Euromaidan Press Contributor

Tear gas burns your eyes. Police batons break your bones. But watching your country slide into Russia's orbit? That pain lasts forever.

Ukrainian and European officials commemorated the third anniversary of Bucha's liberation while Ukraine announced it has identified 2,500 Russian soldiers who participated in the town's brutal occupation. President Zelenskyy linked the Bucha massacre to Russia's broader pattern of destruction, contrasting "our European system, in which human life and dignity matter" with Russia's. Finnish President Alexander Stubb indicated 20 April could be a suitable date for a ceasefire following a seven-hour meeting with Trump. Meanwhile, Ukraine's Foreign Minister warned that Russian peace demands mask plans to leave Ukraine vulnerable to future aggression.

On 1 February, Russian forces launched 165 air targets against Ukrainian cities and killed 11 civilians in Poltava only. Meanwhile, Norwegian diplomats came under fire during a Russian attack on Odesa that damaged UNESCO-protected historic sites. Ukrainian authorities also reported a Russian strike on a boarding school in Russia's Kursk Oblast, currently controlled by Ukraine.

A video emerged of Russian forces executing an unarmed, wounded Ukrainian POW on camera as international bodies struggle to respond to mounting war crimes, with Ukraine documenting over a hundred similar cases. Russian strikes with guided aerial bombs hit civilian infrastructure in Kharkiv and Odesa oblasts, killing multiple civilians. President Zelenskyy accused European partners of keeping vital air defense systems 'just standing there' instead of helping protect Ukrainian civilians from Russian attacks.

North Korea has deployed between 8,000-12,000 troops to support Russia's war in Ukraine in exchange for $200 million, rice supplies and space technology. Meanwhile, the UN chief expressed concern over this escalation despite meeting with Putin in Russia at the recent BRICS summit. Pro-European candidate Maia Sandu secured re-election as Moldova's president thanks to strong diaspora support, despite trailing domestically by 2.4%. While Ukraine could face up to 20 hours without electricity daily this winter due to Russian attacks on power infrastructure, Germany pledged $217 million in humanitarian winter aid to help cope with energy shortages.

Apart from the $400 million of a new military aid, the US has also pledged $800 million for Ukrainian drone production. Amid news about North Korean troops deployment to Ukraine by Russia, South Korea is considering sending military personnel to Ukraine. The Russian forces also continue a trend of increasing executions of unarmed Ukrainian soldiers by killing two Ukrainians at close range in Donetsk Oblast.

French Foreign Minister expressed his support for Zelenskyy’s victory plan during his visit to Kyiv, while Scholz, Biden, Starmer, and Macron met in Berlin to discuss Ukrainian demands in Zelenskyy's plan, presented earlier this week. Diplomat sources claim that Biden may reconsider his position on Ukraine's NATO membership, but it depends on the outcome of upcoming US elections.

Slovakia will provide emergency power to Ukraine amid blackouts caused by Russian attacks on energy infrastructure, however Ukraine will not renew its gas transit agreement with Russia despite Slovakia’s dependence on it. This week, Russia has already struck civilian ships carrying grain two times in Odesa port, threatening global food security.

Russian forces struck the hospital in Sumy twice, killing one police colonel after first responders came to help people. While on the diplomatic front, Ukrainian President Zelensky’s spokesperson claimed that American officials showed “great interest” in Ukraine’s victory plan.

Ukrainian President will present a new "victory plan" to US President Joe Biden, warning of a protracted conflict if it's not supported. Meanwhile, a Russian attack on Zaporizhzhia injured 16 civilians, including a 15-year-old, with strikes damaging residential buildings, educational institutions, and public infrastructure.

Babbel continues providing free language courses to Ukrainians, with 750,000 users learning English, German, and Polish since 2022.

The new offensive in Kursk Oblast targets Russian logistics and advances towards the Glushkovo district center. While Ukrainian President Zelenskyy has highlighted a stark imbalance in artillery capabilities, with only 4 out of 14 planned brigades fully equipped due to the slow pace of Western aid. He also reported that Russian drone attacks on Ukraine have intensified, with over 640 Shahed-type drones launched at the country in September alone.

Ukraine deployed F-16 fighter jets in combat for the first time, losing one aircraft and a pilot during what it described as the the largest Russian air assault since the full-scale war began, while Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba urged NATO allies to lift restrictions on long-range strikes into Russia with western-provided weapons, noting the hollowness of Russian “red lines” amid Kursk operation. 

Ukrainian forces destroyed a key bridge over the Seim River in Russia's Kursk Oblast, isolating more than 28 settlements and complicating Russian logistics. While Canada permitted Ukraine to deploy Canadian-made military equipment within Russian borders, the US maintained restrictions on Ukraine's long-range strikes inside Russia despite the recent success in the Kursk operation, fearing potential escalation.