US president Donald Trump has backed “leader-level” talks between Ukraine and Russia, suggesting a meeting between Volodymyr Zelensky and Vladimir Putin, the Ukrainian president said.
Zelensky said the next round of trilateral peace talks on end the war in Ukraine should lead to a meeting of the Ukrainian and Russian presidents, after a phone call with Trump.
"We expect this meeting to create an opportunity to move talks to the leaders' level. President Trump supports this sequence of steps," he said. "This is the only way to resolve all the complex and sensitive issues and finally end the war”.
This comes as Ukraine’s defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov said the country will accelerate the placement of anti-drone nets over roads in frontline areas, aiming to cover 4,000km of roads by the end of this year.
"In March, we plan to close 20km of roads per day. By the end of the year, we plan to install another 4,000 km of anti-drone protection on roads,” he said.
Key Points
- Ukraine expects new talks with Russia, US will lead to leaders' meeting
- UK rejects Moscow's claims on nuclear weapons
- Trump says he is 'working very hard to end the slaughter' in Ukraine
- Russia can continue fighting Ukraine war throughout 2026, says think tank
- UN chief says Ukraine war 'a stain on our collective conscience'
- Zelensky praises resilience of Ukrainians in face of Russian aggression
Musk blocking Russia’s drones from using Starlink has delivered ‘enormous’ boost to Ukraine, says frontline general
04:03 , Arpan RaiRussia’s drone campaign in Ukraine has been cut by up to 40 per cent, allowing Ukraine to regain territory, after Elon Musk blocked Russia’s access to his Starlink satellite network, according to one of Ukraine’s frontline generals.
Brigadier General Andrii Biletski, commander of Ukraine’s 3rd Army Corps, says the impact of SpaceX switching off Starlink in areas of Ukraine now held by Russia’s invading forces has been “enormous”.
“After the blocking of Starlink for the Russians, the level of their efficiency compared to ours has sharply decreased, because Starlink is practically irreplaceable as a combat communication system,” he tells The Independent.
Sam Kiley reports from Kyiv:
Starlink blocking Russia’s drones has given ‘enormous’ boost to Ukraine, says general
Russia used British island territories to route $8bn of trade since invasion – report
03:44 , Arpan RaiRussian firms allegedly used Britain’s secretive island territories to conduct $8bn (£5.9bn) of trade since launching the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, according to a new report.
These included flow of goods ranging from oil-drilling equipment to luxury yachts linked to Moscow’s political elite.
The Russian office of the anti-corruption group, Tranparency International, operating in exile, has looked at least 29,000 transactions of trade deals involving more than 150 luxury yachts, dozens of aircraft and equipment destined for Russia’s money-churning oil sector.
The report looked at the role played by the British overseas territories in enforcing sanctions designed to turn the screw on the Kremlin.
The report allegedly identified yachts linked to allies of Vladimir Putin, drilling kit for Kremlin-backed oil projects, coal linked to Ukraine’s pro-Russian ex-president and a jet linked to the Chechen warlord Ramzan Kadyrov.
Russia unlikely to launch a new major offensive on Ukraine amid major battlefield losses
03:24 , Arpan RaiRussia cannot afford to launch a new major offensive in Ukraine owing to its heavy battlefield losses, according to western officials and military analysts.
Russia’s battlefield losses have crossed its monthly recruitment of 30,000 to 35,000 new contract soldiers for three consecutive months, Western officials told Bloomberg on condition of anonymity.
The losses could spark a fresh round of mobilisation for Russian manpower.
“We’ve seen a casualty uptick which is disproportionate in scale and some of the economic situation in Russia is starting to become quite precarious, especially as we move into summer,” British Armed Forces minister Al Carns said, reported Bloomberg.
This trend shows Moscow’s capacity to launch a major new offensive looks weakened, the officials said.
Putin plans mandatory reserve call-ups amid rising troops casualties – ISW
03:15 , Arpan RaiRussian president Vladimir Putin is faced with force generation issue to supply troops in the Ukraine war and is now looking to prepare for “domestically unpopular” measures to continue fighting.
The Russian government is struggling to find funds to "continue to pay the large cash incentives that it has used to generate the necessary number of volunteers" to fight, Washington-based think tank the Institute for the Study of War said.
It added that Moscow is facing "critical" manpower and military financing issues, with its casualty rate surpassing its recruitment rate for the first time in January.
“Putin is having to reassess Russia’s force generation mechanisms to determine how Russia can continue to send the number of troops to the front lines needed to sustain the incessant offensive operations he demands. Putin is clearly considering and preparing for domestically unpopular measures such as rolling involuntary reserve callups,” it said.
Ukraine to cover 4,000km of roads with anti-drone nets by year-end
03:02 , Arpan RaiUkraine will accelerate the placement of anti-drone nets over roads in frontline areas, aiming to cover 4,000km of roads by the end of this year, defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov said.
A growing number of nets have been installed over the past year, but more are needed, Fedorov said, adding that an additional 1.6bn hryvnias (£27m) had been allocated from the budget to bolster protection measures and counter Russian drones.
Nets can snag propellers and prevent drones from reaching their targets - high-value equipment, soldiers or civilians.
“In just one month, we increased the speed from 5km per day in January to 12km in February. This significantly improved the safety of military movements and ensured stable functioning of frontline communities," Fedorov said.
"In March, we plan to close 20km of roads per day. By the end of the year, we plan to install another 4,000 km of anti-drone protection on roads.
"Ukraine would also expedite the construction of fortifications in the northeastern regions of Kharkiv and Sumy and the northern Chernihiv regions, bordering Russia, Fedorov said.
Russia has been targeting military supply routes and rear bases deeper and deeper into Ukraine with the remotely piloted aircraft.
More talks between US and Ukrainian negotiators in Geneva today
02:58 , Arpan RaiRustem Umerov, the secretary of the National Security and Defence Council and head of Ukraine's negotiating team will meet in Geneva today with US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law.
Russia's TASS news agency, quoting a diplomatic source, said president Vladimir Putin's envoy Kirill Dmitriev would be flying to Geneva on Thursday to meet US negotiators, but gave no further details. There was no official Russian comment.
