Exclusives
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Russia’s snowmobile troops did everything by the book—the book was written before drones. Snowmobiles aren't necessarily bad assault vehicles. But to avoid detection by thermal drones, they need heat-trapping camouflage. |
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A 9-year-old judoka killed by Russia on Children’s Day, a figure skater who was Heraskevych’s teammate — meet the 22 faces the IOC banned from the Olympics. Vladyslav Heraskevych was a medal contender in skeleton at the Winter Olympics — until he refused to race without the 22 faces painted on his helmet. |
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The man who jailed NABU detectives over Russian ties has Russian ties himself. Three of five deputies also have family ties to the aggressor state, investigation finds. |
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Ukraine frontline mapping startup draws €7.2 million from Axon and European defense funds. Taser maker and Estonian state fund lead round for company born from battlefield trench-mapping. |
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FPV drones get all the attention. Ukraine’s reusable heavy bombers are doing the real killing. Heavy bomber drones, each dropping several grenades on Russian infantry, are one of Ukraine's enduring technological advantages. |
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“If not Brussels, then Moscow:” Munich Security Report 2026 paints stark picture of Europe’s security crisis. Europe faces a choice between unity or submission, report warns |
Military
"A good target for our drones": Russian infantry digs in without food or water on Kharkiv front. Russian units withdrew after January's heavy losses, then regrouped and attacked from multiple directions.
"We are f—": 10 Ukrainians with drones wipe out two NATO battalions in war game. Estonia's Hedgehog 2025 exercise used Ukraine's Delta system for the first time on NATO soil.
Ukraine's drones flew three sorties per minute in January — Russia lost 8,600+ more troops than it recruited, commander says. The Unmanned Systems Forces commander reported 30,618 verified kills against 22,000 new Russian recruits, calling the negative balance "a minimum task" as the real target is 50,000 per month now.
Russia to connect occupied Mariupol and Donetsk via railway to encourage "tourism." Evidence suggests other reasons. New Donetsk-Mariupol rail line sold as "tourism" more likely to carry military equipment and looted steel.
Russia strikes DTEK thermal power plants for 11th time since October as winter energy crisis deepens. Odesa substation also damaged; repairs expected to take considerable time.
Intelligence and technology
Ukrainian hackers sting Russians trying to buy back Starlink access. Fake registration channels collected data on Russian units, contacts, and terminal locations.
700,000 Western-brand cars sold in Russia since Ukraine invasion, routed through China bypassing sanctions – Reuters. BMWs, Toyotas, and Mercedes reach Russian buyers via gray-market reclassification schemes.
Ukraine sanctions 91 shadow fleet tankers used to transport Russian oil. Each shadow fleet tanker "should be viewed as an element of financing the Russian war machine," Ukraine's sanctions commissioner said.
International
Zelenskyy: Europe preparing largest possible energy and defense packages for Ukraine by 24 February. Partners agreed to form "maximum support packages" within 10-11 days.
US signals readiness to ratify Ukraine security deal in Congress, Sybiha says. First time in Ukraine's history that legally binding framework is being pursued.
Russia swaps GRU chief for Kremlin ideologue Medinsky ahead of Geneva talks with Ukraine. Medinsky has made a name for himself as the Kremlin's "pseudo-historian" and promulgator of anti-Ukrainian historical myths.
Next trilateral talks about war in Ukraine reportedly to take place in Geneva – Putin's spokesperson. After two rounds of trilateral talks in the United Arab Emirates, the next meeting between Ukraine, Russia, and the US reportedly will take place in Geneva, Switzerland.
China commits new energy aid to Ukraine after Munich talks between foreign ministers. Ukraine will receive an additional energy assistance package from China, according to Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha, who briefed Beijing's top diplomat on Russian strikes against energy infrastructure and their impact on Chinese businesses operating in Ukraine.
Zelenskyy in Munich: Ukraine and Germany to launch first joint drone production facility. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in Germany to lead Ukraine's delegation at the 62nd Munich Security Conference, where US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has indicated he may hold talks with the Ukrainian leader.
Ukrainian House opens at Munich conference as Sybiha declares "outsourcing security for Europe is over". Ukraine has a dedicated house at the Munich Security Conference alongside the United States and Germany—a symbolic recognition of Kyiv's role in European security.
Sweden confirms Ukraine to use EU's $95 bn defense tranche for Gripen fighter purchase. Sweden's defense chief confirmed Ukraine plans to tap the EU's €60 billion military equipment fund to begin purchasing Gripen fighters, with negotiations underway for international co-financing of the deal.
$38bn, 35 Patriot missiles, long-range drones: What Ukraine got at Ramstein. Fedorov says most funding targets air defense and unmanned systems.
Humanitarian and social impact
Russia gave two Nigerian recruits no training, then sent them into a "meat assault" in Ukraine – HUR. Both men were dead within weeks, killed by a drone before they ever fired a shot.
"Afraid to show their society": Moscow blocks online war casualty database that names Russia's dead. Site lists names, units, and medical records for 156,000 dead and 96,000 wounded.
About 20K Slovak donors raise €1.1M for Ukrainian generators and charging stations.
500 EU generators arrive in Kyiv to keep heating running in apartment buildings. The European Union has delivered its second batch of generators to Kyiv — 323 units that bring the total emergency power supply to 500 devices now keeping heat flowing in apartment buildings hit by infrastructure damage.
Political and legal developments
Russia revives debunked "secret prisons" lie about Ukraine torturing Russian POWs. Kremlin propagandists push baseless torture claims while Russian soldiers actually torture Ukrainian POWs.
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