything," he added, noting that monitoring would definitely involve the U.S.

⚡️ Update: Geneva negotiations progress uneven — Zelensky highlights military gains, political gaps.

"We can see that some groundwork has been laid, but positions remain different, as the negotiations were difficult," President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

⚡️Explosion at Ukrainian military enlistment office declared terrorist attack.

Investigators and bomb disposal experts continue to work at the scene, the report read.

⚡️Zaluzhnyi alleges 2022 SBU office raid, Ukraine's Security Service denies claim.

The alleged raid was described by Zaluzhnyi as "an act of intimidation," according to AP.

⚡️ These are the indicative estimates of Russia’s combat losses as of Feb. 18, according to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Kyiv Post:

⚡️ Britain has signed a £52 million ($70 million) contract to jointly procure a new mobile artillery system, aiming to accelerate deliveries and deepen military cooperation within NATO.

Russia is dodging sanctions to source German-made components for its drones, routing them through shell companies and third countries, Ukrainian intelligence said.

Investigators found that a single Shahed drone can contain up to 12 transistors produced by Germany’s Infineon.

⚡️ The Ukrainian delegation is reportedly split over the pace and direction of negotiations, The Economist reports.

One camp, aligned with Kyrylo Budanov, favors a swift deal while a “window of opportunity” remains. Others argue against rushing, believing Ukraine could secure stronger terms by waiting.

⚡️ Analyses of Kremlin military manpower trends say Russia pays more rubles for soldiers already killed in action, than it does to pay salaries to men alive in the ranks or to recruit new ones.

⚡️ “The negotiations were tense,” a source told Russia’s state media following today’s trilateral meeting in Geneva.

Talks are set to continue tomorrow.

The source also said that separate bilateral discussions between Russia and the United States took place in Geneva today.

⚡️ Zelensky said Ukrainians will NOT accept any peace deal that requires a unilateral withdrawal from Donbas and the handover of the territory to Russia.

He argued that the only real breakthrough on territorial issues would come from a face-to-face meeting with Putin, revealing that he has instructed his team to work toward organizing a leaders-level summit in Geneva.

He also said Washington and Kyiv agree that any final agreement must be put to a nationwide referendum.

⚡️ Zelensky told Axios that any real breakthrough on territory would only come through a direct, face-to-face meeting with Putin, saying he has instructed his team to begin preparations for a leaders-level summit in Geneva.

⚡️Talks between Ukrainian and Russian officials in Geneva on Tuesday were “very tense,” an anonymous source said.

“They were very tense. They lasted six hours. [6 Now!] It has been agreed to continue tomorrow [Wednesday].”

⚡️ The EU is pushing Ukraine to repair the Druzhba pipeline to restore Russian oil flows to Slovakia and Hungary, Sky News reports

⚡️ US Special Envoy Witkoff said Washington-brokered talks between Ukraine and Russia made “meaningful progress” after a third round of high-stakes negotiations in Switzerland.

⚡️ Ukraine is steadily integrating into Europe’s defense-industrial system. For Europe, it means a stronger NATO eastern flank and a significant boost to overall defense capabilities across the region.

Talks between Ukraine, the United States, and Russia in Geneva have concluded, according Russian state media.

The meeting reportedly lasted around two hours.

⚡️Zelensky commented on the trilateral talks in Geneva, saying discussions were held on two tracks — military and political.

He said the military side was constructive, with an understanding of how a ceasefire could be monitored with US participation if there is political will.

Political issues remain sensitive, but the parties agreed to continue dialogue on the political track.

More details are expected later.

⚡️ Russia is pressing NATO to formally guarantee that the alliance will not expand eastward, the Russian Embassy in Belgium said, amid ongoing talks aimed at ending the war in Ukraine.

Moscow also wants to nullify the 2008 Bucharest Summit decision, which declared that Ukraine and Georgia could eventually join the alliance.

I think it's a shit decision. Nothing has changed, so why allow it?

https://understandingwar.org/research/russia-ukraine/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-february-18-2026/

Key Takeaways

1. Ukrainian, US, and Russian representatives concluded trilateral and multilateral negotiations in Geneva, Switzerland, on February 18.
2. Ukraine continues to offer significant concessions to advance the peace negotiations process, including compromising on territorial concessions.
3. Russian officials signaled that Russia would not be satisfied with just territorial concessions and reiterated commitment to Russia’s original war goals, which include dismantling the NATO alliance.
4. Russian President Vladimir Putin is likely setting informational conditions to restart limited, rolling involuntary reserve call-ups as Russia appears to be struggling to replace its losses in Ukraine with existing force generation mechanisms.
5. Putin likely aims to use these limited call-ups to maintain Russia’s loss rates and the current tempo of offensive operations — not to significantly build up the Russian force grouping fighting in Ukraine and flood the front with more forces.
6. The Kremlin has been setting conditions to allow it to conduct a rolling, involuntary reserve call-up since at least October 2025.
7. Putin is resorting to preparations for further involuntary reserve call-ups from a place of weakness, as Russia is likely preparing to attempt to offset Russia’s near exhaustion of its expensive voluntary recruitment system in 2026.
8. The Kremlin is likely pushing for Ukraine to capitulate to Russia’s long-held demands in ongoing peace negotiations imminently to secure its war aims without having to make uncomfortable sacrifices to do so.
9. Russian officials’ messaging about the recent throttling of Telegram remains disjointed as the Kremlin attempts to navigate the repeated backlash the restrictions have generated among Russian milbloggers.
10. The Kremlin is looking for new excuses to justify its intensified Telegram censorship campaign.
11. Ukrainian forces recently advanced near Pokrovsk. Russian forces recently advanced in northern Sumy Oblast, in the Kostyantynivka-Druzhkivka tactical area, and near Velykyi Burluk.

Live:Ukraine

⚡️ The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) raid on Valerii Zaluzhnyi's office in 2022 and the reasons for the failure of the 2023 counteroffensive. Highlights from the former Commander-in-Chief's interview with Associated Press.

About the raid. According to Zaluzhnyi, in September 2022, dozens of employees of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) appeared at his office for a search. They did not state what they were looking for, so he did not allow them to view documents or computers.

Zaluzhnyi called the then Head of the Office of the President Andriy Yermak and said he would "repel this attack because he knows how to fight." He then called the then head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) Vasyl Malyuk, but the latter replied that he knew nothing about the raid and promised to look into it.

Later, Zaluzhnyi learned that two days prior, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) had applied to a Kyiv district court for a search warrant at the same address. Court documents seen by AP journalists indicate the special service was supposed to search a strip club allegedly run by a criminal organization. However, the mentioned strip club had closed even before the full-scale invasion. Zaluzhnyi believes the search warrant was merely a pretext and that the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) could hardly have entered the country's main military command center by mistake.

About the counteroffensive. Zaluzhnyi believes the plan he developed with NATO partners failed because Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other officials did not allocate the necessary resources.

The original plan was to concentrate enough forces into a "single fist" to retake the occupied part of the Zaporizhzhia region, including Enerhodar, and then move them south to the Sea of Azov. This would have cut the corridor the Russian army used to resupply from Crimea.

According to Zaluzhnyi, success required a serious troop buildup and tactical surprise. Instead, the troops were dispersed across a large territory, which diminished their striking power.

His account of how the counteroffensive deviated from the original plan was confirmed by two Western military officials in comments to AP.

Photo: Valerii Zaluzhnyi / Telegram

❗️At the peace negotiations in Geneva, the military has almost agreed on how to monitor the ceasefire. Regarding the issues of territories and the ZNPP, there is no progress yet, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated in a comment to journalists.

"The military understands how to monitor the cessation of fire and the cessation of the war, if there is political will. They have agreed on almost everything. The monitoring will definitely involve the American side. All other details — where, how to monitor, technical details — General Hnatov will report to me upon his return," he noted.

As for the political component — the East, ZNPP, etc. — there are developments, but for now the positions are different, and the negotiations were not easy. According to Zelenskyy, in this block "there was a dialogue, we agreed to go further," but he did not hear of such progress as on the military level.

🇭🇺🇸🇰Hungary and Slovakia are suspending diesel exports to Ukraine. This is due to the halt of Russian oil transit through the "Druzhba" pipeline.

Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó accused Ukraine of endangering Hungary's energy supply and demands the restoration of transit.

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico stated that the Slovnaft refinery is stopping all exports to Ukraine, and everything it produces will be intended for the Slovak market.

⚡️ Russians at the Olympics are conducting a massive fake news campaign — generating AI videos to present Ukrainian athletes and fans as aggressive, corrupt, and unacceptable, experts from BBC Verify have confirmed.

Since January 30, the BBC has analyzed 43 examples of such news. Russians have been conducting this operation for several years, one of its names being "Matryoshka."

As an example, the BBC cites a press conference by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Kirsty Coventry. First, they showed a real press conference by Coventry regarding the disqualification of skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych due to a "memory helmet." A few seconds later, artificial intelligence begins generating Coventry's voice.

She "claims" she was shocked that Ukrainians came to Milan "for the sake of crazy political PR," that the athletes behave aggressively, and that she has "never met such irritating people." However, footage from the real video shows — Coventry did not say any of these phrases.

⚡️ The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) demands that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) conduct an internal investigation into who allowed a Russian woman to carry the Ukraine sign at the Olympic opening ceremony.