Proceeding with the reconstruction of Ukraine after the destruction wrought by Russian aerial strikes and frontline combat has become a major element in broader talks on how to end the war, which entered its fifth year this week.
Kyiv hopes to attract about $800bn of public and private funds over the next 10 years to rebuild the country.
Ukrainian officials are pitching Ukraine as a future European Union member and a lucrative investment destination but funds depend on a ceasefire and a peace deal.
Zelensky said Ukrainian and US negotiators would also discuss the details of prisoner-of-war exchanges between Ukraine and Russia.
Zelensky-Putin meeting for peace talks approved by Trump
02:50 , Arpan RaiThe next round of trilateral peace talks on end the war in Ukraine should lead to a meeting of the Ukrainian and Russian presidents, Volodymyr Zelensky said after a phone call with US president Donald Trump.
Zelensky said Trump has backed the move.
"We expect this meeting to create an opportunity to move talks to the leaders' level. President Trump supports this sequence of steps," Zelensky wrote on X.
"This is the only way to resolve all the complex and sensitive issues and finally end the war,” he said.
The phone call discussed three-sided talks with Russia and the United States that would take place early next month. US negotiators Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner also took part in the phone call.
Zelensky said the two leaders discussed both meetings. He thanked the United States for its "active involvement" in the peace process and for missiles for air defence systems that were helping Ukraine endure winter-time attacks.
I just spoke with @POTUS Donald Trump. Envoys of President Trump – Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner were also on the call. Our teams work intensively and I thanked them for all their work and for their active involvement in the negotiations and the efforts to end the war.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) February 25, 2026
We also… pic.twitter.com/OrEScsVf3I
Recap: Ukraine to cover 4,000km of road with anti-drone nets, says government
02:00 , Rebecca WhittakerUkraine is accelerating the placement of anti-drone nets over roads in frontline areas, according to the country’s defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov.
“In just one month, we increased the speed from 5 km per day in January to 12 km in February. This significantly improved the safety of military movements and ensured stable functioning of frontline communities,” Fedorov wrote on Telegram.
“In March, we plan to close 20 km of roads per day. By the end of the year, we plan to install another 4,000 km of anti-drone protection on roads.”
Watch: Trump says he is 'working very hard to end the slaughter' in Ukraine
01:00 , Rebecca WhittakerUkraine front line mapped: The 745 miles at the heart of the war with Russia
00:00 , Rebecca Whittaker
Ukraine front line mapped: The 745 miles at the heart of the war with Russia
Ireland planning closer cooperation with Nato amid Russia threat
Wednesday 25 February 2026 22:00 , Daniel KeaneIreland plans to boost radar and subsea surveillance capabilities and increase cooperation with Mato members amid growing hybrid threats in the North Atlantic, the country said in its first maritime security strategy on Wednesday.
Ireland is neutral and has the EU's lowest level of defence spending, but has been criticised for its lack of capability to monitor and defend territorial waters.
But there are growing concerns about the threats posed by Russia's "shadow fleet" of vessels that may be being used also for espionage and sabotage, the document said.
The Department of Defence strategy calls for closer cooperation with NATO members Britain and France and says Ireland should look to participate in activities with the Joint Expeditionary Force grouping of 10 North Atlantic NATO member states.
Umerov to meet with Witkoff and Kushner tomorrow
Wednesday 25 February 2026 21:00 , Daniel KeaneRustem Umerov, the secretary of the National Security and Defence Council, and head of Ukraine's negotiating team, will meet in Geneva on Thursday with US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law.
Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukrainian and U.S. negotiators would discuss the details of a prisoner-of-war exchanges between Ukraine and Russia.
Ukrainian and Russian negotiators met last week in Geneva for their third U.S.-mediated meeting so far this year but failed to reach any breakthrough on key sticking points, including territory.
Ukraine expects new talks with Russia, US will lead to leaders' meeting
Wednesday 25 February 2026 20:42 , Alex RossUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Wednesday that Kyiv expected the next session of trilateral talks in March tolead to a meeting of the countries' leaders.
Mr Zelensky posted on social meda after coming off a phone call to Donald Trump.
He said: "We expect this meeting to create an opportunity to move talks to the leaders' level. President Trump supports this sequence of steps.
"This is the only way to resolve all the complex and sensitive issues and finally end the war."
Musk cutting Starlink to Russia’s drones has delivered ‘enormous’ boost to Ukraine, says frontline general
Wednesday 25 February 2026 20:00 , Sam KileyRussia’s drone campaign in Ukraine has been cut by up to 40 per cent, allowing Ukraine to regain territory after Elon Musk blocked Russia’s access to his Starlink satellite network, according to one of Ukraine’s frontline generals.
Andrii Biletski, commander of Ukraine Third Corps, says the impact of SpaceX switching off Starlink in areas of Ukraine now held by Russia’s invading forces had been “enormous”.
“After the blocking of Starlink for the Russians, the level of their efficiency compared to ours has sharply decreased because Starlink is practically irreplaceable as a combat communication system,” the brigadier general tells The Independent.
Read our full story below.
Cutting Starlink to Russia’s drones is ‘enormous’ boost to Ukraine, says general
Ukraine to cover 4,000 km of roads with anti-drone nets by year-end, minister says
Wednesday 25 February 2026 19:00 , Daniel KeaneUkraine will accelerate the placement of anti-drone nets over roads in frontline areas, aiming to cover 4,000 kilometres of roads by the end of this year, Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov has said.
Russia has been targeting military supply routes and rear bases deeper and deeper into Ukraine with the remotely piloted aircraft.
Its drones have also struck hospitals, infrastructure and civilian traffic.
A growing number of nets have been installed over the past year, but more are needed, Fedorov said, adding that an additional 1.6 billion hryvnias ($37 million) had been allocated from the budget to bolster protection measures and counter Russian drones.
