Category: World

Russian troops have superior within the villages of Riznykivka and Holubivka within the Bakhmut district and close to Hryshyne within the Pokrovsk district of Donetsk Oblast.

Supply: DeepState, a Ukrainian group of army analysts

Particulars: Russian forces moved ahead in Riznykivka within the Siversk hromada and Holubivka within the Soledar hromada, each within the Bakhmut district, and likewise close to Hryshyne within the Pokrovsk hromada, Pokrovsk district. [A hromada is an administrative unit designating a village, several villages, or a town, and their adjacent territories – ed.]

Quote: "The enemy superior in Riznykivka, Holubivka and close to Hryshyne."

Background: DeepState reported on 19 February that Russian forces superior close to the settlements of Shakhove and Zatyshok in Donetsk Oblast.

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President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has rejected any choice of withdrawing Ukrainian troops from jap Donbas to safe a peace deal as talks with Russia are ongoing.

Supply: Volodymyr Zelenskyy in an interview with Japanese information company Kyodo Information

Quote: "We are able to't withdraw from our territory. It's our actual defending line."

Particulars: Company recalled that Russia seeks full management over Donbas and is demanding withdrawal of Ukrainian troops.

Background:

• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated earlier he can’t assist the concept of constructing concessions to Russia over Donbas and added that he’s unsure Ukrainians would conform to this even in very tough circumstances.
• On the morning of 18 February, the pinnacle of the Ukrainian delegation, Rustem Umierov, Secretary of the Nationwide Safety and Defence Council of Ukraine (NSDC), stated the second day of Ukraine-US-Russia talks on resolving Russia's battle towards Ukraine had begun in Geneva.
• Vladimir Medinsky, head of the Russian delegation, stated later that the 18 February spherical of trilateral talks in Geneva on Russia's battle towards Ukraine was completed. He stated the talks lasted about two hours, they had been tough, however business-like.
• Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated the edges made some progress within the army space of negotiations that day and no such progress had been made within the political space.
• He added that through the negotiations in Geneva, the events have agreed that monitoring of compliance with a ceasefire could be carried out with the participation of america.

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Oleksandr Pivnenko, Commander of Ukraine's Nationwide Guard, has stated Ukraine is able to persevering with the struggle for a number of extra years and has rejected an assertion by US President Donald Trump that the nation would lose with no swift ceasefire.

Supply: Oleksandr Pivnenko in an interview with BBC Information Ukrainian

Particulars: Pivnenko stated Ukraine's activity is to protect its territory and personnel.

He additionally stated he disagrees with US President Donald Trump's assertion that Ukraine will lose the struggle except a ceasefire is reached rapidly.

Quote: "We’re able to combating for a number of extra years, 100%. However wars ought to in the end come to an finish. Normally, on this planet, killing folks over territory and assets is one thing we wrestle to understand. It has to cease."

Particulars: Pivnenko defined that, from a army perspective, victory for Ukraine means liberating the occupied territories. He acknowledged that this might not be a direct precedence, however strategically, Ukraine stays dedicated to this objective.

"Victory for Ukraine in army phrases is, in fact, to take again its territories," he harassed. "I perceive that this might not be a present goal right now, nevertheless it stays essential for the long run. It could take a number of many years – that doesn't matter."

Requested whether or not Ukraine might comply with territorial concessions, he replied that Kyiv will not be contemplating such an possibility presently.

"A ceasefire alongside the road of contact is one thing we are able to perceive. However nobody goes to surrender territory," he stated.

Nonetheless, Pivnenko famous that the Ukrainian army will execute any order from President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, however, in his phrases, society is unlikely to simply accept a choice to cede territory after the losses already suffered.

Quote: "We’re a rustic ruled by the rule of regulation. However how would our folks understand this, and why did we even hassle defending ourselves within the first place?

It will have been potential to barter and easily give up, for instance, Luhansk and Donbas, and finish the struggle, so to talk."

Extra particulars: Pivnenko added that individuals are exhausted by the struggle and hope for it to finish, however the essential query is, at what price.

Quote: "Everybody desires the struggle to finish. However the principle query for us is, at what price? Both it's a ceasefire – which I imagine everybody would comply with – that may enable for a reassessment of additional actions and agreements, or it's the lack of territory. Let's simply say that we received't give any territory away, I'm sure."

