Ukraine updates in English

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February 3rd russia has used a record number of ballistic missiles to target Ukraine's energy sector. The combined missile and drone strikes hit power plants and infrastructure in Kyiv and multiple locations causing "the most powerful blow" so far this year, according to private energy company DTEK. The strikes were launched as temperatures dropped to -20C (-4F) and left more than 1,000 tower blocks in the capital without heating once again and damaged a power plant in the eastern city of Kharkiv beyond repair. DTEK says some of the plants targeted were providing heating only, not electricity, which means they were exclusively for civilian use. The Geneva Convention makes clear that targeting civilian infrastructure is a potential war crime. Each time makes it harder to carry out repairs and leaves the system more fragile, and prone to blackouts. Teams of engineers have been working through the night for weeks to fix things - drafted in from all over the country and hailed as heroes. But there are not enough workers to keep up with demand. Several residential buildings were damaged in the latest attack and set on fire by falling debris as Ukraine shot down missiles and drones. Several people were injured. It also came on the day Nato Secretary-General Mark Rutte was in Kyiv to meet President Zelensky and to address the national parliament. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cpwng25114ro

In total, the Air Force radio-technical troops recorded 521 air attack vehicles: 4 Zircon/Onyx missiles; 32 Iskander-M/S-300 ballistic missiles; 7 Kh-22/Kh-32 cruise missiles; 28 Kh-101/Iskander-K cruise missiles; 450 Shahed, Gerbera, Italmas attack UAVs and drones. According to preliminary data, air defense shot down/suppressed 450 targets — 38 missiles and 412 drones of various types: 4 Zircon/Onyx missiles; 11 Iskander-M/S-300 ballistic missiles; 3 Kh-22/Kh-32 cruise missiles; 20 Kh-101/Iskander-K cruise missiles; 412 strike UAVs of various types. 27 missiles and 31 strike UAVs were recorded hitting 27 locations, as well as the fall of downed UAVs (fragments) at 17 locations. https://armyinform.com.ua/2026/02/03/balistyka-krylati-rakety-czyrkony-ta-udarni-bpla-detali-rosijskoyi-masovanoyi-ataky/

During this strike, russia simultaneously used a record number of ballistic missiles, which are the most difficult to shoot down. https://www.bbc.com/ukrainian/articles/ce9ylg00115o

The ground and buildings tremble from their hits. The electricity was immediately turned off, but the water supply remained. The afternoon was sunny and despite the severe frost and the lack of heating, the temperature in the apartment did not fall below 16C.

In Kyiv, the Darnytsky and Dniprovsky districts were left without heat supply as a result of the night attack. Emergency power outages have also been introduced there, Kyiv Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko announced. https://kyiv.novyny.live/chastina-livogo-berega-kiieva-bez-svitla-i-tepla-cherez-ataku-rosiyi-309747.html

One of Kharkiv's leading CHP plants was severely damaged by a russian attack, and its restoration is currently impossible. 800 homes in the city are without heat, the metro is running with delays, and some electric transport routes have been replaced by buses. https://unn.ua/news/providna-tets-kharkova-zaznala-vazhkykh-poshkodzhen-vidnovlennia-nemozhlyve-deputat-miskrady

Sumy was also affected by air strikes. Damaged residential buildings. https://apostrophe.ua/society/accidents/vnochi-rosija-atakuvala-sumi-poshkodzheni-bahatokvartirni-budinki-rozhornuto-punkt-dopomohi.html

russia struck Kharkiv with drones and missiles on Wednesday night, February 4. Infrastructure and residential buildings were damaged, according to the city's mayor, Igor Terekhov. https://nv.ua/ukr/ukraine/events/ataka-na-harkiv-rosiya-vdarila-raketami-ta-dronami-po-dvoh-rayonah-4-lyutogo-novini-harkova-50580793.html

There is also significant destruction of civilian and industrial infrastructure in Odesa. https://komersant.ua/rosiiany-masovano-atakuvaly-odesu-poshkodzheno-shkolu-dytsadok/

In Kyiv, despite several air raids during the day, there seemed to be no real attacks.

The Darnytsia thermal power plant in Kyiv, known as CHP-4, has temporarily suspended services due to the consequences of another russian attack on the capital's energy infrastructure, the operator company said. https://sud.ua/uk/news/ukraine/352548-darnitskaya-tets-v-kieve-vremenno-ostanovila-rabotu-posle-rossiyskogo-obstrela

In the morning, the temperature in the apartment dropped to +12C. I feel bad all the time and it's unlikely that anything will change until spring.

[US7IGN]

Ukraine can become Europe's industrial partner, due to its favourable location, Europe's largest iron ore resources and the lessons of war, including how to remain competitive amid unpredictability. The pillar of Ukraine's economy is the mining and metals sector, whose weight remains significant despite four years of full-scale war. In 2021, before the 2022 invasion, it accounted for over 10% of Ukraine's GDP and one third of exports. In 2024, these stood at 7.2% and 15.4%, respectively. The war has changed approaches to management and business resilience: enduring requires adaptability, speed of decision-making and focus on internal efficiency, writes CBS News. https://www.cbsnews.com/brandstudio/metinvest/

Although this is just an advertising article commissioned by the Ukrainian company Metinvest, I consider it a good reminder to the world that Ukraine still has good potential for development and investment, and many companies continue to work despite the challenges. On the contrary, it means the unique competence of those who survived, and this is what my optimism and intention to develop my own business as a local legal partner for those who will come to Ukraine after the war is based on.

I am sure that sooner or later the war will end and the economy and industry will not only be restored, but will also reach a higher level. Due to the scale of destruction, instead of restoring the Soviet legacy, infrastructure and industrial solutions based on the latest technologies will inevitably be implemented.

But the question today is how to make it a reality. The head of the presidential office, Kyrylo Budanov, refused to "purge" "so as not to unbalance" the president's office - he did not dismiss the scandalous deputies and seemed to focus on the negotiation process. Perhaps this was the only reason for his appointment as head of the presidential office, which gave him the necessary political status in the peace negotiations, which have accelerated recently. https://www.pravda.com.ua/articles/2026/02/03/8019131/

Volodymyr Zelensky has been talking up russia’s battlefield fatalities and has asked his new defense minister to make it a priority. In December alone, more than 35,000 russian soldiers were killed or seriously wounded, Ukraine’s leader says, and the aim should be to raise the number even higher – to 50,000 per month. “Make the cost of war for russia one it cannot sustain, thereby forcing peace through strength” – this was the task set him by the president, Mykhailo Fedorov told reporters in his first briefing as Defense Minister. “Highlighting the huge numbers of russian fatalities is an indicator that Ukraine’s main strategy is attrition. But we need more than that if we are going to move the war dynamics in a better direction,” a former Ukrainian official told CNN. https://edition.cnn.com/2026/02/03/europe/ukraine-strategy-kill-50000-russian-soldiers-intl

It seems that the main issue in the negotiations is russia's territorial concessions. On the one hand, giving in to russia is unacceptable, and on the other hand, it is obvious that a war of attrition is also unacceptable for Ukraine, which has a much smaller population, money, and industry. It is also impossible to ignore how both countries carry out mobilization. In russia, this is mostly a well-paid job for the marginalized, while in Ukraine it is a forced one-way ticket for those who do not want to fight. Also, almost everyone mobilized in Ukraine is a person removed from the economy. Therefore, the Ukrainian authorities declare a war of attrition, but are critically dependent on its quick end, since the population's opposition to such mobilization is growing, which Moscow cannot help but understand.

The Head of the National Police of Ukraine, Ivan Vyhivskyi, reported that during 2022–2026, citizens’ resistance to the actions of territorial recruitment centers (mobilization centers) significantly increased. According to him, the number of incidents increased from five at the beginning to 351 last year. After the full-scale invasion, the police recorded 526 cases of resistance, the largest number in the Kharkiv region (59), the smallest number in the Kherson region (1).