Watch: Trump says he is 'working very hard to end the slaughter' in Ukraine
Wednesday 25 February 2026 18:00 , Daniel KeaneIn pictures: Ukraine installs anti-drone nets to fend off Russian attacks
Wednesday 25 February 2026 17:25 , Maira Butt
Ukraine to cover 4,000km of road with anti-drone nets, says government
Wednesday 25 February 2026 16:50 , Maira ButtUkraine is accelerating the placement of anti-drone nets over roads in frontline areas, according to the country’s defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov.
“In just one month, we increased the speed from 5 km per day in January to 12 km in February. This significantly improved the safety of military movements and ensured stable functioning of frontline communities,” Fedorov wrote on Telegram.
“In March, we plan to close 20 km of roads per day. By the end of the year, we plan to install another 4,000 km of anti-drone protection on roads.”
Croatia assessing legality of Russian oil imports, says EU
Wednesday 25 February 2026 16:15 , Maira ButtCroatia is assessing whether it can lawfully import seaborne Russian crude oil to supply to Hungary and Slovakia after the Druzhba pipeline supplying them via Ukraine was damaged, the European Commission said on Wednesday.
Supply was halted on 27 January due, which Kyiv has blamed on a Russian drone strike.
“Croatia has communicated that it is assessing the situation, whether it can lawfully accept Russian crude at its port, both under the EU and U.S. sanctions,” a European Commission spokesperson said.
Croatia has so far said its Adria pipeline can import more oil, but suggested there is no need for this supply to be Russian.
“Non-Russian oil is currently flowing normally through our system toward Hungary and Slovakia... it means that our friends and allies in Hungary and Slovakia have a secure and reliable route of supply,” Croatian Economy Minister Ante Susnjar said in a post on X on Tuesday.
Zelensky says repairs to Druzhba pipeline 'not fast' as Hungary and Slovakia protest
Wednesday 25 February 2026 15:43 , Maira ButtUkrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has said that repairs to the Druzhba pipeline cannot happen quickly amid complaints by Hungary and Slovakia over its use.
“Firstly, it's not that fast,” he told reporters, adding that Russian strikes had destroyed the pipeline linking the Black Sea port of Odesa with Druzhba.
“This is not their first strike, and they continue to hit the energy sector.”
He added: “They advise us to repair it, but they know that there have already been attacks on Druzhba. Our people were injured so that it would work.”
Shipments of Russian oil to Hungary and Slovakia have been cut off since 27 January, when Kyiv says a Russian strike hit pipeline equipment in western Ukraine. Slovakia and Hungary say Ukraine is to blame for the prolonged outage.
Putin wanted to rebuild Russia’s empire. He’s ended up as China’s lapdog instead
Wednesday 25 February 2026 15:08 , Maira ButtIt’s been four years of war. Four years of a Russian onslaught to extinguish Ukrainian independence, which Vladimir Putin thought would be over in days. For just over a year of this, I worked as a special adviser to a foreign secretary, with Ukraine as my main brief. And I don’t think it’s quite understood just how far the war has changed the course not just of Ukrainian history, but of Russian history.
One of the last things I did in government was to join a visit to the White House, where top British officials sought to get across just how much the Ukrainian army had changed for the better in 18 months. This is exactly what I had a chance to explain to US vice-president JD Vance – whose views on Ukraine, more nuanced than is assumed, are central to US policy.
Ben Judah reports:
Putin wanted to rebuild Russia’s empire. He has ended up as China’s lapdog instead
Watch: Trump says he is 'working very hard to end the slaughter' in Ukraine
Wednesday 25 February 2026 14:30 , Maira ButtSix charged with smuggling combat drone technology to Russia
Wednesday 25 February 2026 14:00 , Maira ButtFour Belarusians and two Polish nationals have been detained and charged with attempting to smuggle devices to Russia that are used in the assembly of combat drones.
Polish prosecutors said the devices are used to automate the production of integrated circuits, also known as microchips.
Poland has been warning of Russian and Belarusian attempts to destabilise countries that back Ukraine since Russia invaded the neighbouring country four years ago.
On Wednesday, Polish prosecutors said the suspects were detained on 18 February and charged with attempting to smuggle strategically significant equipment through Belarus.
Six charged with smuggling combat drone technology to Russia
Zelensky thanks UK for funding and support package for Ukraine
Wednesday 25 February 2026 13:30 , Maira ButtPresident Volodymyr Zelensky has thanked Prime Minister Keir Starmer for providing Ukraine with support and funding, in a statement on X on Wednesday.
“Thank you to @Keir_Starmer and the United Kingdom for a new support package for Ukraine,” he wrote.
“It includes funding to restore our energy grid and expand generation capacity, humanitarian assistance for frontline communities, and a concrete contribution to holding Russia accountable for war crimes.
“ Britain has also approved its largest sanctions package since 2022, targeting Russia’s oil and gas revenues and its shadow tanker fleet.
“This is the path to make diplomacy effective – the noose must tighten so that Russia is forced toward peace. Thank you to the people of Britain for standing with Ukraine during all these years.”
Hungary's PM Orban accuses Ukraine of planning to disrupt energy system
Wednesday 25 February 2026 13:01 , Maira ButtPrime minister Viktor Orban has said that Ukraine is planning to disrupt the Hungarian energy system, according to Reuters.
It has prompted Hungary’s government to reinforce critical infrastructure by deploying soldiers and equipment.
Russia continues attacks on gas facilities for second day in row, says Naftogaz
Wednesday 25 February 2026 12:33 , Maira ButtRussian attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure have continued with strikes on the country’s gas storage and production facilities in the Kharkiv and Chernihiv regions for the second day in a row, according to state energy company Naftogaz.
The company said the attacks had caused damage but did not provide specific details.
Naftogaz said in a statement that the attacks caused damage but provided no specific details.
US unhappy with Ukrainian attacks on Russia that affect their 'economic interests', says Kyiv envoy
Wednesday 25 February 2026 12:03 , Maira ButtThe United States has expressed it is not happy with a Ukrainian attack on the Russian port of Novorossiysk on the Black Sea, according to Kyiv’s chief envoy and ambassador Olga Stefanishyna.
She said that the attacks had impacted American oil interests in Kazakhstan causing displeasure among US officials, according to the Seattle Times.