Background:

• On 13 February, Trump stated his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy "has to maneuver" and attain a deal to finish the Russo-Ukrainian struggle.
• Trump's remarks got here amid media reviews that US and Ukrainian negotiators had mentioned the potential of a peace settlement being signed in March and elections in Ukraine being held in Might.
• Zelenskyy instructed reporters that the US had proposed that the struggle between Russia and Ukraine be delivered to an finish by the summer season, as Washington's focus would then shift to the US congressional elections.
• On 17 February, Trump stated forward of trilateral talks in Geneva that Ukraine "higher come to the desk quick".
• On the identical day, Zelensky stated in an interview with Axios that it’s "not honest" that Trump continues to publicly name on Ukraine, reasonably than Russia, to make concessions for the sake of peace.
• The White Home reported that "significant progress" had been made by either side through the trilateral talks in Geneva on 17-18 February.

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Russian forces have attacked Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, injuring three folks and inflicting intensive injury.

Supply: Oleksandr Hanzha, Head of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Navy Administration, on Telegram

Quote: "The Russians attacked three districts of the oblast greater than 20 occasions utilizing drones, artillery and Grad multiple-launch rocket techniques. Three folks have been injured."

Particulars: The Russians struck town of Nikopol in addition to the Marhanets and Pokrovske hromadas within the Nikopol district. A 42-year-old man has been injured and hospitalised in a reasonable situation. Companies, a gymnasium (a secondary college that prepares college students for increased training at college), banks, a submit workplace, a café, a store and round a dozen automobiles had been additionally broken. [A hromada is an administrative unit designating a village, several villages, or a town, and their adjacent territories – ed.]

A 48-year-old girl has been injured within the Bohdanivka hromada within the Pavlohrad district. She is in a reasonable situation. Homes and automobiles caught hearth.

The Dubovyky and Vasylkivka hromadas within the Synelnykove district got here beneath assault. An 87-year-old girl has been injured. Fires and injury to residential buildings had been recorded.

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Rustem Umierov, Secretary of Ukraine's Nationwide Safety and Defence Council, held a gathering on Thursday with Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto to debate defence, power and financial help for Ukraine.

Supply: European Pravda, citing Umierov on social media

Particulars: Along with Davyd Arakhamiia, chief of the Servant of the Folks social gathering and the ruling parliamentary faction, Umierov additionally met Fabrizio Saggio, the diplomatic advisor to the Italian prime minister, and representatives of safety businesses.

The events additionally agreed on subsequent steps for cooperation.

Individually, the Ukrainian officers met with the administration of Italy's largest defence firms. The main focus was on strengthening the Ukrainian defence business, notably the event of air defence capabilities.

Background:

• Two days of talks with the US and Russia in Geneva on doable parameters for bringing an finish to the battle have been concluded by the Ukrainian delegation led by Rustem Umierov on 18 February.
• In Geneva, Umierov additionally held a separate assembly with representatives from the US in addition to France, the UK, Germany, Italy and Switzerland. For the primary time, European representatives have been current on-site on the talks between Ukraine, the US and Russia, though they didn’t take part instantly.
• Earlier, Axios reported that political group talks in Geneva on 17 February had "reached a stalemate" due to the positions put ahead by Russia's new chief negotiator Vladimir Medinsky.

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The Russians attacked Dnipropetrovsk Oblast nearly 40 occasions on 19 February and three ladies had been injured within the assaults.

Supply: Oleksandr Hanzha, Head of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast.

Quote: "The enemy attacked two districts of the oblast nearly 40 occasions with drones, artillery and an aerial bomb.

Within the Nikopol district, Nikopol itself and the Myrove, Pokrovsk and Marhanets hromadas had been hit. A lady was injured; she is receiving outpatient remedy." [A hromada is an administrative unit designating a village, several villages, or a town, and their adjacent territories – ed.]

Particulars: Within the Synelnykove district, the Russians struck the Pokrovsk and Vasylkivka hromadas. Two ladies injured within the assault have been taken to hospital.

An administrative constructing, storage and outbuilding caught hearth. Two automobiles had been destroyed.

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US President Donald Trump has formally prolonged sanctions in opposition to Russia over its aggression in opposition to Ukraine for one more 12 months.

Supply: a discover printed within the US Federal Register, as reported by European Pravda

Particulars: The chief order, which takes impact on 20 February, gives for the extension of various anti-Russian sanctions launched by US presidents' government orders in 2014, 2018 and 2022.

The primary government order on sanctions in opposition to Russia was issued in 2014. US President Barack Obama's government order No. 13660, which was printed on 6 March 2014, offered for the freezing of the property of various people.