Vyhivskyi explained that the resistance is partly due to citizens’ reluctance to mobilize. He noted that involving the police in notifying those liable for military service could negatively affect the image of the National Police. https://360ua.news/golova-naczpolicziyi-poyasnyv-yak-praczyuye-spivpraczya-z-tczk/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=golova-naczpolicziyi-poyasnyv-yak-praczyuye-spivpraczya-z-tczk

Thus, state representatives prefer to gently call "busification" (a special word that appeared in the Ukrainian language and denotes the process of beating and stuffing a detained man into a bus for the purpose of delivery to a mobilization center) "notification measures".

Of course, constant corruption scandals also negatively affect the reputation of mobilization centers. https://sud.ua/uk/news/ukraine/352404-v-kievskoy-oblasti-byvshiy-nachalnik-ttsk-zabral-8-gruzovikov-u-chastnykh-firm-yakoby-dlya-nuzhd-vsu-gbr

But it seems that the authorities have no other ideas on how to achieve an advantage at the front other than increasing mobilization, using the only resource they have - Ukrainians. It is remarkable how the dehumanization of other Ukrainians has occurred. It was enough to call them evaders and deny their right to life. At the same time, the ones hunting them are essentially the same evaders who don't consider themselves to be such. Typical Orwellian doublethink.

Even in conditions of armed conflict, the state does not receive carte blanche for arbitrariness - this is directly stated in the Constitution of Ukraine and the European Convention on Human Rights. The first convention right — the right to life — is considered a fundamental human value. It is defined as one of the most important provisions of the European Convention on Human Rights. https://unba.org.ua/publications/11282-pravo-na-zhittya-za-st-2-konvencii-obovyazok-derzhavi-zahishati-i-rozsliduvati.html

Ukraine remains a party to the European Convention on Human Rights and recognizes the jurisdiction of the ECHR. Although in times of war a state may temporarily derogate from certain obligations (Article 15 of the Convention), such a derogation is not unconditional; it does not abolish the principle of proportionality; it does not give the right to arbitrary measures.

However, when the state needed mobilization, from the point of view of government officials, everything came down to a simple formula: "There is a war - therefore, anything is possible." That is why "political expediency" often triumphs over common sense and the limits of what is permissible. This is precisely what causes dissatisfaction among the population and rejection of the methods by which the state operates. https://sud.ua/uk/news/publication/352399-gde-prokhodit-granitsa-mezhdu-mobilizatsiey-i-pravami-cheloveka-i-pochemu-voyna-ne-otmenyaet-konstitutsiyu

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Meanwhile, Ukraine's public debt in 2025 exceeded 9 trillion UAH or 213 billion USD, increasing by almost a third over the year, previously, it amounted to 98.4% of the forecasted GDP in 2025. At the same time, the average maturity has more than doubled, and the average cost has significantly decreased, the Ministry of Finance reported. https://unn.ua/news/ponad-98percent-vid-vvp-derzhborh-ukrainy-perevyshchyv-9-trln-hrn-minfin

Solving the problems of internally displaced persons and residents of temporarily occupied territories is one of the conditions that Ukraine must fulfill in order to gain membership in the European Union.

This is stated in the analytical report "European integration of Ukraine: new instruments and incentives to ensure the rights and opportunities of internally displaced persons and residents of the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine", Zmina reports. Including issues related to these categories of the population in the negotiation process with the EU will also contribute to attracting external assistance to solve their problems. The issue of internally displaced persons and Ukrainians under occupation is part of the fulfillment of the Copenhagen criteria — mandatory conditions for all candidate countries, on the basis of which a state’s readiness to join the EU is determined. https://zmina.ua/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/european-integration-of-ukraine_web_eng.pdf

In Ukraine, under the pretext of countering russian drones, the authorities plan to force owners to register Starlink terminals, and all unverified devices will be disconnected, Defense Minister Mikhail Fedoriv said. https://www.kyivpost.com/uk/post/69206

A key political ally of Volodymyr Zelensky in Ukraine, Vitaliy Kim, governor of the Mykolaiv Oblast region in Ukraine, has called for a peace deal which prioritises people over land. He said Ukrainians were exhausted in an interview with The Independent. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/ukraine-peace-deal-trump-zelensky-vitaliy-kim-b2911965.html

[US7IGN]

Under other circumstances, I would have enjoyed this winter. The last couple of days have been a great propagation on 21 and 28 MHz. Great winter weather here - 10C (14F) and snow. There are traffic problems in Kyiv, but the snow looks very beautiful. https://sud.ua/uk/news/ukraine/352655-kiev-zamelo-na-ulitsy-vyveli-sotni-edinits-tekhniki-video-i-foto

Unfortunately, the last couple of days my apartment has been no more than +12C (54F) because the CHP was destroyed during the last attack and thousands of apartment buildings were left without heating. The authorities say that it will take two months to restore the CHP, so we need to wait out the frost for 2-3 weeks. Next week, frosts of -20C (-4F) are expected. The main thing is that the temperature in the apartment does not drop below the freezing point of water and that the pipes do not freeze and burst. So far I have electricity most of the day. The authorities say that those who don't have heating will be given more electricity. I hope that the mass use of electric heaters will not lead to the destruction of the power grid. Although the price of electricity may deter those who cannot afford to pay for it from using electric heaters. The poor have fewer and fewer choices for how to stay warm. There is a new joke that the warmest place in Kyiv is your car. If you have it, of course.

Weather changes and cold weather have a bad effect on me and I feel bad all the time. Especially in the evening when my heart starts to hurt, which makes me go to bed early, feeling tired even though I've done almost nothing all day.

US President Donald Trump once again stated during the 74th National Prayer Breakfast that Ukraine and russia are "very close" to resolving the war and have almost reached an agreement. According to Trump, the conflict is now at a kind of finish line, although the details of the agreements were not disclosed. https://ua.news/ua/world/ukrayina-ta-rf-maizhe-domovilisia-tramp

U.S., russian and Ukrainian negotiators have come away from two days of talks in Abu Dhabi with what appeared to be only modest progress in making a deal to end the war in Ukraine, and hardly any at all on the most difficult topic: the amount of territory Moscow and Kyiv should control in the eastern Donbas area, writes The Wall Street Journal. For these negotiations, the parties prepared an exchange of prisoners - a little more than 300 soldiers from both sides. https://www.wsj.com/world/three-takeaways-from-the-ukraine-peace-talks-38fc131c

Head of the OP Kyrylo Budanov made the first statement on the results of the second round of negotiations between Ukraine, the US and russia, which took place in Abu Dhabi. "The negotiations were really constructive. I am grateful to the US and the UAE for the high-quality organization and mediation," said the head of the OP, who is a member of the Ukrainian delegation at the negotiations. https://www.rbc.ua/rus/news/budanov-zrobiv-pershu-zayavu-pidsumki-peregovoriv-1770295783.html

Following the productive and constructive progress towards President Trump's goal of peace in Ukraine made by Jared Kushner and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff over the past week, the U.S. and russian federation agreed today in Abu Dhabi to reestablish high level military-to-military dialogue, U.S. European Command Public Affairs announced on February 5. https://www.eucom.mil/pressrelease/44261/the-us-and-russian-federation-agreed-to-reestablish-high-level-military-to-military-dialog?fbclid=IwY2xjawPxgrpleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETF1QVYwZmZzSk5FUEhNRUxzc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHgkOlHd8a6SdO7i93m8Vhnsd804sH3l5C__ZWz8E6JmLXReJGslKk7IHIoO9_aem_j7jATR3b0wbZVrq9pZzThA

On February 5, the Special Operations Forces reported that, together with other units of the Ukrainian Defense Forces, they conducted a successful comprehensive operation to destroy the Kapustin Yar military training ground in the Astrakhan region. As a result of strikes on the site from which the russia launched Oreshnik intercontinental ballistic missiles into Ukraine, two objects were hit, OSINT analysts report. https://nv.ua/ukr/world/countries/udari-po-poligonu-kapustin-yar-osint-analitiki-rozpovili-novi-detali-50581538.html

Belgorod was left without electricity, water and heating, and russians complain about significant damage. https://informator.ua/uk/byelgorod-zalishivsya-bez-svitla-vodi-ta-opalennya-rosiyani-skarzhatsya-na-znachni-ruynuvannya This border region of russia is constantly under attack, although it remains a mystery to me why this one? In any case, this does not in any way affect the continuation of the war and I do not feel any warmer that the russians are freezing there.

