Category: World

The White Home has said that US First Woman Melania Trump has assisted in returning kidnapped Ukrainian youngsters to their households for the third time.

Supply: European Pravda, citing a press launch by White Home

Particulars: The press launch underlines that Trump's spouse helped not solely Ukrainian youngsters, but in addition "Russian youngsters" reunite with their households. As said by the White Home, Melania Trump has reunite d Russian and Ukrainian youngsters with their households on today.

It’s recognized that the Russian Federation is accountable for the pressured switch of Ukrainian youngsters to occupied Crimea and Russia. As of February 2026, no less than 20,000 youngsters had been kidnapped for the reason that starting of the full-scale Russian invasion in 2022.

The White Home characterised the Russo-Ukrainian conflict as a "regional battle" in its press launch.

Quote: "I recognize that Russia and Ukraine are devoted to bringing again the kids who’ve been displaced due to the circumstances surrounding this battle. Though all events are cooperating and our communications stay strong, I urge Russia and Ukraine to accentuate their efforts to make sure the protected return of each little one to their households and guardians."

Melania Trump and her consultant are nonetheless within the means of negotiating with each nations, as famous.

Background:

• In August, Melania Trump raised the problem of Ukrainian youngsters in Russia in a private letter to Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin. US President Donald Trump had personally delivered the letter to Putin throughout their talks in Alaska.
• Afterwards, the US first woman stated she has an "open channel of communication" with Putin relating to the return of kidnapped Ukrainian youngsters.
• US First Woman Melania Trump stated that seven kidnapped Ukrainian youngsters had been introduced again to their households due to "bridge-building" by Ukraine and Russia.
• It was because of the forcible switch of youngsters from occupied areas of Ukraine that the Worldwide Legal Court docket issued an arrest warrant for Putin in 2023.

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President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has embellished Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych with the Order of Freedom.

Supply: a decree printed on the official web site of the president of Ukraine

Particulars: The related decree was printed on the official on-line platform of the president of Ukraine.

Right now, on 12 February, the Ukrainian Olympian was disqualified from competing on the Olympic Video games 2026 for failing to adjust to the ban on utilizing the "helmet of remembrance".

Background:

• On 9 February, the IOC banned Heraskevych from competing in a helmet that includes portraits of Ukrainian athletes killed in the course of the struggle. The IOC urged that he put on a black armband as a substitute. The Ukrainian athlete responded that regardless of the ban, he deliberate to compete sporting the helmet.
• The state of affairs gained worldwide consideration, and Heraskevych obtained assist from many well-known figures, together with Olha Kharlan, a Ukrainian sabre fencer, and Volodymyr Klitschko, a Ukrainian boxer. Ukrainian athletes and members of the navy have additionally expressed their assist.
• The Ukrainian parliament referred to as on the IOC to permit Ukrainian athletes to make use of symbols honouring the reminiscence of fallen Ukrainian athletes and defenders of Ukraine and to rethink the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in competitions.

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Energy engineers have restored energy provide to 100,000 households in Kyiv following a large-scale Russian assault on the evening of 11-12 February.

Supply: DTEK, Ukraine's largest personal vitality firm

Particulars: The corporate mentioned that the Desnianskyi district is returning to scheduled energy outages.

Background:

• As of the morning of 12 February, 107,000 households in Kyiv have been left with out energy after the in a single day Russian assault.
• Following the identical assault, almost 2,600 condominium blocks in Kyiv have been left with out heating.

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DeepState, a Ukrainian group of army analysts, has reported that Russian troops have made beneficial properties inside the metropolis of Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast and north of the occupied village of Robotyne in Zaporizhzhia Oblast over the previous day.

Supply: DeepState

Quote: "The enemy has superior in Pokrovsk and close to Robotyne."

Background: DeepState reported earlier that Russian forces had superior close to the village of Tykhe within the Vovchansk hromada, Kharkiv Oblast. [A hromada is an administrative unit designating a village, several villages, or a town, and their adjacent territories – ed.]

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Ukraine has maintained its air defence effectiveness at round 74% over the previous two years and is working to extend that determine by innovation, Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi has mentioned.

Supply: Syrskyi on Fb

Quote: "The air defence system is working below extraordinarily difficult circumstances amid fixed missile and drone assaults, shielding the nation from a every day aerial menace.