Initially, sanctions have been utilized to those that had facilitated Russia's occupation of Crimea.

The sanctions record was subsequently up to date a number of occasions through the presidency of Joe Biden.

Background:

• On 8 January, US Senator Lindsey Graham introduced that President Donald Trump had given the inexperienced mild to a bipartisan Russia sanctions invoice.
• In mid-November, Graham introduced that Trump had given Congress his "blessing" to maneuver on the long-stalled Russia sanctions invoice.
• In September it was reported that US senators have drafted new laws geared toward considerably increasing US sanctions on Russia's shadow fleet of oil tankers.

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A brand new wave of assaults on anti-corruption our bodies has begun a number of weeks in the past and just lately at evening an unidentified drone has been noticed over territory of the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Workplace (SAPO).

Supply: Ukrainska Pravda article

Quote: "In keeping with sources in considered one of legislation enforcement companies, just lately at evening a drone was noticed over territory of the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Workplace. Police have been known as to the scene. Affiliation of UAV is at the moment being established."

Particulars: Final week, throughout a public report on the work, Semen Kryvonos, head of the Nationwide Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU), stated that makes an attempt to strain companies don’t cease. For example, he cited a current case when a listening machine was discovered within the condominium of the pinnacle of a gaggle of detectives engaged on uncovering crimes within the defence sector. Anti-corruption officers will not be disclosing the circumstances however the publication notes that such an operation may hardly have been carried out with out assist of particular companies.

All these occasions are happening at a time when a brand new wave of negativity concerning the companies has appeared in Telegram channels. The same marketing campaign was already noticed in summer season 2025 earlier than the try to remove independence of anti-corruption our bodies.

Then, in addition to now, NABU and SAPO have been accused of corruption and inefficiency. For the interval of 12-26 January 2026, 238 publications with unfavourable sentiment have been recorded on social media. The overwhelming majority of unfavourable mentions got here from nameless or semi-anonymous assets, which can point out managed data affect.

Anti-corruption our bodies, in flip, insist that makes an attempt of any affect won’t decelerate their work. All of the extra so as a result of, for instance, the Midas case has moved into different jurisdictions which can be able to cooperate and are already working with Ukrainian investigation.

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Hungary's International Minister Peter Szijjarto has as soon as once more accused Ukraine of inflicting his nation's issues associated to provides of Russian oil.

Supply: Szijjarto on Fb, as reported by European Pravda

Particulars: Szijjarto acknowledged that Ukraine is "politically blackmailing" Hungary and Slovakia.

Quote: "There aren’t any technical, engineering, or bodily the explanation why oil provides by the Druzhba pipeline haven’t been restored. The reason being purely political. Ukrainians need us to enter elections with a petroleum value of HUF 1,000 [approx. US$3.1– ed.], thereby serving to the Tisza occasion, however we aren’t silly!"

Particulars: Hungarian overseas minister asserted that his nation "will defend itself". In line with Szijjarto, provides of oil and gas to Hungary and Slovakia can be ensured.

"If Ukrainians proceed to impede us, we’re able to take additional joint countermeasures," he added.

Szijjarto additionally printed joint picture together with his Slovak counterpart Juraj Blanar.

Background:

• Hungary is threatening to cease exports of electrical energy and fuel to Ukraine if Kyiv doesn’t restore operation of the Druzhba oil pipeline.
• The official's assertion got here after Hungary introduced suspension of diesel provides to Ukraine.
• The transportation of Russian crude oil through the Druzhba pipeline by Ukraine has been suspended because the finish of final month as a consequence of large-scale Russian assaults on Ukrainian vitality infrastructure.
• Slovakia and Hungary have accused Ukraine of inflicting the halt.
• The Slovak authorities has additionally introduced a halt to provides of diesel gas to Ukraine.

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Kenya's intelligence service has reported that Russia has recruited 1,000 Kenyans to participate in thewar in opposition to Ukraine.

Supply: BBC, citing a report by Kenya's Nationwide Intelligence Service

Particulars: The report says that as of February this yr, 89 Kenyans have been on the entrance line.

A minimum of one Kenyan citizen has been killed and several other others have returned house with accidents or trauma, the report provides.

The Kenyan authorities, which beforehand estimated that about 200 of its residents had been recruited to struggle on Russia's facet, needs Moscow to ban conscription of Kenyan troopers.

Background: In South Africa, state radio station SAfm presenter Nonkululeko Mantula was arrested on suspicion of recruiting males to participate in battle in opposition to Ukraine on Russia's facet.

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