Meanwhile, Zelensky again made strange statements that are hard to believe.

The number of Ukrainian soldiers killed on the battlefield in the four years of war with russia is 55,000, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced the figure in an interview with France 2 TV on Wednesday. Additionally, a large number of people are considered officially missing, he said. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvgn2dzwd1do

The Ukrainian state plans to maintain a high level of financial support for 800 thousand servicemen even in the event of reaching a ceasefire agreement. Financial stability will be a key factor in motivating the defenders during a possible lull on the front. This statement was made by President Volodymyr Zelensky during his joint press conference with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk in Kyiv. https://trueua.info/news/zelenskiy-pro-finansove-zabezpechennya-800-tisyachnoi-armii-budemo-zaokhochuvati-groshima

Well, maybe if this were done now, there would be no need to catch unmotivated people on the streets.

In Odesa, during a document check, a man stabbed a military mobilization center employee and fled the scene. According to the command, a total of 272 attacks have been carried out on workers at mobilization centers since the beginning of the full-scale war. https://expres.online/podrobitsi/v-odesi-cholovik-nozhem-vdariv-viyskovogo-ttsk

In Lviv, a woman opened fire on a mobilization center bus. https://www.koroldanylo.com.ua/news/lvivianka_vidkrila_vogon_po_busu_tck_u_lvovi_zinci_zagrozuje_do_7_rokiv_tiurmi_28282

Well, in the US, an ICE agent would have killed both of them on the spot...

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says the US wants the war with russia to end by June, adding that both sides had been invited to the US for talks next week. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cd0y0y9z231o

This may be true, but it is not yet clear what could force the russians to do this. Instead, it is clear that they will fully exploit the favorable circumstances - Trump and the cold.

On the night of February 7, russia carried out a massive missile and drone strike on Ukraine. The main target of the attack was the energy sector in western Ukraine: the power grid, generation and distribution substations.

Zircon missiles also hit Vinnytsia, and drones attacked Kyiv and its suburbs. Air raids were heard throughout Ukraine. More than 400 drones and about 40 missiles of various types were involved in this attack. Only about half of the missiles were shot down.

There is damage in Volyn, Ivano-Frankivsk, Lviv, and Rivne regions. In Lviv region, more than 6 thousand people are without water, half a million without electricity.

The russians struck substations and overhead lines of 750 kV and 330 kV — the basis of Ukraine's power grid. As a result, Ukraine's nuclear power plants were forced to reduce their generation capacity, the Ministry of Energy said, and electricity imports are also under threat. https://www.bbc.com/ukrainian/articles/cx2y208ez1qo
https://dailylviv.com/news/sytuatsiyi-i-pryhody/vpershe-rf-vdaryla-po-naibilshii-elektropidstantsiyi-v-ievropi-zakhidnoukrayinskii-750-146295

In the Carpathian region, the city of Burshtyn lost water and heat supplies as a result of massive combined shelling on February 7. The Burshtyn TPP, one of the largest in Ukraine, suffered serious damage and has now completely stopped operating. https://sud.ua/uk/news/ukraine/352877-burshtynskaya-tes-ostanovila-rabotu-v-rezultate-rossiyskogo-obstrela-chto-izvestno

The loss of power due to the night attack has created an additional significant electricity deficit, which is extremely difficult to compensate for, so the coming days will be difficult, the Ministry of Energy noted. Currently, residents of Kyiv and the eastern regions receive electricity only for a short period of time - for one and a half to two hours. https://sud.ua/uk/news/ukraine/352879-kievlyanam-vklyuchayut-svet-lish-na-15-2-chasa-blizhayshie-dni-budut-tyazhelymi-minenergo

People's Deputy from the "Servant of the People" faction and member of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on National Security and Defense Fedir Venislavsky reported that in Ukraine, ways to resolve conflicts related to mobilization centers and unauthorized abandonment of units are being actively worked out. According to him, the return of military personnel after unauthorized abandonment of units is taking place with priority to units in the most dangerous points of the front. In parallel, measures are being developed to resolve problems with mobilization centers and optimize mobilization in general. https://informator.ua/uk/venislavskiy-poraduvav-shcho-v-ukrajini-skoro-budut-kompleksni-rishennya-shchodo-mobilizaciji-ta-szch

In Kharkiv, a man, noticing military personnel from the mobilization center, began to run away. When they caught up with him, he pulled out a knife and injured two employees. https://sud.ua/uk/news/ukraine/352862-v-kharkove-muzhchina-napal-s-nozhom-na-voennosluzhaschikh-ttsk-emu-obyavili-podozrenie

On Friday, February 6, employees of the Rivne Regional Mobilization Center were attacked by unknown individuals who helped conscripts escape. Two vehicles with unknown citizens blocked the passage of a military vehicle and unknown individuals attacked servicemen of the mobilization center. https://www.rbc.ua/rus/news/zuhvaliy-napad-ttsk-rivnomu-nevidomi-vidbili-1770394482.html

On the evening of Friday, February 6, in Dnipro, three servicemen from a mobilization center beat a 55-year-old man to death. He died in hospital from head injuries. https://incident.obozrevatel.com/ukr/crime/pobili-vijskovozobovyazanogo-do-smerti-u-dnipri-politsiya-zatrimala-troh-pratsivnikiv-ttsk.htm

After his resignation, the former head of the President's Office, Andriy Yermak, disappeared from the information space. And although he promised that he would go to the front to prove that he was an "honest and decent person", this idea did not go further than the promises. This was learned by journalist Mykhailo Tkach, who found Yermak in the capital, which is discussed in his new investigation. The former head of the President's Office still lives in Kyiv and meets with government officials. The journalist suggests that Yermak continues to de facto head the President's Office. https://zn.ua/ukr/POLITICS/zhurnalisti-znajshli-jermaka-spojler-ne-na-fronti.html

Well, this may explain why Kyrylo Budanov, who headed the Office, did not change anything in its work.

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Despite the frost, it's sunny today and the apartment is warming up nicely. It's also an opportunity to finally air out, as the windows are usually closed and good ventilation was not provided in Soviet houses.

While the whole world is watching the Olympic Games, on the night of February 9, russia launched a massive drone attack on Ukraine. The strikes targeted Odesa, Kharkiv, Dnipropetrivsk, and Volyn regions. There were deaths, injuries, and serious damage. https://www.bbc.com/ukrainian/articles/c99j0lem3rlo
https://glavred.net/ukraine/nochyu-rf-bila-po-odesse-pogib-muzhchina-dva-cheloveka-postradali-10739186.html?utm_source=ukrnet_news

Some Kyiv residents heard loud explosions in the south amid airstrikes over ballistic missiles. There is no information about the consequences, except for hints that something was attacked near the town of Vasylkiv, south of Kyiv. Nearby are a military airport, an oil depot, industrial facilities, and a railway junction.

The Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine modestly noted that missile hits and 23 strike UAVs were recorded at 15 locations, as well as the fall of downed aircraft (fragments) at 6 locations. https://armyinform.com.ua/2026/02/09/iskandery-shahedy-italmas-podrobyczi-nichnogo-rosijskogo-obstrilu/

The Minister of Energy reported that on February 8, Ukraine attracted a historically maximum amount of electricity from abroad to stabilize the situation. https://vycherpno.ck.ua/news/8-lyutogo-rekordnyj-import-elektryky-vryatuvav-enegosystemu-ukrayiny/

Nevertheless, most of Kyiv receives very little electricity, a couple of hours a day. There is also little electricity in the east of the country - Dnipropetrsvsk and Kharkiv regions. Of course, the lack of electricity causes discomfort to people, but the main consequence is the inability of businesses and industries to operate. For example, even my friends' small bakery has stopped working for an indefinite period. Industrial equipment and machines also cannot run on generators.

