Exclusives
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War created Ukraine's biggest publishing boom in modern history. New data shows 117 new publishers registered in 2025—60% above prewar levels. |
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EU wants Russia to hold free elections and withdraw troops from Belarus, Georgia, Armenia, and Transnistria— as part of a Ukraine peace deal, leaked paper shows. The document, circulated by EU top diplomat Kaja Kallas among member states, also calls for nuclear weapons removal from Belarus, reparations, and free elections inside Russia. |
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Hungary and Slovakia demand Ukraine fix pipeline Russia bombed—or no diesel. Czech, Croatian, and Polish routes expose Budapest and Bratislava's shrinking energy leverage. |
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Enter the "gray zone": Russia is already at war with Europe. Germany's wargame missed it. The Baltics called the exercise "insulting." The wargame ignored their preparation—and the war Russia is already waging. |
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A Ukrainian gun 'bot saw a Russian soldier in the dark. He couldn't see it back.. In a nighttime clash with a lonely Russian trooper, a gun-armed Ukrainian ground robot had the upper hand |
Military
Russia's border assault playbook in Kharkiv and Sumy: probe, flank, lose troops, repeat. Russian forces are trying to breach new stretches of the Kharkiv and Sumy border with flanking and rear-entry maneuvers — and getting the same result: heavy casualties and no ground taken, Ukraine's border guards say.
Intelligence and technology
Ukrainian drone expertise earned something new — access to NATO defense contracts for first time. Battlefield-tested expertise now enters NATO competitions. Ukrainian companies allowed for the first time.
"Generals thanked us for coming": NATO soldiers stood frozen under Ukrainian drones during Hedgehog-2025 drills. "If you are detected, consider yourself '200.'"
Drones, long-range missiles, artillery ammo: Sweden reloads Ukraine's battlefield punch with $1.42B aid package. $11.3B total since 2022—Sweden cements top-tier backer status.
Russia built anti-drone nets over this oil depot 500 km from Ukraine — drones burned it anyway. The Velikolukskaya depot in Russia's Pskov Oblast was already hit once in April 2024. Russians installed protective nets over the fuel tanks afterward.
ISW: Russia is laying the groundwork for rolling involuntary call-ups as its recruitment system runs dry. A new Duma bill adopted on 18 February would criminalize criticism of reserve call-ups, while Bloomberg reports Russia lost 9,000 more troops than it replaced in January 2026 — the first time recruitment has visibly fallen behind losses.
Tower in Russia's Lipetsk connected three military facilities. Pro-Ukrainian partisans just took it down. Communications down near arsenal. "Any strike now more destructive," partisans say after Lipetsk sabotage.
International
Nairobi thought Russia recruited 200 Kenyan citizens to kill Ukrainians. A new report says it's over 1,000. Families of the mercenaries gathered in the Kenyan capital demanding their return while the government condemned Moscow's use of Kenyans as "cannon fodder" and its foreign minister prepares to visit Russia next month.
Frankfurt to mark four years of Russia's full-scale war with Ukraine's solidarity rally. Interior minister, deputy mayor among participants. 24 February marks four years since Russia's full-scale war.
Estonia refuses to broadcast Paralympics with Russian athletes under national flag amid war — calls IPC decision "disgrace". Meanwhile, Poland won't attend opening ceremony: "completely unacceptable" to allow Russian flags at Paralympics.
Ukraine thanks Angola as generators arrive: Southern African donor shields hospitals from blackout amid 260 Russian attacks. Each generator helps sustain laboratory work and emergency shelters.
Humanitarian and social impact
"It's really tough—drones can see people walking": Canadian volunteer describes realities on Ukraine's winter front lines. Maintaining heat directly impacts soldiers' ability to repel attacks.
Ukraine needs $15 billion of funding to shield against Russia's 2026 record terror waves: Kyiv has found only $584 million so far. With 91 Russian ballistic missiles fired in January alone, Ukraine is calling for full funding of the $15 billion Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List.
Read our earlier daily review here.