“This reach-out was not related to encouraging Ukraine from refraining to attack Russian military and energy infrastructure,” she told reporters in Washington.
“It was related to the very fact that American economic interest was affected there. It did happen, and we have taken the note.”
Russian firms moved $8bn of trade through British island territories since invasion of Ukraine
Wednesday 25 February 2026 11:27 , Maira ButtRussian companies have been able to shift $8bn (£5.9bn) worth of trade through British island territories since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine four years ago, according to the anti-corruption group, Transparency International.
The report highlights the flow of goods including oil-drilling equipment, private jets, yachts and other luxury goods, according to The Guardian.
Over 29,000 transactions were analysed in the report. More than 95 per cent of the trade was uncovered by scouring official date. The goods were routed through the British Virgin Islands, Bermuda, the Cayman Islands and Gibraltar.
Zelensky says to Trump: 'Stay on our side' as war enters fifth year
Wednesday 25 February 2026 10:53 , Maira ButtPresident Volodymyr Zelensky has urged Donald Trump to “stay on our side” as Russia’s war with Ukraine entered its fifth year.
“They have to stay with … a democratic country which is fighting against one person,” he told CNN.
“Because this person is a war. [Vladimir] Putin is a war. It’s all about himself. It’s all about one person. And the country, all his country is in the prison.”
He added: “If they really want to stop Putin, America’s so strong. We can’t just give him everything he wants. Because he wants to occupy us. If we will give him all he wants, we will lose everything — all of us, people will have to run away or be Russian.”
Ukraine war in numbers: The bleak toll of Putin’s invasion after four devastating years
Wednesday 25 February 2026 10:28 , Maira ButtRussia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine has now been raging for four years – and despite repeated attempts at peace talks brokered by the US, there appears to be no end in sight.
As the war marks the grim anniversary milestone on Tuesday, the bloody war of attrition continues, having claimed the lives of more than 15,000 Ukrainian civilians.
In the last year, Moscow has ramped up its use of drones by 200 per cent, regularly launching hundreds of strikes from unmanned aircraft.
Vladimir Putin’s forces have also increasingly targeted Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, leaving millions without power or heat as they face their coldest winter in years, with temperatures as low as -26C.
Ukraine war in numbers: Bleak toll of Putin’s invasion after four devastating years
UK rejects Moscow's claims on nuclear weapons
Wednesday 25 February 2026 10:00 , Maira ButtThe British government has dismissed Russian claims on plans to provide Ukraine with nuclear weapons as an attempt to distract by Vladimir Putin.
"This is a clear attempt by Vladimir Putin to distract from his heinous actions in Ukraine. There is no truth to this. You'll have seen the PM's words this morning paying tribute to the incredible resilience of the Ukrainians… We will continue with our efforts to secure a just and lasting peace," the prime minister’s spokesperson said.
The statement comes as Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), accused Britain and France of preparing to secretly supply Ukraine with nuclear weapons parts and technology, without providing evidence.
Former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev has threatened Russia could use nuclear arms against the UK, Ukraine and France "if necessary".
Ukrainian negotiators to meet US team on Thursday, says Zelensky
Wednesday 25 February 2026 09:24 , Maira ButtPresident Volodymyr Zelensky has said that Ukrainian negotiators are to meet with US officials on Thursday.
He said that the discussions would centre on a “prosperity package” and post-war reconstruction in a WhatsApp chat for reporters.
The teams will also discuss preparations for a trilateral meeting that would include Russia, which Kyiv hopes will take place in early March.
Four killed in drone attack on Russia's Smolensk region, says governor
Wednesday 25 February 2026 09:19 , Maira ButtFour people have been killed and 10 injured after a Ukrainian drone attack on a fertiliser factory on the Smolensk region of western Russia, according to the local governor.
Vasily Anokhin said that the people were employees of a fertiliser factory in a statement on Telegram on Wednesday.
Musk cutting Starlink to Russia’s drones has delivered ‘enormous’ boost to Ukraine, says army chief
Wednesday 25 February 2026 08:46 , Maira ButtRussia’s drone campaign in Ukraine has been cut by up to 40 per cent, allowing Ukraine to regain territory after Elon Musk blocked Russia’s access to his Starlink satellite network, according to one of Ukraine’s most senior army chiefs.
Andrii Biletski, commander of Ukraine Third Corps, says SpaceX’s move to switch off Starlink in areas of Ukraine now held by Russia’s invading forces had been “enormous”.
“After the blocking of Starlink for the Russians, the level of their efficiency compared to ours has sharply decreased because Starlink is practically irreplaceable as a combat communication system,” the brigadier general tells The Independent.
The Independent’s world affairs editor Sam Kiley reports:
Cutting Starlink to Russia’s drones is ‘enormous’ boost to Ukraine, says army chief
UK has much to learn from Ukraine, says British ambassador
Wednesday 25 February 2026 08:15 , James ReynoldsReflecting on the fourth anniversary of the war, the British Ambassador to Ukraine said the UK has much to learn from Kyiv’s resilience.
Neil Crompton said in a statement on Tuesday that the war is “the issue of our lifetime”, describing it as “existential, in that the outcome will shape the future of Europe”.
“I can’t but marvel at the fortitude Ukrainians have shown,” he added. “Back in 2022, analysts predicted Kyiv would be captured within days.
“Who can forget President Zelenskyy’s immortal line’“I don’t need a ride. I need ammunition,’ when offered the chance to be evacuated?
“Four years on, the Ukrainians are still fighting, having revolutionised warfare through innovative use of drones and technology to bridge the numerical advantages Russia enjoys. The UK and NATO have much to learn from them.”
Recap: Another round of talks expected tomorrow
Wednesday 25 February 2026 07:55 , James ReynoldsUS and Ukrainian officials are expected to hold another round of talks in Geneva on Thursday, Trump envoy Steve Witkoff announced yesterday.
He said that he and Trump’s son in law, Jared Kushner, would travel to Geneva tomorrow to hold talks with Rustem Umerov, Ukraine’s lead negotiator, and separately with Iran.