And it's not just about the lack of products, but also about all those who will lose their jobs and income, and the state taxes. But it seems that the state has no problems with money. According to the open (so far) tender documentation, the police are buying another 200 new cars. https://prozorro.gov.ua/uk/contract/UA-2025-04-16-005409-a-b1

But there are many signals that confirm my paradoxical opinion that the more destruction is caused, the more it will have to be rebuilt, which will mean more investment and financing and opportunities, including for me as a lawyer, who will be able to join these processes as a local advisor. These will be the best times for those who want to buy insolvent Ukrainian businesses and their assets for a penny.

The first project to be implemented under the Ukrainian-American agreement on the creation of a reconstruction investment fund, or as it is called the subsoil agreement, will be the development of a lithium deposit in the Kirovohrad region.

In January, the Cabinet of Ministers selected the winner of the competition to invest in geological exploration work. It was the Dobra Lithium Holdings JV, LLC consortium, which was created by two companies associated with American billionaire Ronald Lauder, who is close to Donald Trump.

The subsoil agreement was at the center of political battles in Ukraine in the spring of 2025. Opponents called the agreements a "sale of the country" to the Americans, turning it into a raw material appendage. Instead, the president's team believed that providing American companies with access to subsoil would ensure the support of Ukraine by the United States. But after the Verkhovna Rada ratified the document in May by a constitutional majority, this topic faded away. A few months ago, the fund's investment advisor was appointed - consulting company Alvarez & Marsal (A&M), and DFC - the US Development Finance Corporation, close to the White House, and the Ukrainian government contributed $ 75 million to the Reconstruction Fund, writes the BBC. https://www.bbc.com/ukrainian/articles/cjw1y5z4n07o

Kyiv's foreign minister has said the Ukrainian and Russian leaders need to meet in person to hash out the hardest remaining issues in peace talks, and that only U.S. President Donald Trump has the power to bring about an agreement. Ukraine wants to accelerate the efforts to end the four-year-old war and capitalise on momentum in the U.S.-brokered talks before other factors come into play, such as campaigning for the U.S. Congressional mid-term elections in November, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said in an interview. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ukraine-urges-acceleration-peace-talks-says-only-trump-can-broker-deal-2026-02-08/

Surprisingly, we were previously told that only putin could stop the war.

The Polish government is seriously considering strengthening its economic presence in Ukraine. Warsaw is considering the possibility of acquiring a stake in one of Ukraine's leading state-owned banks, Polish publication Wirtualna Polska (WP) reports. https://wiadomosci.wp.pl/polska-szykuje-sie-do-przejecia-banku-w-ukrainie-7251224424077632a

Anyway, whoever waits for the end of the war will get everything. Unless, of course, they freeze to death or are stuffed into a bus and sent to the front.

Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó commented on the detention by Ukrainian authorities of a Hungarian who helped Ukrainians flee to Hungary on Facebook, in which he noted that the war must end as soon as possible, forced conscription must be stopped immediately! https://www.facebook.com/szijjarto.peter.official/

But Zelensky continues to demonstrate his ridiculous comedic style. "There is no slavery in Ukraine. Those people who want to leave, if they are not of mobilization age, they have the right to leave," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said at a meeting with teachers and students of the Kyiv Aviation Institute. https://www.unian.ua/society/ukrajinci-za-kordonom-zelenskiy-vislovivsya-pro-vijizd-lyudey-z-ukrajini-13280259.html

Well, it's obvious that the Ukrainian authorities are well aware of the state of affairs in Ukraine, but they consider it possible to make disgusting jokes about it.

Equally strange comments from the Deputy Prime Minister for Humanitarian Policy Tetyana Berezhna, who laments that 2.5 million young people left abroad during the war: "These are colossal losses." https://www.unian.ua/society/viyna-v-ukrajini-stalo-vidomo-skilki-molodi-vijihalo-z-krajini-13274592.html

That is, this government, which itself opened the borders to them, considers those who escaped death as losses. But 100 years ago it was the opposite. Those who, after losing the national liberation struggle, managed to leave the impending catastrophe, in the history of the Renaissance of Ukrainian Statehood were called the flower of the nation, who preserved their national identity, culture, and self-awareness abroad.

This again reminded me of the opposite attitude towards those who left the occupied territories in 2014 and 2022. The former were called traitors and condemned, while the latter were supported.

[US7IGN]

Seva came to visit for a couple of days and reminded me of 25 years ago - thin and hungry. It seems that he is looking for some advice, but for now we are just trying to restore communication, which we almost never had. The main thing is that he does not have time to do anything stupid. I try to be a good example.

Yesterday, in response to my letter with a proposal for cooperation, I unexpectedly received an offer from the Czech-Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce to join their chamber. This is very inspiring, although there has been no response from the American and German chambers, where I sent similar letters, yet.

Kate is heading to Warsaw for another MUN conference. This time she is representing Laos, and her position paper on the problem of human trafficking had to be read by the whole family. We had almost nothing to add, and ChatGPT rated her work 8 out of 10.

On Wednesday, February 11, the European Parliament voted in plenary to provide Ukraine with a €90 billion loan.

The decision provides for a financial support package that includes an interest-free loan for budgetary and defense support to Ukraine for 2026-2027, as well as changes to the financing mechanism within the EU’s multiannual budget.

Of this, €30 billion will be allocated for macro-financial assistance or budget support through the Ukraine Facility. €60 billion will be allocated to strengthen Ukraine’s defense capabilities and support the procurement of military equipment, ensuring timely access to critical defense products. https://sud.ua/uk/news/abroad/353179-evroparlament-odobril-kredit-dlya-ukrainy-v-razmere-90-milliardov-evro

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky intends on February 24 to announce plans for a presidential election and a referendum, the Financial Times said on Wednesday, but a source familiar with the matter told Reuters the timetable appeared unrealistic. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ukraines-zelenskiy-intends-announce-election-plan-february-24-ft-reports-2026-02-11/

This information caused a contradictory reaction in Ukraine, but the very fact of the appearance of such an article is noteworthy. Let's not forget that one of the main demands of the Kremlin is a change of power in Ukraine. In my opinion, the only ones against this are the Ukrainian authorities themselves and the Ukrainians intimidated by their propaganda, but it seems to me that this is just a matter of time, which is not so much left given Trump's desire to conclude a peace agreement by the summer.

The general figures on the losses of the russian invading army in the war against Ukraine are overstated, believes the former chief of staff of "Azov" Bogdan Krotevych in an interview for Deutsche Welle. "I do not believe in the figure that we call about the losses of the russian army. I do not believe in it at all," Krotevych stressed. He is convinced that everyone who believes that the Russians can stop the war because of human losses is mistaken. In addition, he considers the task of destroying 50 thousand russian occupiers in a month to be impossible. He also has an extremely low opinion of the Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Army, Oleksandr Syrsky. https://gazeta.ua/articles/politics/_rosiyani-ne-zakinchatsya-krotevich-rozkritikuvav-pidhid-do-pidrahunku-vtrat/1243559
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rChZchiJV-E

I wonder how long the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, Dmytro Lubinets, will be able to continue his activities? He recently stated that employees of the territorial mobilization center obstructed the work of the Ombudsman's monitoring group in Volyn. https://novyny.live/tck-uk/pratsivniki-ttsk-pereshkodzhali-monitoringovii-grupi-lubinets-310987.html

On the other hand, it seems that the taboo on criticizing the government in difficult times is no longer in effect since people saw that difficult times did not prevent the government from stealing.

[US7IGN]

It seems I have caught a cold after all. I have been feeling unwell for a couple of days. The temperature outside is around 0C, and in the apartment around +14C, but the dampness feels worse than dry frost. Last night I didn't sleep well because of this and the loud explosions. Interestingly, Seva, who was sleeping in the next room, didn't hear anything. Instead of the joy of meeting, a difficult conversation awaited us. It seems that he will never admit that he made a mistake with returning to Ukraine and still doesn't realize what situation he found himself in. I can only analyze the situation and give advice, not all of which is easy to accept and even harder to implement. The warning that paths that seem easy lead to difficult consequences also seems to be not accepted due to lack of experience. Anyway, everything is in God's hands and I hope for His help. He quickly headed back to Lviv and only time will tell how it all ends.