Yesterday, Associated Press (AP) reported that the sign with the inscription "Ucraina" was carried by Russian Anastasiia Kucherova. She is an architect who has lived in Milan for 14 years and has not been to Russia since 2018.

She says that countries were distributed among volunteers randomly, but when the choreographer asked if they had preferences, Kucherova chose Ukraine.

"When you walk alongside these people, you understand that they have every right to feel hatred toward any Russian. Nevertheless, I think it is important to make even a small gesture to show them that perhaps not all people think the same way," she stated.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi called the very fact that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) chose a Russian woman to carry the Ukrainian sign disgusting. According to him, this goes beyond any human morality and any principles.

⚡️ In Poland, a taxi driver sprayed tear gas into the face of a pregnant Ukrainian woman, Anastasiia.

The incident occurred near the house where the woman has lived with her husband for 10 years. According to the victim, the driver pulled into a narrow street and blocked the exit for other cars.

When Anastasiia's husband tried to drive out, the taxi driver noticed the Ukrainian license plates and shouted: "Go back to Ukraine." Anastasiia asked him to move away, but the driver sprayed gas.

The taxi passengers jumped out of the car, and then everyone fled the scene. Police have already opened criminal proceedings; the driver faces up to three years in prison.

Video: Center for Monitoring Racist and Xenophobic Behavior in Poland / X

⚡️ Four South African citizens recruited by Russia for the war with the assistance of the former president's daughter have been returned to their homeland.

Last week, South Africa reported that President Ramaphosa spoke with Putin and requested their return. As noted by the South African state broadcaster SABC, the men were taken to the police, as the participation of citizens in wars abroad without government permission is illegal.

Duduzile Zuma, the daughter of the former president, is also under investigation; she claims she was also misled.

In November, it became known that thanks to the former president's daughter, about 20 South Africans traveled to Russia in the summer allegedly for "security guard courses," but as a result signed military contracts under the guise of documents for training.

⚡️ We will react: Zelenskyy criticized the admission of Russians and Belarusians under their own flags to the 2026 Paralympics

The President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy criticized the decision of the organizers of the 2026 Paralympic Games to admit Russians and Belarusians to the competitions under their own flags.

"I cannot say that this is about money, because I do not know. But this is an absolutely dirty decision that cannot be respected. It is terrible, unfair, and does not correspond to European values. It is an unfair decision, and we will react to it. It is approximately how the Russian aggression developed: creeping occupation — Crimea, no one responded; later Donbas, no one responded; later — a full-scale invasion. Step by step, the Russian way of life. The same applies to the Olympic Games," Zelenskyy said.

⚡️ The New York Times reports that at the trilateral negotiations representatives of Russia and Ukraine discussed the idea of creating a demilitarized zone in the Donetsk region, which would be controlled by neither the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation nor the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

As the publication writes, Russia demands that Ukraine transfer the territories it controls in the Donetsk region as a condition for ending the war.

Ukraine, according to NYT, refused a unilateral withdrawal of troops, stating that giving up territory would incite Russia to new attacks.

Two other interlocutors told the publication that the negotiators discussed the issue of creating a civilian administration to manage the region after the war.

It could include representatives from both Russia and Ukraine, but the parties are still far from an agreement.

⚡️The next round of trilateral negotiations between Ukraine, the USA, and Russia will also take place in Geneva, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in an interview with Piers Morgan.

In yesterday's evening address, Zelenskyy stated that it would be right to hold the next meeting in February.

⚡️ At night, Russians launched 37 strike drones at Ukraine; air defense shot down 29 of them. Several other drones hit four locations.

The occupiers struck the critical infrastructure of Lozova in the Kharkiv region. The city's largest boiler house has been de-energized — the heating for 16,000 subscribers depends on it. Local residents also experienced problems with their water supply.

🇮🇹Italy is against Russian and Belarusian athletes competing at the Paralympics in Milan under their own flags.

In this regard, Vice-Prime Minister for Foreign Affairs Antonio Tajani and Minister for Sport and Youth Andrea Abodi published a joint statement.

They expressed full solidarity and support for Ukraine and called on the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) to reconsider this decision.

Thirty-four countries and the European Commission have expressed disagreement with the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) decision, and Ukrainian officials will boycott the event. The XIV Winter Paralympics will take place from March 6 to March 15.

United 24 Media:

🇸🇰❗️ Slovakia is threatening to halt electricity supplies to Ukraine.

The statement was made by Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, who cited the suspension of oil supplies through the Druzhba pipeline as the reason.

🔷 Hungary has suspended diesel fuel supplies to Ukraine until oil deliveries through the Druzhba pipeline are resumed, Foreign Minister Szijjártó said.

⚡️The talks in Geneva were difficult but important, Budanov said.

Kyrylo Budanov, head of the Presidential Office and a member of the Ukrainian negotiating team with the United States and Russia, said the delegation is preparing for the next round of talks in the near future.

“We will stand firm!” Budanov added.

❗️The delegations agreed to hold the next meeting on peace efforts, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said.

According to an NV correspondent, Foreign Ministry spokesman Heorhii Tykhyi reported that the meetings in Geneva were held both in a trilateral format and bilaterally, including between Ukraine and the United States.

Tykhyi said the parties focused on military-political, purely military, and humanitarian issues, as well as on prisoner exchanges. Representatives of France, the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, and Switzerland were also present in Geneva.

He added that the trilateral talks had a constructive military component, while the political part remained complex.

“We are coordinating our actions with European partners. It is Ukraine’s principled position that Europe must be directly involved. This will continue,” Tykhyi said.

Ukraine also expects the United States to use all available levers to encourage a constructive position from Russia.

❗️Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha called for a boycott of the Paralympic opening ceremony over the admission of Russians and Belarusians to the competitions.

The foreign minister instructed Ukrainian ambassadors to urge officials in host countries not to attend the opening of the Paralympic Games unless the decision to allow Russians and Belarusians to compete under their national flags is revoked.

“Allowing the flags of aggressor states to be raised at the Paralympic Games while Russia’s war against Ukraine continues is wrong — both morally and politically,” he stated.

Sybiha noted that Russia is using Paralympic sports to glorify participants in the war, sending a dangerous signal of impunity.

“Sport must uphold justice, dignity, and respect. It cannot become a stage for regimes that despise these values,” the minister emphasized.

🔶 At every Winter Olympic Games, Samsung traditionally presents mobile phones to all athletes. This year, the company gifted Galaxy Z Flip7 smartphones — but not to everyone. Russian athletes received shampoo and toothpaste instead of gadgets.

Meanwhile, nearly 3,800 participating athletes received their phones as usual.

🇺🇦🇺🇸 Ukraine and the United States have agreed to work on a future Energy Deal.

Key areas of cooperation include the supply of American liquefied natural gas via the Vertical Gas Corridor, the use of Ukraine’s gas transmission system and underground storage facilities for storage and transit, as well as the development of nuclear energy with the involvement of advanced U.S. technologies.

Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal said after a meeting with U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright that Ukraine views these areas as strategic in the context of gradually phasing out Russian gas and strengthening energy security.

❗️President Zelenskyy called the outcome of the talks in Geneva “insufficient.”

“Ukraine is interested in results. As of today, we cannot say that the outcome is sufficient… Sensitive political issues, questions of possible compromises, and the need for a meeting of leaders have not yet been sufficiently worked out,” the president said.

At the same time, he added that the military held a serious and substantive discussion on certain issues.

“We are looking forward to the next meeting. It would be right to hold it in February,” Zelenskyy emphasized.

❗️Ukrainian forces cleared the eastern part of Hryshyne in the Donetsk region of Russian occupiers, the 7th Corps of the Armed Forces reported.

Ukrainian defenders eliminated about ten Russian soldiers who were attempting to gain a foothold in private houses and shelters.

🔷 As long as Russia’s aggressive war against Ukraine continues, I cannot support the reinstatement of national symbols, flags, anthems, and uniforms that are inseparable from that conflict. That is why I will miss the opening ceremony of the Paralympic Games, said European Commissioner for Sport Glenn Micallef.

“I support the Paralympians and all they represent.
But first allowing Russia and Belarus to return, and now giving them carte blanche and fast-tracking their participation without qualification? That is unacceptable.

Sport unites when it upholds principles. It divides when it compromises. I call on like-minded colleagues to take the same position.”

🔶 Ukraine’s domestically produced Ratel H ground robotic system has been upgraded to carry and launch fiber-optic FPV drones, expanding its operational role on the battlefield.

According to Ratel Robotics on February 18, the system has been fitted with a newly developed drone launch module that allows it to transport and deploy fiber-optic-controlled FPV drones from remote or high-risk areas without requiring operators to be physically present at the launch point.

According to Ratel Robotics, the launch platform can accommodate up to four fiber-optic FPV drones of varying sizes. The use of fiber-optic control is intended to reduce vulnerability to electronic warfare systems, which have become a significant factor in drone operations.

Unlike radio-controlled systems, fiber-optic-guided drones are less susceptible to jamming and can maintain stable control during missions in contested environments.

With the addition of the launch module, Ratel H effectively functions as a mobile drone deployment point and can be used in combined ground and aerial operations

🇪🇪 Estonian Foreign Minister calls decision to allow Russians and Belarusians to the 2026 Paralympics shameful.