Witkoff said he spoke with Umerov over the phone to seek permission for the meeting from Zelensky.
He said he and Umerov talk on an almost daily basis.
How have the frontlines changed in four years of war?
Wednesday 25 February 2026 07:33 , James ReynoldsUkraine’s front line today is “not like a coherent line, where there’s like a clear control, with two trench lines with a little bit of no man’s land in between,” military analyst Emil Kastehelmi told The Independent as the war entered its fifth year.
“Drones have made it so that front lines are blurry and troops may be intermingled in a certain area of presence.”
This “drone-dominated battlefield” has “demechanised” the front lines, making huge advances difficult. The threat from the sky has made tanks unviable, leading Russia to fall back on trying to overwhelm Ukraine with infantry-heavy tactics.
Even with plans to increase the size of the army to 1.5 million people, this has come at a huge cost for Russia.
On the fourth anniversary of the war, The Independent looked at how technology and tactics have changed the frontlines:
Ukraine front line mapped: The 745 miles at the heart of the war with Russia
Ukraine says it will never agree to territorial concessions to Russia
Wednesday 25 February 2026 07:13 , Arpan RaiUkraine will never agree to concede territory, as being forcibly asked by Russia, in concessions during peace talks, the Ukrainian deputy foreign minister Mariana Betsa said at a UN security council meeting today.
"We will never recognise the occupation and will never accept territorial concessions. We will never compromise our freedom,” she said.
The Ukrainian official added that Russia and its accomplices will not stop. “Moscow feels a sense of impunity, as it has not yet faced proper consequences for its crimes,” she said.
The official emphasised Moscow’s totalitarian goals towards Ukraine which require a complete takeover of the war-hit nation’s territory and how it continues to use negotiations as a cover for its war.
"The Kremlin's position remains unchanged. It wants Ukraine to withdraw from our own sovereign territory to ensure that Russia can occupy it. And this is not a matter of negotiating red lines. Sovereignty and territorial integrity is a key founding principle of the UN charter," Betsa said.
At #UNSC on Ukraine:
— Mariana Betsa (@Mariana_Betsa) February 25, 2026
Ukraine wants peace. Russia continues to escalate its attacks while stalling negotiations.
Russia will not stop by itself. The cost of Russian aggression must rise: sanctions, accountability and more defence support for 🇺🇦 #StopRussia pic.twitter.com/DiKj1PNpju
Putin's special envoy calls for Starmer to resign
Wednesday 25 February 2026 07:05 , Arpan RaiVladimir Putin's special envoy Kirill Dmitriev called for prime minister Keir Starmer to resign in a social media post that claimed the UK is supplying Ukraine with nuclear weapons.
"Starmer needs to resign before trying to cover up his shame by provoking a nuclear war," Dmitriev said in a post on X.
The prime minister's spokesperson said there was no truth to the comments.
Zelensky: Only by visiting Ukraine can Trump understand who must be pressured
Wednesday 25 February 2026 06:48 , Arpan RaiIn his address earlier today to mark the fourth anniversary of Russia’s invasion, Volodymyr Zelensky called for Donald Trump to visit Ukraine.
“Only by coming to Ukraine, and seeing with one's own eyes our life and our struggle, feeling our people and the enormity of this pain – only then can one understand what this war is really about. And because of whom. Who the aggressor is here and who must be pressured,” the Ukrainian president said in the address, as he stressed the importance of a visit by Trump.
He said Ukraine is defending life, adding that it is “not a street fight” but an “attack by a sick state on a sovereign one”.
Zelensky added: "Putin is this war. He is the cause of its beginning and the obstacle to its end. And it is Russia that must be put in its place. So that there can be real peace.”
Trump's former Ukraine envoy condemns US abstention on UN resolution: 'Not a business deal'
Wednesday 25 February 2026 06:23 , Arpan RaiUS president Donald Trump's former special envoy for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, who left his role last month has bashed the administration for not backing the UN resolution on peace in Ukraine.
“A UN vote on a lasting peace in Ukraine and we abstained. Go figure. The Russian Federation was against the proclamation. Is not four years of war enough? Is not missing children, shelling of cities and the killing of innocents enough? It is not a business deal-it is war,” he said in a post on X.
A UN vote on a lasting peace in Ukraine and we abstained. Go figure. The Russian Federation was against the proclamation. Is not four years of war enough? Is not missing children, shelling of cities and the killing of innocents enough? It is not a business deal-it is war. pic.twitter.com/EN6DsGgqF5
— Keith Kellogg (@generalkellogg) February 24, 2026
US abstains from UN ceasefire resolution on Ukraine, blames China instead
Wednesday 25 February 2026 06:13 , Arpan RaiTammy Bruce, the US deputy UN envoy, explained the US abstention, saying that while Washington welcomed the call for an immediate ceasefire, the resolution included language likely to distract from ongoing negotiations, "rather than support discussion of the full range of diplomatic avenues that may pave the way to that durable peace”.
The 15-member UN Security Council has been deadlocked throughout the war and unable to take action on Ukraine because Russia holds a veto.
The council session saw a clash between the US and China over Washington's charge that Beijing's imports of Russian oil and Chinese sales of materials with military uses to Russia have helped sustain Moscow's operations in Ukraine.
"China remains a decisive enabler of Russia's war machine," Bruce told the council.
"If China truly wants peace, it should immediately end exports of dual-use goods and stop purchasing Russian oil."
Fu Cong, China's UN ambassador, responded by accusing the US of fabricating "all sorts of excuses and lies" about China intended "to create division and conflict."
Washington, he said, should "stop shifting blame and creating conflicts and wars around the world”.
Children in Ukraine have spent six months under air raid sirens since start of war, analysis finds
Wednesday 25 February 2026 05:56 , Arpan RaiChildren in Ukraine have spent a combined six months of their lives under an air raid alert, a new analysis has found as the war passed the four-year mark on Tuesday.
The later months of 2025 saw an increase in the duration of alarms across Ukraine, as Russia intensified its air attacks and ramped up its use of drones to target Ukrainian civilians.