The main target of the strike is the energy sector in Kyiv, Odesa, and Dnipro, including generation and substations. There is also damage in the Kharkiv region, Donetsk, Kyiv, and Kherson regions. https://kurs.com.ua/novost/1440669-zelenskii-o-nochnoi-atake-glavnaja-cel-anergetika-v-kieve-odesse-i-dnepre
https://kurs.com.ua/novost/1440603-desjatki-ballisticheskih-raket-i-sotni-dronov-podrobnosti-nochnoi-ataki-rf

As a result of the russian attack, consumers in Odesa, Dnipropetrovsk, Kharkiv, Kyiv regions and the city of Kyiv were disconnected from electricity supply. Disruptions in heat supply to consumers in Kyiv and the Dnipro were also recorded. https://kurs.com.ua/novost/1440675-minanergo-v-kieve-i-chetireh-oblastjah-est-obestochivanija-posle-udara-rf

In Kyiv, as a result of another russian strike on February 12, CHP-6 in Troyeshchyna again stopped working, 2,600 homes in Kyiv were left without heat. Another 1,100 homes, including mine, are still without heating as a result of previous attacks. https://epravda.com.ua/energetika/u-kiyevi-znovu-zupinilasya-tec-pislya-ataki-yaka-alternativa-817864/

Due to the security situation in a number of regions of Ukraine, changes have been made to the railway transport schedule. On several routes, Ukrainian Railways has been forced to replace trains with bus transfers to ensure passenger safety. https://www.rbc.ua/rus/news/poyizdi-skasovuyut-y-zapuskayut-avtobusi-1770974980.html

On the night of February 13, russian troops struck energy facilities in Odesa, causing serious damage to the equipment. https://sud.ua/uk/news/ukraine/353341-v-odesse-sereznye-razrusheniya-posle-udarov-po-energetike-prodolzhaetsya-razbor-zavalov

Yesterday I won the case on appeal, which will now be re-examined by the court of first instance. Even if we achieve payment of my wife's salary arrears, part of it will be eaten up by inflation because the case has been dragging on for more than two years. If I hadn't personally handled this case, the costs of paying lawyers would have long since outlived the amount owed. This is why I am sure there are many people in Ukraine who will never achieve justice.

I came across a bunch of job advertisements at the Ministry of Finance. Specialists are needed for positions in a wide variety of areas, which are united by a salary comparable to that of a cashier in a supermarket. https://www.work.ua/jobs/by-company/2525456/#jobs

I wonder what Lee Kuan Yew would say about this and what quality and efficiency of public administration can we expect from those who agree to work for such money? But I cannot help but admit a certain systematicity. In a state headed by a comedian, in which ministers are people without specialized education and experience, it seems that a subordinate should not be smarter than his boss. But it seems that this is not only about Ukraine. It will be interesting to look at the confrontation between countries in which education is one of the priorities of state policy and those in which tolerance and ignorance are placed above common sense. I understand that the dumber the people, the easier it is to rule and brainwash them, but we also know how it all ends.

Ukraine is ready to continue fighting russia if there is no opportunity to sign a good deal to end the war, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview with The Atlantic. https://www.theatlantic.com/national-security/2026/02/zelensky-trump-peace-deal-ukraine-russia/685972/

Another statement that is more powerful than all Ukrainian nuclear power plants. It seems that he really is in a different reality, which is formed for him by his environment. Syrsky is probably trying to ensure the appearance of success and from time to time tries to organize counterattacks.

The media reports that Ukrainian forces conduct local counterattacks near the administrative border of Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhia regions.
https://24tv.ua/zsu-kontratakuyut-kordoni-zaporizkoyi-dnipropetrovskoyi-oblastey_n3008971

Someone thinks that on the contrary, Ukraine may lose the opportunity to at least somehow stop the war. Perhaps the main question is what to consider a good or bad deal. It is obvious that for a Ukrainian who survives without heat and electricity and a soldier who dies at the front, any deal that stops the war looks good. For those who will lose power and money due to the end of the war, any deal will look bad. So there is no clear answer to this question, as well as answers to the question of what will ultimately remain of Ukraine.

Ukraine's partners in the Contact Group on Defense Issues have pledged $35 billion in new military assistance to Ukraine, British Defense Secretary John Healy said at a press conference following the Contact Group meeting in Brussels. https://www.ukrinform.ua/rubric-ato/4090732-ramstajn-partneri-nadaut-ukraini-se-35-milardiv-oboronnoi-dopomogi.html

So the Ukrainian authorities are only required to catch a sufficient number of people. Ruslan Horbenko, a member of the parliamentary committee on national security and defense, believes that we have only one and a half years of mobile resources left. https://telegraf.ua/ukr/ukraina/5932484-vid-busifikatsii-suspilstvo-nikudi-ne-dinetsya-nardep-pro-zmini-v-bronyuvanni-aresht-rakhunkiv-i-zakhisnikiv-ukhilyantiv-v-radi

[US7IGN]

Although Ukraine was in the spotlight at the Munich Security Conference, it is important to understand that this is only one element of a more global situation. The post-1945 world order was pronounced dead by most leaders. More specifically, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said, “The world order as it has stood for decades no longer exists,” and that we are in a period “great power politics.” He made clear that freedom “is no longer a given” in this new era. French President Emmanuel Macron echoed Merz’s assessment and said that Europe’s old security structures tied to the previous world order don't exist and that Europe must prepare for war. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that we are in a “new geopolitics era” because the “old world” is gone. https://www.bbc.com/ukrainian/articles/c5y4893yp7no
https://edition.cnn.com/us/live-news/trump-administration-rubio-munich-02-14-26

Zelensky again distinguished himself by blaspheming the belly of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.
"Thank you for yet another campaign speech in support of Ukraine’s accession to the European Union. It will greatly help Hungarians see the situation more clearly," Orbán responded. https://x.com/PM_ViktorOrban/status/2022654600822641047

Zelensky also said that the russians attacked the production of Flamingo missiles. However, the destroyed production line has now been moved and production has resumed. https://www.rbc.ua/rus/news/rosiya-vdarila-virobnitstvu-flamingo-zelenskiy-1771087872.html

This probably also explains why almost nothing is heard about the use of this mythical weapon, on which billions were spent. Unfortunately, the russians manage to destroy other production facilities as well, which we will learn about much later.

A few months ago, a barrage of russian drones destroyed the main facility that produces drones for Lasar’s Group, incinerating about $35 million in equipment, Pavlo Yelizarov, the newly appointed commander of Ukraine’s air-defense forces said, including a large stockpile of weapons. https://www.theatlantic.com/national-security/2026/02/ukraine-drones-lasers-iron-dome/685944/

On the good news, heat was restored to 1,100 homes in Kyiv on February 14, Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko announced. https://rubryka.com/2026/02/15/u-kyyevi-podachu-tepla-vidnovleno-shhe-u-1100-budynkah/

Unfortunately, heat is not expected in my home until summer.

[US7IGN]

At night it got cold again to -11C, and I still haven't had time to recover. I have a headache, cough and runny nose. Last night I went out to get some fresh air and saw that a tent and two generators had been set up in a nearby park. One of them was constantly working despite the fact that the electricity in this area had hardly been turned off for several days and it was relatively warm. There was only a man in a utility uniform (probably with a reservation from mobilization) in it and a few drunk people standing nearby. Well, that's good. The main thing is that the generators don't run out of engine life and fuel before they can really be needed. After all, the next round of negotiations involving the US, Ukraine and russia will take place on February 17-18 in Geneva. https://www.rbc.ua/rus/news/peregovori-zhenevi-putina-anonsuvali-obgovorennya-1771235750.html And as was the case in previous times, during which time russia is massively attacking with missiles and drones.