The resilience of the system will depend on a variety of things, notably regular provides of interceptors, modernisation, efficient staffing and administration selections in addition to the power to adapt rapidly to new challenges and abandon outdated bureaucratic practices.

Air defence effectiveness has stayed at about 74% over the previous two years. We try to extend this proportion by innovation."

Particulars: Syrskyi mentioned the anti-aircraft missile forces are the simplest asset in tough climate, being absolutely operational in all circumstances. When the climate is beneficial, plane, helicopters and interceptor drones are used extensively.

This made it potential to destroy 70% – and generally extra – of all aerial belongings utilized by Russia to assault Ukraine, Syrskyi added.

As regards efforts to strengthen the drone part of air defence, he mentioned a sequence of organisational measures is underway:

• redistributing duties between the anti-aircraft missile forces and a brand new department tasked with defending key amenities
• rising each the quantity and high quality of interceptor drones
• intensifying cooperation with Ukraine's companions to handle shortages of missiles for surface-to-air programs and fighter plane.

Background: The Ukrainian Air Power has launched a brand new department of short-range air defence.

Ukraine's Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov mentioned the department is being established below the supervision of Pavlo Yelizarov, Deputy Commander of the Ukrainian Air Power, with Colonel Yevhenii Khliebnikov main the formation course of.

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Russian forces attacked the cities of Dnipro and Pavlohrad in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast with ballistic missiles on the night time of 11-12 February. Residential buildings and automobiles have been broken and 4 individuals have been injured, together with two youngsters.

Supply: Ukraine's Air Power; Oleksandr Hanzha, Head of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Navy Administration, on Telegram

Quote from the Air Power: "Ballistic missiles heading in direction of Dnipro!!! Pavlohrad."

Particulars: Native media shops reported that explosions had been heard in each cities.

The Air Power mentioned {that a} group of Russian drones was heading in direction of Dnipro from the west and south.

Replace: Hanzha reported at 03:30 that homes and automobiles had been broken in certainly one of Dnipro's districts because of the assault.

Later, he mentioned that two youngsters had been injured in Dnipro: a new child child and a four-year-old lady.

Replace: Hanzha mentioned within the morning {that a} whole of 4 individuals had been injured in Dnipro.

Quote from Hanzha: "The enemy launched a large-scale assault on Dnipro and the Dnipro district utilizing missiles and drones in a single day. 4 individuals have been injured within the metropolis. A boy who will not be but one month previous has been hospitalised. He’s in a average situation."

Particulars: A number of fires broke out because of the strike. An infrastructure facility, homes and automobiles have been broken.

Background:

• Russian forces performed a large-scale assault on Ukraine utilizing varied varieties of weapons on the night time of 11-12 February. A collection of highly effective explosions was heard in Kyiv following a strike with ballistic missiles.
• As well as, Russian forces attacked Odesa with Shahed drones, damaging an infrastructure facility in one of many metropolis's districts.

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Ukraine's President Volodymyr has dismissed ideas that the USA is threatening to withdraw its safety ensures except Ukraine pronounces a date for a presidential election.

Supply: Zelenskyy throughout a web-based press briefing, as reported by European Pravda

Particulars: Zelenskyy was commenting on a report by the Monetary Instances that claims he plans to make an announcement on 24 February 2026 naming the date for a presidential election and a referendum on territorial integrity.

Quote: "I've talked about elections many occasions… We'll proceed with elections when all the correct safety ensures are in place. The difficulty of elections is raised by a few of Ukraine's companions. Ukraine itself has by no means raised it, however we’re definitely prepared to carry elections.

It's very straightforward to do: introduce a ceasefire, after which there can be elections. In different phrases, it is a safety situation."

Extra particulars: Zelenskyy mentioned the US had raised the problem of elections, however added that he didn’t wish to go into particulars. Zelenskyy additionally denied claims that Washington is threatening to withdraw its safety ensures.

Quote: "No. They aren’t threatening to withdraw safety ensures. As a matter of truth, they don’t join elections to safety ensures."