Children in Ukraine have now endured an average of around 4,000 hours of air raid alarms, equalling more than five and a half months of constant alerts since Vladimir Putin’s forces began their full-scale invasion in February 2022, according to Save the Children’s analysis of official alert data on sirens.
“It is constant emotional strain. Adults feel it, but children feel it more deeply. The nervous system is exhausted,” said Veronika, the mother of an eight-year-old, Anastasiia. “When children hear an explosion, they worry, they get nervous.”
Ukrainian children have spent half a year under air raid alerts, analysis finds
South Africa says 11 of 17 men lured to fight for Russia will return home soon
Wednesday 25 February 2026 05:39 , Arpan RaiSouth Africa's government has said that 11 of a group of 17 men who were lured into fighting for Russia in Ukraine were set to return home soon, after an initial four landed back in the country last week.
A further two remained in Russia, with one in a hospital in Moscow, president Cyril Ramaphosa's office said in a statement.
Ramaphosa raised the fate of the 17 men, who sent distress calls to the South African government in November after getting trapped in Ukraine's Donbas region, in a phone call with Russian president Vladimir Putin this month.
Reports of African men being lured into Russia with promises of jobs and ending up on Ukraine's front line have become more frequent in recent months, creating tensions between Moscow and some of the countries involved.
A Kenyan intelligence report presented to lawmakers last week estimated that more than 1,000 Kenyans had been recruited to fight on Russia's side in the war in Ukraine. Kenya's foreign minister has said he plans to visit Russia to address the issue.
UK sanctions Russian oil pipeline giant on fourth anniversary of Ukraine war
Wednesday 25 February 2026 05:19 , Arpan RaiThe UK government has imposed its most extensive package of sanctions to date, targeting nearly 300 entities, including the oil pipeline operator Transneft, to coincide with the fourth anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
The government announced on Tuesday that Transneft, one of the world's largest pipeline firms responsible for transporting over 80 per cent of Russia's crude exports, was specifically targeted to further diminish Moscow's energy revenues.
"The UK has today taken decisive action to disrupt the critical financing, military equipment and revenue streams that sustain Russia's aggression," foreign minister Yvette Cooper said in a statement.
UK sanctions Russian oil pipeline giant on fourth anniversary of Ukraine war
Prominent Russian scholar detained and ‘blacklisted’ in Latvia minutes before delivering lecture on North Korea
Wednesday 25 February 2026 05:09 , Arpan RaiAndrei Lankov, a prominent Russian scholar on North Korea who teaches at a Seoul university, was detained in Latvia while delivering a lecture, Russian media reported.
Lankov confirmed to multiple news agencies that he was detained by Latvian police just minutes before delivering a lecture on North Korea and placed on a blacklist by the country’s authorities.
Lankov said police officers took him to an immigration office and then placed him in a car that took him to the border with Estonia. He was eventually expelled from the country.
At around 11pm Moscow time, Lankov said that he was still being held, adding that lawyers were working on his case and friends were helping with logistics.
“About thirty minutes before the event, police and immigration came and told me that the foreign ministry of Latvia included me on its list of undesirable people,” he told NK News.
Russian scholar detained in Latvia minutes before lecture on North Korea
UK rejects Moscow's claims on nuclear weapons
Wednesday 25 February 2026 04:38 , Arpan RaiThe British govermment has dismissed Russian claims on plans to provide Ukraine with nuclear weapons as an attempt to distract by Vladimir Putin.
"This is a clear attempt by Vladimir Putin to distract from his heinous actions in Ukraine. There is no truth to this. You'll have seen the PM's words this morning paying tribute to the incredible resilience of the Ukrainians… We will continue with our efforts to secure a just and lasting peace," the prime minister’s spokesperson said.
The statement comes as Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), accused Britain and France of preparing to secretly supply Ukraine with nuclear weapons parts and technology, without providing evidence.
Former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev has threatened Russia could use nuclear arms against the UK, Ukraine and France "if necessary".
Watch: Starmer says Putin standing in the way of peace deal to end Ukraine war
Wednesday 25 February 2026 04:29 , Arpan RaiUS warned Ukraine not to hit US interests in strikes on Russia energy infrastructure, envoy says
Wednesday 25 February 2026 04:05 , Arpan RaiThe Ukrainian government received a formal, official message from the US State Department recently after attacks by Ukraine on the Russian port of Novorossiysk affected US interests in Kazakhstan, Ukraine's ambassador to the US, Olha Stefanishyna, said on Tuesday.
Most of Kazakhstan's oil is sent to Novorossiysk for export.
Stefanishyna, speaking on the fourth anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion, declined to provide details about the State Department's demarche.
She added that it focused on strikes affecting US interests, not halting attacks on Russian energy infrastructure.
"We have heard from the Department of State that we should refrain from... attacking American interests," Stefanishyna told reporters.
“This reach-out was not related to encouraging Ukraine from refraining to attack Russian military and energy infrastructure. It was related to the very fact that American economic interest was affected there," the official said.
She said the incident made clear that Ukraine had failed to establish similarly close economic ties with the US in the decades since its independence following the collapse of the Soviet Union, and she was determined to change that.
Trump says he is 'working very hard to end the slaughter' in Ukraine
Wednesday 25 February 2026 03:51 , Arpan RaiDonald Trump has said his administration is working very hard to end the war in Ukraine which he claimed is killing at least 25,000 people every month.
"And we're working very hard to end the ninth war, the killing and slaughter between Russia and Ukraine were 25,000. Soldiers are dying each and every month. Think of that,” he said, addressing the US lawmakers in his State of the Union speech today.
“25,000 soldiers are dying a month, a war which would have never happened if I were president, would have never happened,” Trump said.
US senators back Ukraine ahead of Trump's State of the Union speech
Wednesday 25 February 2026 03:35 , Arpan RaiDemocratic and Republican US senators have introduced a resolution supporting Ukraine as it battles Russian invaders, hours before president Donald Trump was due to make his nationally televised State of the Union address to the nation.
The resolution was led by Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen and Republican Thom Tillis, who are co-chairs of the Senate Nato Observer Group. It had at least 26 other co-sponsors, evenly divided between Republicans and Democrats, representing more than a quarter of the Senate.