In war one’s ability to withstand pain is even more important than one’s ability to inflict pain. And in this case, the point is not who can tolerate pain more, Ukrainians or russians, but that it does not seem that this war causes any pain at all for ordinary russians. I do not know how much this data can be trusted, but those russians whose lives I observe for control really do not feel any consequences of the war.

russians spent almost $50 billion abroad in 2025, setting an 11-year record, The Moscow Times reports, citing data from the Central Bank of the russian Federation. https://ru.themoscowtimes.com/2026/02/13/rossiyane-ustanovili-11-letnii-rekord-po-rashodam-na-poezdki-za-granitsu-a187148

The task of the authorities is to make the system work well for most of their populations. It seems that both Vladimirs are successfully coping with this and we do not see protests in either russia or Ukraine. Although I think this is more due to the fact that in both countries citizens dissatisfied with the regime will not even have time to reach the protest site and will immediately be offered to join the army.

And so far, everything is limited to spontaneous clashes. In Odesa, during an attempt to forcibly mobilize a man, a crowd prevented this, beating the mobilizers and their car. https://sud.ua/uk/news/ukraine/353542-v-odesse-gruppa-grazhdanskikh-napala-na-voennosluzhaschikh-ttsk-postradavshie-s-povrezhdeniyami-i-ozhogami-glaz

The Polish government has drawn conclusions from the Ukrainian experience and instead of clearing even already mined areas, Poland is officially leaving the Ottawa Convention and resuming mass production of anti-personnel mines. https://sud.ua/uk/news/abroad/353555-polsha-ofitsialno-vykhodit-iz-ottavskoy-konventsii-i-vozobnovlyaet-massovoe-proizvodstvo-protivopekhotnykh-min

Although it is possible that Poland is also preparing to do everything in its power to prevent its citizens from escaping it. Sarcasm of course.

The Ukrainian athlete's actions at the Olympics also caused a mixed reaction. Ukrainian skeleton athlete Vladyslav Geraskevych was disqualified before his first race at the 2026 Olympic Games after he wore a helmet with images of Ukrainian athletes killed in the war. The IOC banned him from doing so, citing Article 50 of the Olympic Charter, which imposes a "prohibition on any political, religious or racial demonstrations or propaganda at Olympic venues and elsewhere."

This was commented by the Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, Kyrylo Budanov, "Honoring the memory of the fallen Ukrainian Defenders is not a violation of any rules and deserves respect. Paying honor and respect to the fallen Defenders and innocent victims of Russian aggression is the least we can do."

He emphasized that the Olympic Games are taking place under the peaceful European sky precisely thanks to the sacrifice of Ukrainians. "It is important to tell the truth. Thank you Vladyslav Geraskevych for his principled position and courage. Sport can remain outside politics, but never outside conscience, honor and dignity. Glory to Ukraine!" - added the head of the Office.
https://aspi.com.ua/news/sport/budanov-prokomentuvav-diskvalifikaciyu-geraskevicha-na-olimpiadi-2026#gsc.tab=0

Some believe that the skeleton athlete has become the personification of the entire country – because he is Ukraine at the present moment: stubborn, principled and fatally stupid, absolutely unwise, locked in its own pain, pretentious to everyone, offended by the entire Universe, disqualified from the highest game, left in desperate tears.

And that is why it hurts so much. It is not disqualification that hurts Ukrainians so much – but our own inability to understand the world around us. We continued to hide in the helmet of memory instead of achieving victories in a wiser way.

Winning a victory and coming to the awards ceremony with a helmet would also be nice. Winning a medal for our country and showing our helmet to the world from the podium.

But this is impossible to rationally explain to a people chained to an emotional swing with a whole bunch of triggers that the world can only sympathize with. https://t.me/OstapDrozdovOfficial/5264

And some conspiracy theorists even generally believe that this is an element of propaganda aimed at making people forget about damaged property, a broken energy system, constant theft on Ukrainian blood, massively screwed-up negotiations - and so on...

Based on just this part of the opinions, you can imagine the mental and emotional state of Ukrainians.

[N0TZU]

I had wondered how you would feel about Geraskevych‘s action Wlad, and I’m not surprised at your opinion. I had a similar reaction. It was foolish to squander the opportunity to show the world that Ukraine proudly takes its place among the nations at the Olympics despite Russia trying to extinguish it.

Heartfelt but futile demonstrations of remembrance almost dishonor the dead. People don’t take enormous risks for their country only in the hope that somebody publically memorializes them if they perish. They do it in hopes of protecting the country and their loved ones and to improve the situation. The best way to honor them is to work hard for the same goals in whatever way one can, in this case by proudly competing under the Ukrainian flag.

I hope that you feel better and that warmer weather returns soon.

[US7IGN]

My friend from another region asked me to go to a couple of court hearings at the Court of Appeal and Cassation in Kyiv and I couldn’t refuse. Yesterday I felt better and after spending the whole day in the warm court I almost got rid of my cold. There are now several times fewer judges working than necessary, which means there are long delays and they even took a break during the air raid, so I only returned in the evening quite tired.

Today I went to the Court of Cassation, which was colder inside than outside, because the sun was outside, and it was dark inside because the windows were packed with sandbags. This tired me again and my blood pressure jumped. I had to take medication at home and lie down for a couple of hours to feel better. I noticed again how fewer people were going to court. Previously, the corridors were full of lawyers and the lists of court cases on the doors numbered dozens. Now one or two court hearing rooms are occupied and there are a maximum of a couple of dozen people in front of them.

The draft law proposes to supplement the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine with provisions stating that under martial law, in the event of a power outage in the court or lack of access to the Internet, the recording of the court session for the duration of such circumstances may be carried out using the court session journal, which is kept by the court session secretary and which reflects the essential moments of the case in the sequence in which they took place in the court session. https://sud.ua/uk/news/publication/353637-v-parlamente-pridumali-kak-reshit-problemu-fiksatsii-sudebnykh-zasedaniy-pri-otsutstvii-elektroenergii-i-interneta

This reminded me of the times when I was just starting to work and we didn’t have enough typewriters for everyone. So I was forced to write the protocols by hand. Yesterday we discussed this with the old judges and agreed that it could work now. The young girl - the secretary looked at us condemningly.

The next russia-Ukraine peace talks in Geneva again failed to produce any results, and Trump meanwhile switched to Iran. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cge812y2549o
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c86yjnw4x49o

But what caught my attention was that China finally openly entered the game. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga has received an invitation to visit Beijing, February 18, Ukrainian Foreign Ministry (MFA) spokesman Heorhiy Tykhyi said at a briefing. According to him, the recent meeting of the heads of the Foreign Ministries of Ukraine and China (PRC) in Munich was “productive and substantive.” The parties have moved from formalities to concrete planning of contacts, as China has real leverage over Moscow to end the war. https://uatv.ua/uk/ochilnyka-mzs-ukrayiny-zaprosyly-do-kytayu/

I consider this a significant change given the almost complete lack of public diplomatic relations between Ukraine and China before. It seems that China believes that the time has come for active participation.

The Ukrainian people would reject a peace deal that involves Ukraine unilaterally withdrawing from the eastern Donbas region and turning it over to russia, President Volodymyr Zelensky told Axios in an interview. Zelensky said it was "not fair" that President Trump kept publicly calling on Ukraine, not russia, to make concessions for peace. https://www.axios.com/2026/02/17/ukraine-russia-negotiations-zelensky-donbas

It reminds me the “Melian Dialogue”, which became a classic example of the realist approach, which claims that in international politics the decisive factors are power and interest, not morality or law. In the “History of the Peloponnesian War,” Thucydides allowed himself a fiction – a fragment in which he depicted the conflict between the Athenians and the inhabitants of the island of Melos. The arriving envoys ultimatum demanded that the Melians join the Athenian naval alliance in the war, and they, in turn, emphasized their own neutrality. The Athenians retorted: they say, both people and gods by their nature rule wherever they have the power to do so. In their logic, justice and law could only exist between equals, but where there is inequality, the weaker must always obey the stronger.