Allowing Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete at the Paralympic Games in Milan and Cortina while Russia continues its full-scale war against Ukraine is a disgrace. More than 650 Ukrainian athletes and coaches have been killed by Russia. Sport does not exist in a vacuum. Forcing Ukrainians to compete alongside representatives of an aggressor state is morally unacceptable. The international sports community must stand up for human life, justice, and dignity — not normalize aggression, said Margus Tsahkna.

🔷 Italy has called on the International Paralympic Committee to reconsider its decision to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete with their flags and anthems, according to a joint statement by Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani and Sports Minister Andrea Abodi.

“The Italian government expresses its categorical disagreement with the Committee’s decision to allow six Russian and four Belarusian athletes to compete at the Milan–Cortina 2026 Paralympic Games with their national symbols, including the anthem.

The Italian government reiterates its disagreement, already expressed together with 33 other countries and the European Commission, with the decision to fully reinstate the membership of the Russian and Belarusian Paralympic Committees, and confirms its full solidarity and unconditional support for Ukraine.

Russia’s continued violation of the ceasefire and of the Olympic and Paralympic ideals, supported by Belarus, is incompatible with the participation of their athletes in the Games, with the exception of neutral individual athletes.”

🔶 The Russians are currently losing 156–157 soldiers for every kilometer of Ukrainian land captured, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in an interview with Piers Morgan.

“On the battlefield, they have no success stories. The Russians are trying to sell their audience so-called successful steps, but in reality they cannot. Even the most nationalistic, radical part of Russian society does not believe Putin, because they see there is no success on the battlefield.

In Munich, I said that Russia is currently losing 30,000 to 35,000 people a month — seriously wounded or killed.

Sometimes their gains are only temporary. They capture territory, and then we conduct our offensive operations, and they suffer losses,” Zelenskyy said.

🔷 Zelenskyy gave an interview to journalist Piers Morgan. Key points:

▫️ The next round of negotiations will take place in Switzerland.

▫️ No one can guarantee that Putin will not attack again:
“When we talk about security guarantees, we mean strong guarantees — that the rest of the world or certain countries will be ready to respond if Putin returns with aggression.”

▫️ On concessions in Donbas:
“I cannot support such an idea. In any very difficult circumstances, I am not sure our people would be ready. As you said, thousands, tens of thousands of Ukrainians have died defending this part of Ukraine.”

▫️ Territorial issues could be addressed at the level of three leaders. However, Zelenskyy stressed that Ukraine does not trust Putin or the Russian side personally.

▫️ On fighting corruption:
“Of course, I make mistakes, like anyone who tries to do something in life. When media in Ukraine or elsewhere speak about corruption cases, my answer is this: we are fighting it. Yes, such cases exist, but we are building a strong anti-corruption infrastructure.”

🔶 The European Commission has developed a plan to invest in economically affected EU regions bordering Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine, Politico reports.

Reduced investment, lower freight traffic, and a decline in tourism have hit the EU’s eastern regions, particularly the Baltic states, Finland, and Poland. The Commission’s strategy aims to encourage international financial institutions to finance these areas but does not provide for new EU funding.

According to an unnamed Commission official, there are concerns that depopulation of these easternmost regions could weaken Europe’s ability to protect its borders. Brussels also fears that economic hardship could push residents to support fringe parties and make them more vulnerable to Russian propaganda.

The plan prioritizes revitalizing border areas that have suffered economic decline as a result of Russia’s invasion, whether due to reduced tourism or the risks of living near the Ukrainian border.

However, the strategy, to be presented by Executive Vice-President for Cohesion Raffaele Fitto, does not include new funds, as the current EU budget running until 2028 is overstretched, two Commission officials said.

Under the proposal, global financial institutions would join an “EastInvest platform,” which would take effect immediately to meet investment needs and provide financial assistance to these regions.

Brussels would allow countries bordering Russia and Belarus — Finland, Poland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania — to use part of their EU regional development funds to provide guarantees to the European Investment Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the Nordic Investment Bank, and national banks to stimulate investment in their eastern regions. The goal is to offer affordable loans to businesses in areas bordering Ukraine that might otherwise struggle to access financing.

A Commission official said the door remains open for other EU countries bordering Ukraine, including Romania, Hungary, and Slovakia, to join later.

As a partial concession to the Baltic states, the Commission said it would explore allocating specific funds for Eastern Border Regions under the future €410 billion European Competitiveness Fund starting in 2028. This would mark a significant shift, as the Commission had previously rejected adding geographical criteria to the new fund.

Kyiv Independent:

⚡️ Putin manipulates Trump to buy time says Bill Browder

The Kyiv Independent’s Martin Fornusek speaks with Bill Browder, investor and longtime sanctions advocate, about why Western sanctions have so far failed to change Russian President Vladimir Putin’s behavior. Browder argues that while Russia has become the most sanctioned country in the world, a critical loophole remains: oil exports. He also argues that Putin would prioritize war spending over his own population’s welfare, why frozen Russian assets should be confiscated, and how Europe could exert far more leverage than it currently does.

⚡️Russian 'mothership' drones prompt Ukraine to weigh passport requirement for SIM card sales.

Russian forces are using LTE mobile networks and Ukrainian SIM cards to remotely control FPV drones, Serhii Beskrestnov, adviser to Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, said.

⚡️Investigation: Brazilian recruit’s death in Ukraine points to abuse, torture in foreign fighter unit.

A 28-year-old Brazilian recruit died after a brutal punishment handed out in a unit that regularly used discipline practices described as "torture" by those who both witnessed and suffered them, a Kyiv Independent investigation can reveal

⚡️Ukraine hits 6 Russian military targets, including S-300VM missile launcher, General Staff says.

The General Staff confirmed that a Feb. 17 strike near Mariupol destroyed a launcher for the S-300VM anti-aircraft missile system, also known as the Antey-2500, with an estimated value of at least $120 million.

⚡️ What does Navalny’s murder confirmation mean for Russia, Ukraine and the West?

The effective confirmation by five European countries that Russia did kill opposition leader Alexei Navalny in 2024 did not surprise those familiar with the Kremlin's track record.

But the Feb. 14 statement, which blames Russia for the murder and specifies the kind of poison used, represents a new milestone in the deterioration in Russian-European relations.

⚡️ Chart of the week: Russia’s attacks push Ukraine’s energy system to the brink

As Ukraine experienced its coldest January in over a decade, Russia launched 4,442 drones and 135 missiles at the country — most of which targeted energy infrastructure, depriving millions of heat, electricity, and water.

The scale of Russia's energy terrorism is captured in a striking graph, part of a new dashboard launched last week by Ukrainian energy think tank Green Deal Ukraina (GDU). (Photo 2)

⚡️Ukrainian missiles strike Russia's Belgorod, leaving power outages, local authorities claim.

Ukrainian missiles struck the Russian city of Belgorod, leaving power outages in parts of the city, Belgorod Oblast Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov claimed late on Feb. 18.

Could Witkoff be ousted from Ukraine talks? Senators hear 'chatter' of Russian deals.

U.S. senators visiting Odesa on Feb. 18 struck a cautious tone when asked whether Special Envoy Steve Witkoff should remain at the center of negotiations with Russia.

The remarks place Congress in a delicate position: aware of mounting controversy around the Trump envoy, yet reluctant to directly challenge the president's authority over diplomacy as U.S.-mediated talks with Moscow and Kyiv continue.

⚡️Update: Ukraine reportedly strikes oil depot in Russia's Pskov Oblast, targets Belgorod with missiles, leaving blackouts.

Ukraine reportedly struck an oil depot in Russia's Pskov Oblast and launched missiles at the Russian city of Belgorod, causing power outages in parts of the city, Telegram news channels and local authorities reported overnight Feb. 18-19.

⚡️Zelensky says Ukraine won’t withdraw from Donbas, 'won’t lose dignity' as peace talks stall on territory.

"Thousands, dozens of thousands of Ukrainians have been killed on this direction, defending this part of Ukraine," Zelensky said in an interview with British broadcaster Piers Morgan. "We have to understand that Donbas is a part of our independence."

⚡️ Moldova, Ukraine investigate alleged Russian-backed plot to assassinate Ukrainian figures.

Moldovan authorities said investigative measures began at 6 a.m. local time.

⚡️ At least 9 injured in Russian attacks on Ukraine over past day.

Russia launched 37 drones at Ukraine overnight, the Air Force said, of which Ukrainian air defenses intercepted or jammed 29.

⚡️ Russia, Iran hold naval drills as tensions rise over potential US strikes.

Iranian Rear Admiral Hassan Maqsoudlou said the drills reflect both countries' focus on the regional situation.

⚡️ These are the indicative estimates of Russia’s combat losses as of Feb. 19, according to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Kyiv Post:

⚡️ Niger’s junta leader has accused Ukrainian and French forces of occupying northern Benin, escalating rhetoric amid growing tensions in West Africa.

Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry dismissed the accusations as baseless and politically motivated.

⚡️ Putin told Cuban Foreign Minister that Moscow stands with the country as it struggles under sweeping US sanctions, though the Kremlin once again stopped short of committing to any concrete support.

⚡️ “The Americans will have a key role in monitoring,” Zelensky said, adding that talks with Russia and the US are ongoing regarding European participation.

⚡️ Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky says he is prepared to sit down with Vladimir Putin - but only to end the war, not to relitigate centuries of history.