Background:

• Earlier, Zelenskyy mentioned he hoped Ukraine and the US would attain an understanding throughout a brand new spherical of talks scheduled for subsequent week.
• Final week, Reuters reported that US and Ukrainian negotiators had additionally mentioned the opportunity of signing a peace settlement in March and holding elections in Ukraine in Might.
• Reuters reported that two key points stay unresolved within the negotiations: Donbas and the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Energy Plant.

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The Worldwide Olympic Committee (IOC) has continued to place strain on Ukrainian athletes competing on the 2026 Olympic Video games.

Supply: Suspilne Sport, a Ukrainian sports activities TV channel

Particulars: Oleh Handei, a short-track pace skater, is the third athlete to be banned from sporting a helmet with a slogan whereas competing.

Quote from Handei: "I’ve a line from Lina Kostenko on my helmet: 'The place there’s heroism, there isn’t any last defeat'. They banned it, saying it’s a political slogan, that it’s in regards to the battle, that it’s not allowed.

I translated it phrase for phrase for them. No, it’s not a political slogan. These are merely inspirational phrases for me, for my group and for the nation. Why not? They stated no, it’s political and it’s propaganda." [Lina Kostenko is a famous Ukrainian poet, journalist, writer, publisher and former Soviet dissident.]

Extra particulars: Handei was considered one of two Ukrainian short-track skaters to safe a quota place for the 2026 Olympic Video games. After 4 levels of the World Tour, he certified to compete in two occasions in Italy: the five hundred metres and the 1,500 metres.

Background:

• The Worldwide Olympic Committee has barred Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych from competing in a particular helmet that includes portraits of Ukrainian athletes killed by Russia. He wore the helmet throughout his first coaching periods on the 2026 Video games. The IOC recommended that he put on a black armband as a substitute.
• The IOC later additionally banned freestyle skier Kateryna Kotsar, who represents Ukraine, from sporting a helmet with the phrases "Be courageous like Ukrainians".

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has commented on reviews that Kaja Kallas, EU Excessive Consultant for International Affairs and Safety Coverage, is initiating a dialogue with EU member states relating to a listing of the concessions that Europe ought to demand from Russia as a part of a possible settlement to finish Russia's conflict in opposition to Ukraine.

Supply: Zelenskyy throughout an internet press briefing, as reported by European Pravda

Particulars: Kallas stated on 10 February that within the coming days she is going to suggest that EU international locations talk about a listing of the concessions that needs to be demanded from Russia as a part of a possible deal to finish the conflict.

Quote from Zelenskyy: "As regards the European Union's calls for with respect to Russia, one thing might be being labored on, however to be sincere, I don't know the main points, I’m not conscious of them. We’re grateful to the European Union for its agency place that the Ukrainian kids should positively be returned."

Extra particulars: Zelenskyy stated it was the primary time he had heard of any suggestion that Russia could be requested to cut back its armed forces.

Quote: "That's like Russia demanding that we scale back our armed forces. I consider that is the sovereign proper of any state. After all we would favor Russia's armed forces to be smaller, however I don't suppose Europe can affect that."

Extra particulars: Zelenskyy additionally commented on whether or not Europe ought to pursue its personal direct dialogue with Russia.

Quote: "I consider that at current, Russia will solely use this to humiliate Europe. In my opinion, each America and Europe ought to work collectively solely with Ukraine as a result of it’s solely our points which are being raised. (…) America and Europe are positively stronger collectively."

Background:

• Kallas stated earlier that the truth that Ukraine is below huge strain to make painful concessions is an issue, and that this dangers blurring the actual situation: that Russia is accountable for the conflict.
• The EU reportedly intends to improve two army coaching centres in Ukraine as a part of its safety ensures.

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A Russian strike has hit a store within the metropolis of Barvinkove in Kharkiv Oblast, leaving folks injured. Police are working on the scene.

Supply: Kharkiv Oblast Police

Particulars: The police stated that as of 21:00, seven persons are identified to have been injured.

Russian forces carried out the assault on Barvinkove within the Izium district at about 18:35 on 11 February. A two-storey store caught hearth on account of the strike.

Quote: "Emergency providers are working on the scene. Law enforcement officials are serving to the injured and documenting the aftermath of the enemy assault.

Investigators have opened felony proceedings into an alleged conflict crime beneath Article 438 of the Legal Code of Ukraine."

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