But it seems that Zelensky, along with many Ukrainians, continues to live in a fictional world of invisible pink unicorns. I do not mean the religious side of the issue, but only the inability or unwillingness to accept the reality in which international relations are determined by money and power, not romantic ideals.

I wonder how long Zelensky will be able to stay in his position? One by one, corrupt high-ranking officials from his team are being exposed by the NABU. And then Valeriy Zaluzhny gave an interview in which he accused Zelensky of the failure of the counteroffensive in 2023. https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-war-zaluzhnyi-zelenskyy-raid-5ff9e5e2054e0b17c10daf58d7eab63e

In fact, there are many questions for Zaluzhny as well. Why did he start talking about this only now? Why did he launch an operation that lacked resources and, accordingly, could not achieve its goals?

A lot of public attention was attracted by the statement of The Wall Street Journal journalist Boyan Panchevsky, who said in a podcast on the Ronzheimer YouTube channel that during a meeting with his closest advisers, Zelensky allegedly said about the failure of the negotiations and the need to prepare for another three years of war. Of course, the Office of the President called such statements fake, but the very fact of their appearance, even if it is really fake, has certain consequences. https://thepage.ua/ua/news/ofis-prezidenta-vidpoviv-na-zayavi-wsj-pro-plan-vijni-she-na-3-roki

[US7IGN]

Today is sunny and I am finally warm. It seems that my cold has passed and I feel relatively well, although the weather is changing again, and the air in Kyiv is polluted. https://regionews.ua/ukr/news/kiev/1771658233-u-kievi-znovu-pogirshilas-yakist-povitrya

Kate returned from another MUN conference, which was held in Warsaw at an international school. This time she was delighted with the number of participants from different countries and said that she would also like to study at such a school. Unfortunately, we cannot afford it, but we agreed that even what is available to her is still a lot. In addition to students from different countries, the mayor of Warsaw and presidential candidate in the last elections, Rafał Trzaskowski, deputies and other politicians were invited as special guests and spoke. So this is an invaluable experience for Kate, who is very tired, but also very happy with her participation in the conference.

In a major investigation by The Guardian, journalists reconstruct how Western intelligence agencies received detailed information in advance about the Kremlin's plans to attack Ukraine, why many allies and Kyiv itself did not believe these warnings for a long time, and what conclusions the world drew from this story.

The fact that the authorities not only did not prepare for war, but on the contrary weakened the defense, has long been a well-known fact, but not everyone knows that Valerii Zaluzhny and Kyrylo Budanov were preparing to repel the russian attack secretly from Zelensky.

A small group of officers at Ukraine’s military intelligence agency, did begin quiet contingency planning in January, prompted by the US warnings and the agency’s own information, one general recalled.

The army commander-in-chief, Valerii Zaluzhny, was frustrated that Zelensky did not want to introduce martial law, which would have allowed him to reposition troops and prepare battle plans. Without official sanction, Zaluzhny did what little planning he could. In mid-January, he and his wife moved from their ground-floor apartment into his official quarters inside the general staff compound, for security reasons and so he could work longer hours. In February, another general recalled, table-top exercises were held among the army’s top commanders to plan for various invasion scenarios. These included an attack on Kyiv and even one situation that was worse than what eventually transpired, in which the russians seized a corridor along Ukraine’s western border to stop supplies coming in from allies. But without sanction from the top, these plans remained on paper only; any big movement of troops would be illegal and hard to disguise.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/ng-interactive/2026/feb/20/a-war-foretold-cia-mi6-putin-ukraine-plans-russia?fbclid=IwY2xjawQFIPpleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETIwRVdWbUFuWmhqa3Y0NTZyc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHt7b1LmpuAViTOiaqgWt0BxXRiinrYUOOc6slJ2ke_JJxH3GVbdl8jWlXYbw_aem_iX2c7rlgkC3Gm44d4-SHKg

Although I am sure that over time we will learn many more shameful details about what really happened and caused such harm to Ukraine and significantly increased the number of victims among Ukrainians. But it seems that for some high-ranking military officials, Ukrainians remain expendable material, taken into account only based on how long they will last for combat operations.

The Commander of the National Guard of Ukraine, Brigadier General Oleksandr Pivnenko, gave an interview to BBC correspondent Jeremy Boen and said that Ukraine could wage a war for a year or two provided that its partners provide assistance. https://www.bbc.com/ukrainian/articles/c62dzxx2d39o

Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrsky, in an interview with "Le Monde", believes that the russian-Ukrainian war has not reached a dead end, and the russian federation's goals for 2025 were much more ambitious than the aggressor's real achievements. He also believes that "the losses of the russian army have exceeded the level of recruitment." He did not say anything about the situation in the Ukrainian army. https://www.lemonde.fr/international/article/2026/02/21/le-general-oleksandr-syrsky-commandant-de-l-armee-ukrainienne-en-2025-les-pertes-de-l-armee-russe-ont-depasse-son-niveau-de-recrutement_6667732_3210.html

What saddens me and many Ukrainians is the realization that the Ukrainian authorities see no other options for action than to continue doing the same thing in the hope of a different result? Obviously, this is possible until the russians, Ukrainians, or the support of partners run out. Personally, I do not believe that the russians will run out before then, so the question is only when will the Ukrainians and the support of partners run out? And what will happen next? Does this mean that the destruction of Ukrainians and Ukraine must reach a stage that will make the victory of the russians inevitable? Maybe they know something that gives reason to believe that the russians will stop themselves or someone else will stop them?

Meanwhile, Hungary and Slovakia have cut off diesel supplies to Ukraine and will not resume them until Ukraine repairs the Druzhba pipeline that carried russian oil and was damaged in a russian strike. Slovakia has also threatened to cut off electricity supplies. https://index.hu/gazdasag/2026/02/18/szijjarto-peter-kormanyules-ukrajna-baratsag-koolajvezetek-villamos-energia-korlatozas/

The European Commission expects Hungary and other European Union member states to implement the political agreement reached at the level of EU leaders on December 19, 2025, and to adopt a decision to provide Ukraine with a loan of 90 billion euros for 2026-2027. Hungary has thwarted the decision, Budapest refused to vote for one of the three key documents without which the funds cannot be transferred. https://ua.news/ua/world/evrokomisiia-zaklikala-ugorshchinu-pidtrimati-kredit-dlia-ukrayini-na-90-mlrd-ievro?utm_source=ukrnet_news

[US7IGN]

On the night and morning of February 22, russia carried out another massive missile and drone attack on the territory of Ukraine. Critical infrastructure facilities were hit. One person died as a result of the attack on the Kyiv region.

According to the Air Force, the russians used UAVs and air-launched and ground-launched missiles - 4 Zircon anti-ship missiles, 22 Iskander-M/S-400 ballistic missiles, 18 Kh-101 cruise missiles, 2 Iskander-K cruise missiles, 4 Kh-59/69 guided aircraft missiles and 297 attack drones.

The Air Force shot down 33 missiles and 274 drones.

The main directions of the attack were the Kyiv, Odesa, Kirovohrad and Poltava regions.
https://www.bbc.com/ukrainian/articles/c363xxxnklxo

It was loud in Kyiv, but nothing was damaged in my area.

According to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, on February 21, the Defense Forces struck two russian border patrol ships of Project 22460 "Okhotnik" in occupied Crimea. In Yevpatoria, on the territory of the Yevpatoria Aviation Repair Plant, two Be-12 aircraft. https://suspilne.media/crimea/1246380-u-genstabi-zsu-povidomili-pro-urazenna-rosijskih-litakiv-ta-storozovih-korabliv-v-okupovanomu-krimu/

Ukrainian FP-5 Flamingo cruise missiles hit the Votkinsky plant in russia, which produces intercontinental ballistic missiles. The defense forces also targeted the Naftogorsk gas processing plant and hit facilities in the occupied territories, including a logistics warehouse in Zaporizhia. https://24tv.ua/flamingo-atakuvali-votkinskiy-zavod-21-lyutogo-2026-yaki-shhe_n3014223

This appears to be one of the few confirmed effective uses of the famous Flamingo missiles.