In an interview with Piers Morgan, he addressed assassination threats against both himself and Putin, laid out his red lines on Donbas, rejected any legal recognition of occupied territories and questioned the feasibility of elections during wartime.

Zelensky said that in any potential talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, he would not waste time on historical narratives or debates about why Russia invaded Ukraine.

“It’s not even interesting for me why he began this war. I don’t need to waste time on historic issues - the reasons why he began all this, about Peter the First and so on. I don’t need it, because to end this war and move to a diplomatic path, I don’t need all this historical s*it,” he added.

⚡️ Ukraine’s SBU special forces have blasted a major oil depot in Russia’s Pskov region — nearly 300 miles from the border — with anti-drone nets failing to stop the attack.

At least four explosions rocked the site, sparking a massive fire and forcing evacuations at nearby facilities. The depot stored diesel and petrol — key supplies for Putin’s war machine.

⚡️ Russian drones plunged 16,000 residents in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region into the cold overnight, knocking out the city’s largest boiler house in the latest strike on civilian infrastructure.

⚡️ While President Zelensky’s remarks suggested movement, Kyiv Post’s Stefan Korshak explains that major disagreements over territory remain, and meaningful agreements are still far off.

⚡️ More than 1,000 Kenyans have gone to fight for Russia in Ukraine, many tricked into signing military contracts, according to a report presented to Kenya’s parliament.

Investigations say Moscow promised well-paid jobs — but sent recruits to the front line instead.

⚡️ Putin is not seeking a rapid end to the war and may be using talks with Washington to push for sanctions relief, European intelligence officials have warned.

⚡️ The first meeting of Trump’s “Peace Council” has begun in Washington.

Article on the impact of Starlink being cut.

The Ukrainians are trying to make the most of the hiatus until Russia finds work-arounds. Obviously some of it is purely about kinetic warfare, but some of the most interesting things they've done have involved informational warfare.

Ukrainian activists carried out phishing attacks on Russian soldiers, inviting them to register their Starlink terminals for reinstatement (as private Ukrainian citizens can do) – even taking money off them for the privilege of being prioritised. Upon which, the Ukrainians attacked the locations of the "registered" terminals.

The Russians then switched to radio, which is easier to intercept, and may also have been attacked while attempting to set up WiFi bridges on TV towers.

It seems that in addition to the immediate impacts, the operation has had a psychological impact on Russian soldiers:
"They don't trust each other anymore," he says, sharing screenshots of expletive-laden Russian chats in which the dangers of keeping a Starlink terminal nearby are discussed.

Musk cuts Starlink access for Russian forces - giving Ukraine an edge at the front
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c0q3ndj7052o

Continuing an ongoing theme, Russian soldiers have also been attempting to bribe Ukrainian citizens to register Starlink terminals on their behalf.

"Niger’s junta leader has accused Ukrainian and French forces of occupying northern Benin, escalating rhetoric amid growing tensions in West Africa."

I am slightly surprised at the idea Ukraine has fighting men to spare and is sending them to some other country, rather than keeping them at home to fight against the invasion of Ukraine.

On the other hand, since the source for this is obviously Russia, isn't it cheering that the Russians apparently feel the need to spread the rumour that Ukraine has spare blokes to send abroad and is not using all their force to fight against Russia? They must find the superiority of the Ukrainians somewhat intimidating if that's what they think.

Live:Ukraine

⚡️ Russia does not want a quick end to the war, believe the heads of five European intelligence services. Most of them stated that Moscow is using negotiations with the USA to push for the easing of sanctions and to conclude business deals.

Reuters writes about this based on conversations with the heads of European intelligence services.

"Russia is not seeking a peace deal. It is pursuing its strategic goals, and those have not changed," said one of them. This refers to the removal of Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the transformation of Ukraine into a "neutral" buffer for the West.

The main problem, according to a second intelligence chief, is that Russia does not want and does not need a quick peace, and its economy is "not on the brink of collapse."

A third intelligence chief stated that there is a misconception: as if Ukraine's concession of the Donetsk region will quickly lead to a peace agreement. "If the Russians get these concessions, I think that is, perhaps, the beginning of real negotiations," he said, predicting that the RF would then put forward further demands.

The interlocutor also expressed concern about the "very limited" level of skills in negotiating with Russia in the West.

Two officials stated that Moscow is trying to split the negotiations into two tracks — a military one and one focused on bilateral deals with the USA, which would include the easing of sanctions. Earlier, Zelenskyy indeed mentioned that US and RF negotiators discussed cooperation deals worth up to 12 trillion dollars. According to one official, this is important for Putin to interest Trump and maintain the loyalty of his oligarchs.

🇲🇪In Montenegro, a Ukrainian in a BMW crashed into the Prime Minister's motorcade, reports RTCG.

According to the police, the 21-year-old driver drove into the oncoming lane and crashed into an official Mercedes that was part of the motorcade. As a result of the accident, three police officers were injured.

Montenegrin Prime Minister Milojko Spajić was traveling in another car; he was not injured.

⚡️ At night, drones attacked the Pskov region of Russia — in the city of Velikiye Luki, an oil depot caught fire as a result of the strikes.

In addition, local authorities warned of a possible slowdown of mobile internet in the region. Temporary restrictions were also introduced at the Pskov airport.

⚡️ 🇸🇪The Swedish government has approved the allocation of the 21st military aid package to Ukraine worth 1.2 billion euros, Swedish Defense Minister Pål Jonson announced.

According to him, the aid will be focused on strengthening air defense.

Sweden will allocate about 400 million euros for the purchase and transfer of the Tridon Mk2 system. These are Swedish-made anti-aircraft missile systems that are particularly effective at shooting down drones.

🇺🇸The United States is pressuring NATO to end its mission in Iraq, reduce its contingent in Kosovo, and ensure that Ukraine and Indo-Pacific partners are not invited to the July summit in Ankara, Politico reports citing four NATO diplomats.

This reflects the White House's desire to view NATO as a purely Euro-Atlantic defense pact. Within the Alliance, these efforts have become known as a "return to factory settings."

🇭🇺Orbán is trying to intimidate Hungarians by exploiting the theme of war.

A campaign video appeared on the page of the Fidesz party showing a little girl looking for her father, who went to the front, together with her mother. In the next frame, the father is executed with a shot to the head.

"This is only a nightmare, but Brussels is preparing to make it a reality," the caption to the video states.

Péter Magyar, the leader of the Tisza party and Orbán's main opponent in the upcoming elections, drew attention to the video.

"The use of children, executions, and intimidation is not politics; it is heartless manipulation. This is inexcusable and deeply outrageous.
On behalf of the Hungarian people, I call on the Fidesz party to immediately delete this video," he wrote on the social network X.

Earlier, footage from Hungarian state media appeared, showing they had launched a program called "Horrors of War." The host reads the script while standing among debris created by artificial intelligence.

🇰🇪The Intelligence of the Republic of Kenya reported that Russia has recruited 1,000 Kenyans to participate in the war against Ukraine.

The Kenyan government, which previously estimated that about 200 of its citizens had been recruited to fight on Russia's side, wants Moscow to ban the conscription of Kenyan soldiers.

⚡️ Trump has extended sanctions against the Russian Federation for another year.

The decree comes into force on February 20 and concerns sanctions adopted in 2014, 2018, and 2022.

The document states that Russian aggression against Ukraine continues to "pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States."

⚡️ Hungarian Foreign Minister Szijjártó has once again accused Ukraine of his country's troubles related to the supply of Russian oil.

"There are no technical, engineering, or physical reasons why oil supplies through the Druzhba pipeline have not been restored. The reason is purely political. The Ukrainians want us to go to the elections with a gasoline price of 1,000 forints, thereby helping the Tisza party, but we are not fools!" he wrote.

The head of the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs assured that his country "will defend itself." According to him, the supply of oil and fuel to Hungary and Slovakia will be ensured.

⚡️ At night, Russians launched an Iskander and 128 drones at Ukraine — air defense shot down 107 of them. A ballistic missile and another 21 strike drones hit 14 locations.

The Dnipropetrovsk region suffered the most from the shelling tonight. Russians struck three districts — two women and a man were injured. Houses, enterprises, a gymnasium, a post office, and civilian cars were damaged.

Kharkiv was also under rocket attack — windows were blown out in several high-rise buildings in the Slobidskyi district. No people were injured.

In the morning, Russians struck the Zaporizhzhia district — a man was injured, and private houses were destroyed and damaged. Also, due to the night strike on critical infrastructure in Zaporizhzhia, 8,000 residents remain without power as of morning.

⚡️ Law enforcement officers of Ukraine and Moldova have neutralized a Russian agent-combat group that was preparing the murders of famous people in Ukraine.

Among those planned to be killed were Ukrainian journalists and public figures, the head of a strategic enterprise, and GUR military personnel, specifically soldiers of the Foreign Legion.

The suspects developed various options for the attempts: from shootings to car bombings. For the murders, Russian intelligence services promised a reward of up to $100,000.

The agents were divided into groups. The first tracked the locations and daily routines of potential victims, while the second consisted of hitmen who were to carry out the contract killings.

The agents were then transferred to Ukraine under the guise of tourists and settled in rented accommodations in various regions.

To monitor "targets," the agents pretended to be delivery service couriers.

The leader of the criminal group was a 34-year-old recidivist from Moldova, recruited by Russian intelligence services in prison. He, along with two of his agents and their accomplices from Ukraine, the EU, and unrecognized Transnistria, was detained. The perpetrators face life imprisonment.