Provisions in the measure include encouragement of strong cooperation among Nato allies and a call for any negotiated settlement to respect Ukraine's sovereignty, territorial integrity and "include Ukraine as the central party to discussions regarding its future”.
Members of Congress, including some of Trump's fellow Republicans as well as Democrats, have urged him to do more to help Zelensky's government, including sending all of the financial and military aid they have authorized over the past several years.
"Congress must continue to support Ukraine and place real pressure on the Kremlin. That pressure must include sanctions against Russia’s shadow fleet to cut off Putin's ability to fund the war and must be done in conjunction with our allies," Shaheen said in a statement, referring to Russian president Vladimir Putin's attempts to evade sanctions on oil shipments.
UN chief says Ukraine war 'a stain on our collective conscience'
Wednesday 25 February 2026 03:23 , Arpan RaiUN secretary general Antonio Guterres said the war there remained "as a stain on our collective conscience" and reiterated calls for an immediate ceasefire.
In remarks for a session of the United Nations Security Council to mark the fourth anniversary of Russia's invasion, Guterres commended the efforts of the United States and others to end the war, but said concrete measures were needed to de-escalate and create space for diplomacy.
"We have witnessed the cascading consequences of this blatant violation of international law," he said, referring to the Russian invasion.
He said more than 15,000 civilians had been killed in Ukraine since the start of the war and over 41,000 hurt. Among those killed or hurt were 3,200 children.
Guterres' remarks were read on his behalf by Rosemary DiCarlo, the UN under-secretary-general for peacebuilding.
Guterres warned that the fighting posed direct risks to the safe and secure operation of Ukraine's nuclear sites, and added: "This unconscionable game of nuclear roulette must cease immediately."
Russia can continue fighting Ukraine war throughout 2026, says think tank
Wednesday 25 February 2026 03:10 , Arpan RaiVladimir Putin’s forces can sustain the war in Ukraine throughout this year even if the country faces economic and manpower pressures, a military think tank has said.
There is “little indication” that “Russia’s ability to continue its war against Ukraine for a fifth year is diminished”, Bastian Giegerich, the director general of the International Institute for Strategic Studies said as the war completed four years.
According to the IISS, the Kremlin has spent at least $186bn (£138bn) on defence in 2025, more than twice the proportion spent by the US and about three times the spending of the UK.
This also marks a three per cent increase in real terms, estimated to be 7.3 per cent of its GDP, the think tank said. Russia’s military spending has “doubled in real terms since 2021”, said Fenella McGerty, a defence finance expert at the IISS.
The increased military budget allows Russia to spend more heavily on military equipment and recruitment to sustain relentless ground and air attacks against Ukraine in the immediate future, she said.
Zelensky: Only by visiting Ukraine can Trump understand who must be pressured
Wednesday 25 February 2026 02:55 , Arpan RaiIn his address earlier today to mark the fourth anniversary of Russia’s invasion, Volodymyr Zelensky called for Donald Trump to visit Ukraine.
“Only by coming to Ukraine, and seeing with one's own eyes our life and our struggle, feeling our people and the enormity of this pain – only then can one understand what this war is really about. And because of whom. Who the aggressor is here and who must be pressured,” the Ukrainian president said in the address, as he stressed the importance of a visit by Trump.
He said Ukraine is defending life, adding that it is “not a street fight” but an “attack by a sick state on a sovereign one”.
Zelensky added: "Putin is this war. He is the cause of its beginning and the obstacle to its end. And it is Russia that must be put in its place. So that there can be real peace.”
Analysis | Ukraine is surviving Russia’s invasion. This is how it can win the war
Wednesday 25 February 2026 02:01 , Alex CroftI could hear the take-off detonation being filmed live and broadcast around the world in my earpiece, along with my TV colleague’s report of the Russian attack. It was the morning that Vladimir Putin ordered a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Standing in the pre-dawn freeze on a terrace overlooking Kharkiv’s Freedom Square four years ago, it was less than a minute before I was reporting on those rockets when they exploded on impact.
The skyline bulged orange, then came the concussive thump, then the cracks of the rockets exploding. They’d been fired from Russia into Ukraine’s second-biggest city.
Our world affairs editor Sam Kiley writes:
Ukraine is surviving Russia’s invasion. This is how it can win the war
South Africa says 11 of 17 men lured to fight for Russia will return home soon
Wednesday 25 February 2026 01:02 , Alex CroftSouth Africa's government has said that 11 of a group of 17 men who were lured into fighting for Russia in Ukraine were set to return home soon, after an initial four landed back in the country last week.
A further two remained in Russia, with one in a hospital in Moscow, President Cyril Ramaphosa's office said in a statement.
Ramaphosa raised the fate of the 17 men, who sent distress calls to the South African government in November after getting trapped in Ukraine's Donbas region, in a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin this month.
Reports of African men being lured into Russia with promises of jobs and ending up on Ukraine's front line have become more frequent in recent months, creating tensions between Moscow and some of the countries involved.
A Kenyan intelligence report presented to lawmakers last week estimated that more than 1,000 Kenyans had been recruited to fight on Russia's side in the war in Ukraine. Kenya's foreign minister has said he plans to visit Russia to address the issue.
Zelensky praised billions spent in defense support from Nordic and Baltic nations
Wednesday 25 February 2026 00:30 , Rebecca WhittakerVolodymyr Zelensky thanked Nordic and Baltic countries for spending billions on supporting Ukraine.
In a post on X he said: “We appreciate the readiness of the Nordic and Baltic countries to continue assisting Ukraine: at least €12.5 billion in defense support this year and no less than €918 million to strengthen energy resilience.”