[US7IGN]

Zelensky revealed his vision of Ukraine's victory in an interview with the BBC. Of course, he said, victory meant restoring normal lives for Ukrainians and ending the killing. But the wider view of victory he presented was all about a global threat that he says comes from putin. "I believe that stopping putin today and preventing him from occupying Ukraine is a victory for the whole world. Because putin will not stop at Ukraine. And we also don't have enough weapons. That depends not just on us, but on our partners. So as of now that's not possible but returning to the just borders of 1991 [the year Ukraine declared its independence, precipitating the final collapse of the Soviet Union] without a doubt, is not only a victory, it's justice. Ukraine's victory is the preservation of our independence, and a victory of justice for the whole world is the return of all our lands." https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvgj9p15y87o

Ukraine seeks to transfer the Armed Forces to a contractual basis, but the state lacks financial resources to implement such a reform, and Kyiv is counting on the help of European partners in this matter, said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. On the one hand, this is consistent with his rhetoric that Ukraine protects all of Europe from russia, and on the other, it discredits the previous image of heroic Ukrainians who are ready to die for their country for free and recognizes that this is not always the case. https://sud.ua/uk/news/ukraine/354128-ukraina-khochet-pereyti-s-mobilizatsii-na-kontrakty-no-ne-imeet-dostatochnykh-sredstv-zelenskiy

Meanwhile, the Spetsmashkomplekt company, which is the only private manufacturer of 12.7×99 mm and 12.7×108 mm caliber cartridges in Ukraine, was forced to stop production after searches by law enforcement officers, said its head, Igor Goltvenko. https://espreso.tv/viyskovi-novyny-ediniy-ukrainskiy-privatniy-virobnik-krupnokalibernikh-patroniv-yakimi-zbivayut-shakhedi-vimusheno-zupiniv-robotu-cherez-obshuki

A 23-year-old female police officer has been killed and 25 people injured in what Ukrainian officials have called a terror attack in the western city of Lviv. Two homemade explosive devices detonated after police crews responded to a reported break-in shortly after midnight on Sunday, the National Police of Ukraine said. The devices were planted in waste bins, it added. The police later said the 33-year-old suspect had made and planted the explosives on the "instruction" of an agent of russia's special services. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/clyz8d79djeo

Whoever does it and whatever goal is achieved, the consequences will be obvious - further intimidation of the population, increased police surveillance and restrictions on people's rights by the authorities under the pretext of fighting terrorism.

Like an advisor to the Minister of Defense proposes selling SIM cards with passports with a limited quantity as a means of countering russian drones. https://www.unian.ua/weapons/sim-karti-za-pasportom-flesh-zaproponuvav-zhorstke-rishennya-dlya-protidiji-fpv-dronam-rf-13290279.html

Volodymyr Popereshnyuk, co-founder of the largest private postal operator in Ukraine, Nova Poshta, initiated a discussion on social media about the advisability of maintaining the curfew: "The curfew needs to be either canceled or expertly explained why it is needed, how it strengthens the country's defense capability, and how it affects people's safety. Because restrictions on the movement of people, cars, and cargo definitely have a negative impact on the economy. And therefore on defense capability." https://interfax.com.ua/news/general/1136980.html

The main thing is that russia can always be blamed for everything, and everyone who opposes the authorities can be called russian agents. But even direct ties with russia do not create any problems for those who collaborate or are part of the regime. For example, Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko and three of his deputies have family ties to russia. https://24tv.ua/rodinni-zvyazki-genprokurora-kravchenka-rosiyi-detali-rozsliduvannya_n3009585

Neither as a son nor as the Prosecutor General, I am responsible for the actions of my relatives. There are no facts that would indicate the influence of these circumstances on the official activities of his deputies or a conflict of interest, he explained. https://sud.ua/uk/news/ukraine/353643-ruslan-kravchenko-generalnyy-prokuror-prokommentiroval-zayavleniya-o-rodstvennikakh-i-svoey-komande

At a critical moment, mobilization in Ukraine will be carried out by combat battalions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. This statement was published by the commander of the battalion of the Main Intelligence Directorate "Brotherhood" Oleksiy Seredyuk, with the call sign Borghese, on the social network page of the Kyiv Regional Mobilization Center.

In particular, in his statement, the military man said that in the frontline zone his unit "took away from the houses all the evaders on the way. If successful in certain areas, the enemy will take this cattle into his army, and it will fight for the russian federation". In addition, according to him, those who "fight against mobilization centers", criticize mobilization or distribute relevant content, are "enemies of Ukraine" and, moreover, even "more dangerous than a russian soldier". https://www.unian.ua/society/mobilizaciya-v-ukrajini-tck-viklikav-skandal-zayavoyu-viyskovogo-pro-mobilizaciyu-13294593.html

Although this publication was quickly removed, this attitude towards some Ukrainians as if they were cattle and enemies explains why many families from frontline zones are already refusing to evacuate to Ukraine, and those who are already in Ukraine are resisting the authorities.

Just in the last week, only some of the messages:
- Explosion at the Kolomyia district mobilization center https://suspilne.media/ivano-frankivsk/1243316-vibuh-u-kolomijskomu-rajonnomu-tck-ta-sp-kvalifikuut-ak-teroristicnij-akt-sbu/
- In Kharkiv, a man changed his gender to female to avoid mobilization https://sud.ua/uk/news/sudebnaya-praktika/353904-u-kharkovi-zhinka-yaka-zminila-stat-z-cholovika-cherez-sud-zobovyazala-ttsk-viklyuchiti-yiyi-iz-viyskovogo-obliku
-In Kryvy Rih, a 14-year-old boy was placed in an orphanage after his father went to the mobilization center to update his data and did not return, said Dmytro Lubinets, the Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights https://sud.ua/uk/news/ukraine/353860-v-krivom-roge-14-letniy-podrostok-okazalsya-v-reabilitatsionnom-tsentre-posle-mobilizatsii-ottsa-chto-vyyasnil-ombudsman
- Footballer Danylo Kolesnyk, who hit a representative of the mobilization center, said that he stood up for a person whom representatives of the mobilization center "deliberately hit with a car, brutally threatened to use firearms and were the first to inflict bodily harm." The football player assured that he supports the Armed Forces of Ukraine, but believes that representatives of any body cannot hide behind the authority of the front https://suspilne.media/kyiv/1243684-futbolist-kolesnik-prokomentuvav-skandal-iz-tck-zastupivsa-za-ludinu/

Rare cases of exposure of corrupt officials make us wonder how many remain unnoticed by law enforcement agencies?
- The chief psychiatrist of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is suspected of money laundering through the purchase of luxury real estate and premium cars, which he registered for close relatives https://sud.ua/uk/news/ukraine/353948-elitnaya-nedvizhimost-i-premium-avto-sbu-obyavila-novoe-podozrenie-glavnomu-psikhiatru-vsu-druzyu-v-legalizatsii-pochti-1-mln
- Major of the Airborne Assault Troops Rear Command reported suspicion of illegal enrichment of millions of dollars https://sud.ua/uk/news/ukraine/353923-mayoru-tyla-dshv-soobschili-o-podozrenii-v-nezakonnom-obogaschenii-lyuks-odezhda-i-uchastok-na-bali

As of January 31, 2026, 5,937 clergymen in Ukraine were officially reserved from mobilization. More than 40% of them represent various branches of Protestantism. The right to reservation applies only to representatives of organizations recognized as “critically important for the functioning of the economy and ensuring the livelihoods of the population in a special period.”
https://slovoproslovo.info/bronuvannia-sviashchennosluzhyteliv-2026-ukraina

US President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff told Fox News in an interview that the US is counting on the parties to come closer together within the next three weeks, which could result in a meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and russian President Vladimir putin. It could also be trilateral - with the participation of US President Donald Trump. https://ukranews.com/ua/news/1136005-ssha-hochut-zblyzyty-ukrayinu-ta-rosiyu-za-try-tyzhni-a-tam-mozhlyva-zustrich-zelenskogo-ta-putina
https://www.foxnews.com/video/6389705492112