⚡️ There are currently 10,000 DPRK soldiers in Russia, and Ukraine is ready to talk about peace based on the principle of "standing where we stand." Key points from Zelenskyy's interview with Kyodo News.

North Korean soldiers in Russia are gaining knowledge about modern hybrid warfare. They are learning to counter missiles and various types of drones, including fiber-optic drones, from FPVs to long-range UAVs. "What will they do with this knowledge? At the very least, they will bring this experience and knowledge home to North Korea," the President emphasizes.

Ukraine is ready for real compromises, but not at the cost of independence and sovereignty. According to Zelenskyy, Ukraine is ready to talk about peace now based on the principle of "standing where we stand." The Russians' position, meanwhile, is that they are "ready not to occupy other regions" — however, this is not a compromise, but terrorism.

Ukraine seeks to achieve defense cooperation with Japan, as it is one of the countries that holds licenses or its own production for missiles and air defense systems capable of countering ballistic threats. Ukraine is ready to share technologies in the field of maritime drones, cybersecurity, interceptor drones, and energy and critical infrastructure management under crisis conditions.

United 24 Media:

❗️European intelligence officials are pessimistic about ending Russia’s war against Ukraine by the end of the year, Reuters reports.

“Russia is not seeking a peace deal. It is seeking to achieve its strategic goals, and those have not changed. Among them are removing Zelenskyy and turning Ukraine into a neutral buffer for the West,” the article says.

Moscow is also using the talks with the United States to push for sanctions relief and secure business deals.

❗️Merz considers it unlikely that Russia will end the war against Ukraine through negotiations in the near future.

According to the chancellor, the fighting will stop only when one of the sides exhausts its military or economic resources.

“Reasonable and humanitarian arguments will not convince Putin. This is the bitter truth,” the politician said.

🔹 Berlin will not build its own nuclear weapons but wants to hold talks on extending French and British nuclear protection to Germany, similar to the U.S. nuclear umbrella within NATO, Chancellor Friedrich Merz said.

“Times have changed, and I would like us to at least discuss the French proposal. We are only at the beginning of these talks. The only thing that has happened so far is that the German chancellor said to the French president: ‘Let’s talk about it,’” Merz said in comments to German media.

🔸 There have been no new contacts with the Americans since Geneva, and none are currently planned, but possible contacts will be considered, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

According to him, the venue for the next meeting on Ukraine will depend on an analysis of the results of the Geneva talks.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told journalist Piers Morgan that the next round of trilateral talks will also take place in Switzerland.

🏆🎬 Mstyslav Chernov and Alex Babenko received the George Polk Award for the film “2000 Meters to Andriivka.”

The documentary filmmakers and photojournalists were honored in the category of reporting for foreign television.

This year, journalists from The New Yorker, CBS 60 Minutes, The Atlantic, and other outlets also received the award.

The prize was established in 1949 in honor of a CBS correspondent who was killed while covering the civil war in Greece.

🤬 About 100 pigs killed and a man injured in Kharkiv region as a result of a Russian attack — State Emergency Service of Ukraine
The enemy struck a farm in the village of Dvorichny Kut. A fire broke out.

👮 Ukraine has seized assets worth more than UAH 50 million belonging to Russian businessman Zarubin, who is accused of financing the war, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) reported.

The assets include 13 commercial real estate properties and corporate rights in eight mining companies. Among the largest is an abrasives plant in the Kirovohrad region.

According to the investigation, Zarubin regularly redirected profits from his companies to support Russian military groups, including the purchase of SUVs, drones, and fuel.

He has been charged in absentia with financing the war. Zarubin faces up to 10 years in prison with confiscation of property.

💸 Sweden has approved a new €1.2 billion military aid package for Ukraine.

The main focus is strengthening air defense. About €400 million will be allocated for the purchase and transfer of Swedish-made Tridon Mk2 anti-aircraft systems, designed to counter drones, as well as sensors and anti-aircraft guns.

Another €524 million will support Ukrainian production of long-range missiles and drones.

More than €280 million is earmarked for grenade launchers from the Swedish army’s stockpiles, artillery ammunition, spare parts, and training for Ukrainian service members.

❗️Putin is trapped in his own war, writes The Economist.
Russia cannot achieve a decisive victory in Ukraine, yet the Kremlin is also unable to stop, the publication says, analyzing the strategic impasse facing Moscow.

Despite heavy losses, Russian advances remain limited. Modern drone warfare has largely eliminated the possibility of large-scale breakthroughs, as any concentration of forces quickly becomes a target.

At the same time, mobilization increasingly depends on financial incentives. Payments to contract soldiers are rising, the war costs trillions of rubles annually, and the economy is becoming more reliant on military spending.

However, peace also carries risks for the Kremlin. A return to peacetime could trigger an economic downturn and social instability, while hundreds of thousands of service members would require jobs and salaries.

As a result, the publication notes, Putin faces a choice with no good options: continue a grinding war or agree to a deal that would prevent him from declaring victory. It is this dilemma that is prolonging the conflict.

🔹 In Belarus, draft notices for military training are reportedly being issued en masse, particularly in the western regions, Suspilne reports.

According to reports, even fathers of large families and men with small children are being called up — sometimes on the same day, without time to prepare. Social media posts claim that those mobilized have their phones confiscated and their communication restricted.

Officially, the authorities describe the move as a “combat readiness check” and a response to “aggressive rhetoric from the West.”

Lithuania says it is closely monitoring the situation but currently sees no grounds for alarm.

🔸 After leaving the Ottawa Convention, Poland will be able to mine its border within 48 hours in the event of a threat, Prime Minister Donald Tusk said.

Poland launched the withdrawal process in August 2025, and the transition period expires on February 20, 2026. According to Tusk, this step is part of the Eastern Shield project aimed at strengthening protection of the borders with Belarus and Russia’s Kaliningrad region.

In December, the Polish Ministry of Defense announced the resumption of landmine production for the first time since the Cold War, including for potential export to Ukraine. Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, and Finland have also previously withdrawn from the convention.

❗️The EU is not pressuring Ukraine to resume the transit of Russian oil through the damaged Druzhba pipeline, citing Russia’s systematic destruction of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, European Commission spokeswoman Anna-Kaissa Itkonen said.

🔹 Ukrainian President Zelenskyy discussed the impact of Russia’s constant attacks on Ukraine’s energy system with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.

They also talked about assistance to Ukraine.

“More pressure is needed to stop these attacks and more support for our people, especially those currently in Ukraine or planning to return,” Zelenskyy said.

This is Barham Salih’s first visit to Ukraine during his tenure.

🔸 We must stop nurturing illusions: the Russian government will not be able to exist without war in the near future. Negotiations with Putin are now doomed to failure, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said in a speech ahead of the CDU congress in Stuttgart.

▫️ The Russian government needs to sustain its military machine, as it has no plan for what to do with the hundreds of thousands of soldiers returning from the front.

▫️ The war in Ukraine will end only if one of the sides becomes exhausted — militarily or economically.

▫️ Neither reason nor humanitarian arguments will convince Putin. This is the bitter truth. If you look at this regime and its blind terror, there is little hope for dialogue.

▫️ A return to a gas partnership with Russia is not under consideration while Putin wages this criminal war.
Our former government made a fatal strategic mistake by becoming dependent on Russian gas.

Kyiv Independent:

⚡️ US reportedly presses allies to block Ukraine from full participation at NATO summit.

The reported move would limit Kyiv's role at a key gathering of NATO leaders.

A NATO spokesperson did not deny the reporting in comments to the Kyiv Independent.

⚡️ Russia publicly pitches $14 trillion economic deal to Trump tied to lifting US sanctions.

"The portfolio of potential U.S.-Russia projects is over $14 trillion," Kremlin economic negotiator Kirill Dmitriev said.

⚡️ Analysis: Syrskyi’s flawed, unfinished corps system key for Ukraine’s front-line stability

The Ukrainian leadership’s announcement in February 2025 that its Armed Forces and National Guard would transition to a corps-based command system sparked a glimmer of hope that the chronic command issues plaguing the country’s defense could be alleviated, if not solved.

The changes meant that instead of holding Ukraine’s 1,000+ km-long front line in an overstretched and chaotic string, brigades would unite in command groups of around 3-6 brigades, under a new corps leadership structure that would be directly responsible for their units.

Now, a year in, the reforms’ results have been mixed, as expected.

⚡️ The one problem with Russia’s shadow fleet Europe still hasn’t addressed

“This dependence on energy exports is a vulnerability the West has never fully exploited, but Europe is now positioned to crater Russian oil profits without U.S. involvement. The key to doing so is undercutting Russia’s shadow fleet,” Ben Harris and Robin Brooks write in this op-ed.

⚡️'Ready to fight' — Baltics face NATO fragility fears in the age of Trump

As the crisis in Washington’s relations with its European allies escalated in recent months, it raised a stark question: how secure are the U.S. guarantees for countries bordering Russia? U.S. President Donald Trump has not just antagonized NATO allies but even threatened to annex one of their autonomous territories — Denmark's Greenland. The tensions subsided as Trump pledged not to use force against Greenland in January but concerns remain.

⚡️ 'Don't believe in fairy tales' — Russia scrambles for front-line signal after Starlink cut-off

Russia's assault on Ukraine has gone dark thanks to a recent cut-off of satellite internet.

"Their pilots are now forced to pass on information by radio, and I can intercept those messages," Tymur, a deputy battalion commander in the Lyman sector, told the Kyiv Independent.

"They have their own versions and alternatives to Starlink. They just need time to expand their use."

⚡️Polish president ends special refugee support system for Ukrainians, shifts assistance to general foreigner protections.

Polish President Karol Nawrocki signed legislation on Feb. 19 transferring support measures for Ukrainian refugees into Poland’s general Law on the Protection of Foreigners, ending a separate legal framework created after Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.

⚡️Belarus unable to secure visas for Trump's Board of Peace meeting.

Belarusian officials said Feb. 19 that they were unable to obtain visas to travel to the United States for the inaugural meeting of the Board of Peace, despite receiving an official invitation to attend.

"Visas for our delegation to the Peace Council meeting were not issued, despite all documents being submitted on time and procedures followed," Belarus' Ministry of Foreign Affairs wrote on social media.

⚡️ Zelensky calls Russia's peace terms 'terrorism,' says Ukraine ready for real compromises.

"They told us: 'We are ready not to occupy your other regions.' But that is terrorism… 'I am ready not to kill you, just give us everything,'" Zelensky said.

⚡️ These are the indicative estimates of Russia’s combat losses as of Feb. 20, according to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Kyiv Post:

⚡️ Brussels is demanding that Moscow pull its troops not only out of Ukraine but also from Belarus, Georgia, Armenia and Moldova’s breakaway Transnistria region as part of any sweeping peace deal.

⚡️ Ukrainian forces have made noticeable gains, and analysts say the key reason is Russia losing access to Starlink.

The Institute for the Study of War reports advances along the southern front near Zaporizhzhia, with smaller gains near Kharkiv and eastern Ukraine.

An AFP analysis of ISW data found Ukraine retook 200 sq km in just five days – its fastest advance since 2023.

Russian units struggled without Starlink, losing communications and drone control, while Ukraine seized the moment.

⚡️ Ukraine’s Paralympic team will boycott the Winter Paralympics opening ceremony in protest against allowing Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete without qualification.

However, Ukrainian athletes will still compete — and say they will stand alongside others to defend fairness and integrity in Paralympic sport.

⚡️ Washington has extended sanctions on Moscow for another year, warning that Russia’s actions remain an “extraordinary threat” to US national security. Officials cited Crimea, Donbas and the full-scale invasion of Ukraine — insisting economic pressure is biting into the Kremlin.

⚡️ Former British minister of parliament and deputy chairman of the Conservative Party Jack Lopresti has announced that he is joining the 12th Special Forces Brigade “Azov” of the National Guard of Ukraine.
On X, he wrote:
“I am honored to begin my service with the 12th Special Forces Brigade ‘Azov’ of the National Guard of Ukraine, a unit that has become a symbol of resilience and uncompromising principle.”

⚡️ British singer Charli XCX has responded to reports that the official afterparty for the premiere of her film The Moment was organized by Russian national Anastasia Shevtsova (Petit), whose mother has visited occupied Ukrainian territories and publicly supports Russia’s aggression.

According to the singer, neither she nor her team were informed “of any alleged affiliations around the party in Berlin.”

Earlier, Ukrainian activists said they had alerted Charli’s team to the organizers’ background, but their calls to cancel the event were ignored.

⚡️ After her Olympic debut at the 2026 Winter Games, 22-year-old Ukrainian freestyle skier Angelina Brykina raised a sign reading “Glory to the Armed Forces of Ukraine,” turning her moment on the world stage into a message of support for Ukrainian troops.

The gesture was deeply personal. On Aug. 6, 2022, her father, Pavlo Brykin, was killed in combat with a Russian sabotage group while defending Ukraine. He was the one who first brought her into skiing and stood behind her career.

In Milan, Brykina delivered the strongest result among Ukrainians in freestyle aerials, missing the final by just 0.18 points — a narrow margin that underscored both her potential and her resolve.

⚡️ Zelensky’s communications adviser Dmytro Lytvyn said the president and his team expect the Ukrainian, Russian, and US negotiating groups to meet again in February, although the timing does not depend on Ukraine alone.

He added that President Zelensky is holding a meeting today with the Ukrainian negotiating team, and further comments may follow.

⚡️ The Pentagon has warned it could reconsider access for European companies to lucrative US defence contracts if Brussels blocks American arms giants from EU procurement schemes.

Belarus unable to secure visas for Trump's Board of Peace meeting.
Belarusian officials said Feb. 19 that they were unable to obtain visas to travel to the United States for the inaugural meeting of the Board of Peace, despite receiving an official invitation to attend.
"Visas for our delegation to the Peace Council meeting were not issued, despite all documents being submitted on time and procedures followed," Belarus' Ministry of Foreign Affairs wrote on social media.

Well done to whoever was responsible for this

The Kyiv Independent
⚡️10 detained (https://kyivindependent.com/10-detained-in-moldova-and-ukraine-over-alleged-russian-ordered-plot-to-kill-prominent-ukrainians/) in Moldova, Ukraine over alleged Russian-ordered plot to kill prominent Ukrainians.
The operation, codenamed "Enigma 2.0," was carried out jointly by the SBU, Ukraine's National Police, and Moldova's Police.

⚡️ Ukraine pushes for new February peace talks (https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-pushes-for-new-february-peace-talks/) as Russia says 'can't confirm' meeting.
President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to meet with Ukraine's negotiating team on Feb. 20.

⚡️Ukraine strikes (https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-strikes-russian-command-posts-logistics-hubs-in-occupied-territories-general-staff-reported/) Russian command posts, logistics hubs in occupied territories, General Staff says.
The extent of damage and Russian casualties are being clarified, the General Staff said.

⚡️ EU 'would welcome' Ukraine repairing (https://kyivindependent.com/eu-says-would-welcome-ukraine-repairing-druzhba/) Druzhba pipeline to resume Russian oil flow.
"The decision is for Ukraine only, whether and when to repair it," European Commission spokesperson Anna-Kaisa Itkonen said.

France tops up Ukraine investment fund after initial success (https://kyivindependent.com/france-tops-up-ukraine-investment-fund-after-initial-success/)
France will renew its Ukraine Fund after a successful first round, allocating 71 million euros ($84 million) to foster investment from French companies in Ukraine next year.
French Ambassador Gael Vessier and Ukraine’s Economy Minister Oleksiy Sobolev signed the agreement in Kyiv on Feb. 20, which will funnel investment into critical civilian sectors, including utilities, healthcare, and digitalization.
Photo: Economy Ministry.

⚡️Russian general shares photos (https://kyivindependent.com/russian-general-shares-photos-of-severed-ears-discusses-executing-ukrainian-pows-online-investigation-shows/) of severed ears, discusses executing Ukrainian POWs online, investigation shows.
Russian Major General Roman Demurchiyev disclosed in private messages the ways the Russian army mistreats Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs), according to a Feb. 19 investigation by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL).

⚡️ US will be 'primarily responsible' for monitoring (https://kyivindependent.com/zelensky-says-peace-talks-with-russia-advance-on-military-humanitarian-issues-territory-still-blocks-deal/) ceasefire in Ukraine, Zelensky reveals.
"I consider this a very important result," President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

⚡️ Russian soldier sentenced to life in prison for executing Ukrainian POWs (https://kyivindependent.com/russian-soldier-sentenced-to-life-in-prison-for-executing-ukrainian-pows/).
According to Ukraine, at least 322 Ukrainian prisoners of war had been executed by Russian forces as of Oct. 6.

⚡️Guest opinion: How Russia games Interpol to target Ukrainians.

• (https://kyivindependent.com/how-russia-games-interpol-to-target-ukrainians/)* “Red Notices are now routinely repurposed as a standard move for pursuing dissidents abroad, allowing repression to be exported under the cover of international cooperation,” write Rhys Davies, a barrister at Temple Garden Chambers, and Ben Keith, a barrister at 5 St Andrew’s Hill, in this op-ed on how Russia abuses Interpol to target Ukrainians and other critics abroad. Photo: Sergei Ilyin / Pool / AFP via Getty Images

⚡️ Two police officers killed (https://kyivindependent.com/two-police-officers-killed-in-russian-drone-strike-on-evacuation-unit-in-kupiansk-district/) in Russian drone strike on civilian evacuation unit in Kupiansk district.
The vehicle was attacked by a Russian Lancet loitering munition while evacuating civilians.

⚡️Ukraine war latest: 10 detained (https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-war-latest-ukraine-moldova-detain-10-over-alleged-russian-ordered-assassination-plot/) after Russian-ordered assassination plot foiled
Ten people were detained in Moldova and Ukraine for allegedly plotting contract killings of prominent Ukrainians on Russia's orders; Two Ukrainian police officers were killed, and another was injured after a Russian drone struck an evacuation vehicle in Kharkiv Oblast's Kupiansk district; and more.

He is 30. And he lost his limbs in war
Thousands of Ukrainian soldiers and civilians are learning to live with amputations after suffering severe injuries on the battlefield or far from the front lines in Russian aerial attacks. In December 2023, Hlib Benia, a Ukrainian soldier with the 79th Separate Air Assault Brigade, was delivering supplies to his comrades when Russian FPV (first-person view) drones struck. Two of his fellow soldiers were killed. He survived but lost an arm and a leg. The Kyiv Independent's Nick Allard spent a day with him at a rehabilitation center in Kyiv, documenting the difficult process of adapting to life after such devastating injuries. Through frustration, humor, and determination, Benia reflects on survival and what it means to begin a new stage of life.
Watch here. )

Ukrainian officials reject (https://kyivindependent.com/joint-rule-with-russia-in-donbas/) latest Donbas proposal from US
During the latest U.S.-mediated negotiations in Geneva on Feb. 17–18, Kyiv and Moscow discussed a joint Russian-Ukrainian civilian administration to run a demilitarized zone in the Donbas.
But Ukrainian officials say the proposal is unrealistic and unacceptable, and the recent round of talks again ended in a stalemate. The plan follows the failure of other stillborn ideas discussed during talks between Ukraine, Russia, and the U.S.

⚡️Hungary blocks EU's 90 billion euro loan (https://kyivindependent.com/hungary-blocks-eus-90-billion-euro-loan-to-ukraine-demanding-russian-oil-ahead-of-war-anniversary/) to Ukraine, demanding Russian oil ahead of war anniversary.
"We are blocking the €90 billion EU loan for Ukraine until oil transit to Hungary via the Druzhba pipeline resumes," Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said on Feb. 20.

⚡️Drone hits Russian ballistic missile factory (https://kyivindependent.com/drone-strikes-russian-ballistic-missile-factory-over-1-300-km-from-ukraines-border/) over 1,300 km from Ukraine's border, officials, media report.
The Votkinsk Plant in Russia's Udmurt Republic is a strategic, state-owned defense enterprise that produces Iskander ballistic missiles and nuclear-armed intercontinental ballistic missiles.
It is one of the most important missile factories in Russia and has significantly expanded operations throughout the full-scale war against Ukraine.

⚡️Ukraine liberates 300 square kilometers (https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-liberates-300-square-kilometers-in-southern-counteroffensive-zelensky-tells-afp/) in southern counteroffensive, Zelensky tells AFP.
"I won't go into too many details, but today I can congratulate our army first and foremost —all the defense forces — because as of today, 300 (square) kilometers have been liberated," Zelensky told Agence France-Presse.

⚡️Putin signs (https://kyivindependent.com/putin-signs-law-enabling-fsb-to-order-individual-internet-and-mobile-disconnections-cites-security-concerns/) law enabling FSB to order individual internet and mobile disconnections, cites security concerns.
Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law on Feb. 20, framed by authorities as a measure to counter security threats and potential attacks, granting Russia’s FSB broad authority to order the disconnection of individuals from mobile and internet services.

⚡️Update: 11 people have reportedly been injured (https://kyivindependent.com/drone-strikes-russian-ballistic-missile-factory-over-1-300-km-from-ukraines-border/) as a result of a Ukrainian strike on a Russian ballistic missile factory.
The attack was carried out using Flamingo missiles, and it targeted the Votkinsk plant in Russia’s Udmurtia region, where Iskander-M missiles are produced.

UNITED24Media

• 🇭🇺 Hungarian Foreign Minister Szijjártó has once again blamed Ukraine for his country’s problems related to Russian oil supplies.

“There are no technical, engineering, or physical reasons why oil supplies through the Druzhba pipeline have not been restored. The reason is purely political. Ukrainians want us to go into the elections with gasoline priced at 1,000 forints, thereby helping the Tisza party, but we are not stupid!” he wrote. The Hungarian foreign minister assured that his country “will defend itself.” According to him, oil and fuel supplies to Hungary and Slovakia will be secured.

• Today, Ukraine honors the Heavenly Hundred—the brave souls who gave their lives during the Revolution of Dignity. Their sacrifice in 2014 was the spark that began Ukraine’s ongoing fight for freedom, dignity, and European values.

Their courage lives on. As Ukraine continues to defend itself against Russian aggression, we stand not only for our country but for the security and future of all Europe.

• 🕯 President Zelenskyy and the First Lady honored the memory of the Heroes of the Heavenly Hundred.

“Ukrainians always defend what is theirs. They defend independence. Dignity. The right to a free life. It was the people who chose freedom for Ukraine. Ordinary people who care about what will happen to Ukraine and how Ukrainian children will live. We remember what it cost in 2014. We honor the courage of every participant in the Revolution of Dignity, everyone who did not leave the Maidan so that Ukraine would not be left without freedom. May the memory of all the Heroes of the Heavenly Hundred and every Ukrainian man and woman who gave their lives so that Ukraine would be free be eternal. Glory to Ukraine!” the president emphasized.

• 🇺🇦🎾 Tennis player Elina Svitolina set a record at the WTA 1000 tournament in Dubai after reaching the semifinals.

Ukraine’s top-ranked player claimed her 23rd match win in Dubai, becoming the sole leader in this statistic in the tournament’s history. In the quarterfinals, she defeated Croatia’s Antonija Ružić. Svitolina’s semifinal opponent will be world No. 4, American Coco Gauff.

• 😡 Russians dropped guided aerial bombs on a residential area in Komyshuvakha, Zaporizhzhia region.

Houses were destroyed and damaged. A fire broke out. A 22-year-old woman and a 27-year-old man were injured. They are receiving medical assistance, the head of the regional military administration reported.

• Ukraine is ready for real compromises — but not at the cost of independence and sovereignty. We are ready to discuss compromises with the United States, but not to accept repeated ultimatums from Russia, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in an interview with Kyodo News.

▫️ All countries recognize that Russia is the aggressor, including those that have acted or sought to act as mediators since the beginning of the war, especially in the Middle East and Asia. ▫️ Our compromise is that we are talking to the aggressor at all. They have seized almost 20% of our territory, and we are ready to discuss peace based on the principle of “standing where we stand.” This is already a major compromise. ▫️ What is Russia offering as a compromise? They say: “We are ready not to occupy your other regions.” That is not a compromise. It is terrorism. It is an ultimatum. ▫️ We are ready for compromises that respect sovereignty and territorial integrity, our army, our people, and our children. But we are not ready for ultimatums. ▫️ We cannot withdraw from Donbas or from our territory. This is our real line of defense. ▫️ We have good coordination with Japan in the energy and humanitarian spheres, but we want to open a new chapter — defense cooperation that could become historic. ▫️ Japan is among the countries that have licenses or their own production of missile and air defense systems, including Patriot systems capable of countering ballistic threats. We want cooperation — joint production or an exchange of expertise. ▫️ We are ready to share our technologies, including naval drones for coastal defense. Other areas could also be useful for Japan: cybersecurity, interceptor drones, energy and critical infrastructure management in times of crisis, and broader experience in modern warfare. ▫️ We would be very pleased to welcome Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to Ukraine. I believe it would be important for both our countries. I am ready to meet in any format and at any venue. I am also ready to visit Japan. ▫️ About 10,000 North Korean soldiers are currently on Russian territory. It is extremely dangerous that they are gaining experience in modern hybrid warfare — learning to counter missiles and various types of drones, from FPV to long-range and fiber-optic drones.

• 🇩🇪🇺🇦 Germany and its partners are preparing to transfer additional missiles for Patriot systems to Ukraine, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said.

“Last week in Brussels, I proposed collecting a certain number of PAC-3 missiles. Germany — although we have already provided a lot — is adding five more. We are currently in the process. Some countries have already signaled their readiness. We are waiting for final confirmation. But I am very optimistic and will soon give the order for our missiles to be dispatched quickly,” he said. According to Pistorius, air defense remains critically important for Ukraine amid Russia’s attacks on the civilian population. “Putin continues to ruthlessly destroy Ukraine every night to make life there as unbearable as possible. We must call it what it is. This is not just a war, not merely a military confrontation over territory. This is terror. It is terror against the civilian population of Ukraine,” the minister noted.

• Hungary has blocked a €90 billion EU loan for Ukraine, potentially leaving Kyiv facing a budget deficit, the Financial Times reports.

At the last minute, Budapest opposed the decision to jointly borrow funds under EU budget guarantees. The mechanism requires unanimity from all 27 EU member states, which was not achieved. EU leaders agreed in December on the €90 billion package as a financial buffer for Kyiv amid the ongoing war. At the time, Hungary, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic supported the loan on the condition that they would not be responsible for interest payments or repayments, with the remaining EU countries covering those costs. Without these funds, Ukraine could face a budget shortfall as early as April, the publication writes. The €8 billion IMF program, which is directly linked to European financial assistance, could also be jeopardized.

• President Zelenskyy said the next round of trilateral talks will likely be organized in February and could be productive.

“Ukraine’s answers to the most difficult questions ahead of the next meeting are ready. The priorities for our negotiating team have been determined. We are also working on the leaders’ readiness to meet and resolve what has not yet been settled at the team level,” he noted. The president also said he expects a prisoner exchange to become possible in the near future.

• 🇺🇦🇪🇸 Ukraine will receive an additional €200 million from Spain for the modernization of energy and infrastructure.

A Spanish office for Ukraine’s reconstruction will operate on a “single window” principle for Spanish companies and will implement mechanisms for preferential lending, grant support, and technical assistance. The Ukrainian side has proposed investment projects in the energy and logistics sectors and is preparing intergovernmental (G2G) agreements that will provide the legal framework for specific sectoral projects. First Deputy Minister of Community and Territorial Development Alena Shkrum said Spain’s total contribution to supporting Ukraine already exceeds €845 million.

• ❗️Meloni announced “important steps forward” in developing security guarantees for Ukraine.

The prime minister said she was referring in particular to Italy’s proposal — by analogy with Article 5 of NATO. At the same time, she noted that the key issue of territories remains “very far” from being resolved, as Russia continues to put forward “absolutely unfounded” demands.

• 🎾💛 Ukrainian Elina Svitolina defeated Coco Gauff to reach the final of the WTA 1000 tournament in Dubai.

In the semifinals, world No. 9 Svitolina beat world No. 4 Gauff 6-4, 6-7, 6-4. On Saturday, February 21, she will face world No. 5 Jessica Pegula in the final. This will be Svitolina’s third final in Dubai. She won the title in 2017 and 2018.

• The crew of a MiG-29MU1 carried out a strike on an enemy base in northern Ukraine.

• The rare ZSU-23-4 “Shylka” has been upgraded to the ZSU-23-4M1-A1 standard following modernization by the “Come Back Alive” foundation and is now in service with the anti-aircraft artillery division of the 13th Operational Brigade “Khartiia” of the National Guard of Ukraine.

The vehicle, bearing the name “Alligator,” has markings indicating the downing of four Geran/Shahed-type UAVs.

• Border guard UAV operators of the “Hart” brigade in the South-Slobozhansk direction destroyed an enemy ammunition depot.

Aerial reconnaissance spotted activity near a hangar close to the border. Strike drones entered the structure and targeted an enemy truck. A powerful explosion confirmed that the vehicle contained ammunition, which the occupiers had prepared for future attacks.

• A Ukrainian unmanned ground robotic complex equipped with a Browning M2 heavy machine gun eliminated a Russian occupier during close-quarters street fighting.

The footage was released by the 411th Separate Unmanned Systems Regiment “Yastruby.” Zaporizhzhia region, Hulyaipole direction of the front.

• 🇨🇭 Switzerland has launched an operation to transfer energy equipment to help restore Ukraine’s power system — the first trucks with technical assistance have already departed for Ukraine.

The total value of the aid amounts to 32 million Swiss francs, or approximately €35 million.

• 🤬 Hungary’s Foreign Minister said the country is blocking a €90 billion EU loan for Ukraine until oil transit through the Druzhba pipeline is resumed.

Live: Ukraine

• 🇮🇹Italian Prime Minister Meloni noted progress in the work on security guarantees for Ukraine but reminded that the resolution of the main issue — concerning territories — is still very far off.

She emphasized that it is important not only to achieve peace but to achieve a just peace. "Because when the norms of international law are ignored, a situation is created that can only become more chaotic, and such a world does not meet our interests," Meloni stated.

• Hungarian Prime Minister Orbán stated that the normalization of Ukrainian-Hungarian relations is possible only after the end of the war.

"If there is peace, then Ukrainian-Hungarian relations will improve. But as long as the war continues, I see no chance for the normalization of relations. The reason for this is that we are on the side of peace, and Ukraine wants to drag everyone into the war," he stated.

• ⚡️The Office of the President has called fake the words of a WSJ correspondent claiming that Zelenskyy ordered the development of a plan for another three years of war.

On February 19, WSJ journalist Bojan Pancevski stated in a podcast by Bild deputy editor-in-chief Paul Ronzheimer that before the Munich Security Conference, Zelenskyy gathered his advisors and announced that negotiations had effectively failed and they now needed to develop a plan for another three years of war. Dmytro Lytvyn, the Advisor to the President of Ukraine for Communications, stated that there was neither such a conversation with advisors, nor any negativity regarding the negotiations, nor any task concerning "war for another three years." He also added that Ukraine expects another meeting in a trilateral format by the end of February.

• Russians have launched a strike on Zaporizhzhia — two people were injured.

As a result of the strike, a residential building was damaged, and a fire broke out inside it. The number of casualties is being clarified.

• A Russian "Lancet" UAV attacked the "White Angels" evacuation unit in the Kharkiv region, resulting in the death of two police officers. Another police officer sustained physical injuries.

Yulia Keleberda and Yevhen Kalhan joined the "White Angels" unit from the moment of its creation. Behind them were numerous trips to the most dangerous settlements, dozens of rescued families, evacuated children, elderly people, and individuals with disabilities. Yulia was only 23 years old. She is survived by her parents. Yevhen was 39 years old. A wife, mother, 16-year-old son, and 7-year-old daughter were left without a husband and father.

• 🇨🇳🇹🇭China is exporting drones to Russia via a new route through Thailand, Bloomberg reports.

In the first 11 months of 2025, Russia purchased $125 million worth of drones from Thailand — this accounts for 88% of all Thai drone exports and is eight times more than in 2024. During the same period, China sold $186 million worth of drones to Thailand. For comparison: in 2022, drone exports from Thailand amounted to less than $1 million, and none of them were destined for Russia. Journalists found that Thai companies Skyhub Technologies and China Thai Corp play a key role in the scheme of supplying drones to the RF — the latter fell under UK sanctions in October for supplying technology to the Russian army. Bloomberg notes: while the UAE and Kazakhstan were previously considered the main supply routes for military goods to Russia, the focus has now shifted to Southeast Asia.

• Former Commander-in-Chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi and the HUR secretly prepared for the full-scale Russian invasion, according to an investigation by The Guardian.

According to sources, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy did not believe in the Russian plans for an attack and did not want to introduce martial law, which would have allowed for the official redeployment of troops. Zaluzhnyi was dissatisfied with this, so secret exercises were conducted among the top command, which involved various invasion scenarios, including an offensive on Kyiv and an attempt to cut off weapon supply routes from the West. Also, the then-head of the HUR, Kyrylo Budanov, received information about the Russian plans to seize the airfield in Hostomel. According to journalists, this information helped adjust defensive actions at the last moment. The Guardian's investigation was based on over one hundred interviews with intelligence representatives, military personnel, and insiders from various countries.

• Russians have once again attacked Ukraine with missiles and drones. Here is what is known about the consequences:

Kharkiv region. Three people died and two others were injured as a result of a Russian UAV attack on the territory of the Malynivka community. Also, a 68-year-old woman was injured in another district of the region. Zaporizhzhia. As a result of Russian attacks during the day, four people were injured: a 22-year-old girl and men aged 27, 77, and 53.

• 🇨🇭Switzerland has launched an operation to transfer energy equipment for the restoration of the Ukrainian energy system — the first trucks with technical assistance have already departed for Ukraine.

The total value of the aid is 32 million Swiss francs (approximately 35 million euros).

• 🇭🇺Hungary is blocking an agreed EU loan of €90 billion for Ukraine.

According to four FT sources, Hungary's ambassador to the EU expressed objections to the bloc borrowing these funds for Ukraine by issuing debt obligations guaranteed by the EU budget. ◾In December, EU leaders agreed to allocate €90 billion to Ukraine for 2026-2027. At that time, Hungary, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic agreed to help on the condition that they would not be held responsible for interest payments or loan repayment — these costs were to be guaranteed by the other 24 EU countries. However, a unanimous decision is still required to allow the European Commission to use the so-called EU budget reserve.

• A strike hit a military plant in the Russian city of Votkinsk. The facility produces Iskanders and Topol-M intercontinental missiles.

The plant is located 1,400+ km from Ukraine.

• Ukraine has delivered 1,850 tons of Ukrainian wheat to Pakistan as part of the Ukrainian humanitarian initiative Grain from Ukraine.

"The Grain from Ukraine initiative and its continuation, Food from Ukraine, demonstrate that even in a time of war, Ukraine remains a reliable guarantor of global food security," noted Deputy Minister of Economy Denys Bashlyk.

• The Defense Forces have liberated 300 square kilometers on the southern front, Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated in an interview with AFP. Key points:

◾"I won't go into too many details. But I can congratulate our army; as of today, 300 square kilometers have been liberated in the south." Ukraine is taking advantage of the fact that the Russians have lost access to Starlink. At the same time, the President admitted that Ukrainian troops also experienced interruptions. However, the failures faced by the Russian side are "much more serious." ◾"Both Americans and Russians are saying that if you want the war to end tomorrow, get out of Donbas," Zelenskyy stated. AFP reminds that Ukraine has repeatedly ruled out withdrawing its troops from the region, as such a step would only embolden Russia. ◾The US and the RF are pressing for presidential elections. "Let's be frank — the Russians simply want to replace me," Zelenskyy said. The President stated that he has not yet decided whether he will run in the upcoming elections. According to him, voting can only take place under the condition of reliable security guarantees from allies. ◾Ukraine wants European troops, which are planned to be deployed in case of a cessation of hostilities, to be located closer to the front line. ◾"One cannot say that we are losing the war. Honestly, we are definitely not losing it, definitely. The question is whether we will win," the President stated.

• Tonight, Russians launched 120 strike drones and an Iskander-M ballistic missile at Ukraine. Air defense shot down 106 drones.

Sumy was attacked by the occupiers with an aerial bomb. An 87-year-old woman and two girls, aged five and 17, were injured. In Odesa, two people were injured, and one of them was hospitalized. A lyceum and the warehouses of an energy company were partially destroyed, and residential buildings were also damaged. In Kherson, the enemy attacked a minibus with a drone. A 71-year-old driver was injured. Photo: Olena Buinevych / Facebook