Ukraine – Nordic-Baltic Summit. The main focus was achieving a dignified peace and our efforts toward it. Separately – reliable security guarantees to make new aggression impossible and ensure lasting stability for all of Europe.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) February 24, 2026
We appreciate the readiness of the Nordic and… pic.twitter.com/PSPsoLr4h6
Zelensky marks war anniversary with declaring defence of Ukraine's independence
Tuesday 24 February 2026 23:59 , Alex Croft'China remains a decisive enabler of Russia's war machine,' says US deputy UN envoy
Tuesday 24 February 2026 23:35 , Rebecca WhittakerThe Security Council meeting on Ukraine saw a clash between the US and China over the accusation that Beijing's imports of Russian oil and Chinese sales of materials with military uses to Russia have helped sustain Moscow's operations in Ukraine.
"China remains a decisive enabler of Russia's war machine," Tammy Bruce, the US deputy UN envoy told the council. "If China truly wants peace, it should immediately end exports of dual-use goods and stop purchasing Russian oil."
Fu Cong, China's UN ambassador, responded by accusing the US of fabricating "all sorts of excuses and lies" about China intended "to create division and conflict." Washington, he said, should "stop shifting blame and creating conflicts and wars around the world."
Russia's UN ambassador, Vasily Nebenzya, said Europe was presenting itself as the source of moral standards for others when it brought a "brutal regime of a neo-Nazi ilk" to power in Ukraine. He called the general assembly resolution "another manipulation" that had "nothing to do with reality."
Zelensky praises resilience of Ukrainians in face of Russian aggression
Tuesday 24 February 2026 23:00 , Alex CroftContinuing his 18-minute address, Zelensky praises the resilience of the Ukrainian people in the face of Russian aggression.
He says: “All this time, we have not let our anger eat us from within. Ukrainians have turned their own rage into energy for the fight and have proven: we can be forced into shelters, but it is impossible to drive Ukraine underground forever.
“We inevitably rise, we return, we continue to fight – because we fight for life. For the right to stand on our land – and to breathe our own air.”
Comment | Putin wanted to rebuild Russia’s empire. He has ended up as China’s lapdog instead
Tuesday 24 February 2026 22:01 , Alex CroftIt’s been four years of war. Four years of a Russian onslaught to extinguish Ukrainian independence that Vladimir Putin thought would be over in days. For just over a year of this, I worked as a special adviser to a foreign secretary, with this as my main brief. And I don’t think it’s quite understood just how far the war has changed not just the course of Ukrainian but also Russian history.
One of the last things I did in government was join a visit to the White House, where top British officials sought to get across just how much the Ukrainian army has changed for the better in 18 months. This is exactly what I had a chance to explain to Vice President Vance – whose views on Ukraine, more nuanced than is assumed, are central to US policy.
Former special adviser Ben Judah writes:
Putin wanted to rebuild Russia’s empire. He has ended up as China’s lapdog instead
Putin's special envoy calls for Starmer to resign
Tuesday 24 February 2026 21:34 , Rebecca WhittakerVladimir Putin's special envoy Kirill Dmitriev called for Prime Minister Keir Starmer to resign in a social media post that claimed the UK is supplying Ukraine with nuclear weapons.
"Starmer needs to resign before trying to cover up his shame by provoking a nuclear war," Dmitriev said in a post on X.
The prime minister's spokesperson said there was no truth to the comments.
Starmer needs to resign before trying to cover up his shame by provoking a nuclear war. 👇 https://t.co/jhvHnVNuUi
— Kirill Dmitriev (@kadmitriev) February 24, 2026
The war is 'a stain on our collective conscience', says UN chief
Tuesday 24 February 2026 21:29 , Rebecca WhittakerSecretary General Antonio Guterres said the conflict remained "as a stain on our collective conscience" and repeated calls for an immediate ceasefire.
In another sign of support at the United Nations, dozens of countries including France, Britain, Canada, Japan and Peru gathered to condemn Russia's violations at a meeting on the sidelines of the Human Rights Council in Geneva.
"What Russia has done and is doing in Ukraine right now is violating every principle in the book," Espen Barth Eide, Norway's foreign minister, told the meeting.
"Everything the UN stands for is being violated," he added, ending his speech with "Glory to Ukraine!"
107 countries side with Ukraine in UN vote
Tuesday 24 February 2026 21:17 , Rebecca WhittakerVolodymyr Zelensky has shared the results of a vote at the United Nations General Assembly for the resolution "Support for lasting peace in Ukraine".
He revealed 107 nations supported Kyiv in the vote in an image shared on social media. The post also showed 12 nations, including Russia and Belarus, voted against the resolution. China and the United States were two of the 51 who abstained.
He said in a post on X: “The General Assembly adopted our resolution in support of a lasting peace, with clear calls for a full ceasefire and the return of our people.
“These are the right and necessary steps. And we will keep working actively to achieve peace, together with our partners.”
I am grateful to each of the 107 countries that stood with Ukraine today in defense of life at the @UN.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) February 24, 2026
The General Assembly adopted our resolution in support of a lasting peace, with clear calls for a full ceasefire and the return of our people.
These are the right and… pic.twitter.com/s5tmD1Bymm
Macron 'very sceptical' about prospects for immediate peace
Tuesday 24 February 2026 21:01 , Alex CroftEmmanuel Macron has told the Coalition of the Willing meeting that he is “very sceptical” about the possibility of a short-term peace in Ukraine.
He says it is good to follow up on peace talks, but calls on leaders to be “lucid” about Russia’s willingness to reach a peace deal.
“I completely agree with you, Keir and Volodymyr: we have to make very clear now about first the recent successes on the ground, but at the same time the fact that militarily, economically, and strategically the Russians are being defeated at this very moment” he said.
Russia boasts drone unit's work in battlefield as war with Ukraine enters fifth year
Tuesday 24 February 2026 20:01 , Alex CroftStarmer recalls visiting Bucha in early days of the war
Tuesday 24 February 2026 19:02 , Alex CroftSir Keir Starmer spoke of three impressions of “four long years of suffering in Ukraine” as he marked four years of the war in an address to Cabinet.
The Prime Minister said: “You will have your own images and memories of that suffering. I’ve got three etched in my mind.”
He said he went to Bucha near Kyiv in the early days of the war, where he saw “the roads and the ditches in which Ukrainian civilians were handcuffed with their hands behind their back, blindfolded and shot in the head, the bodies left in the road”.
“The second etched in my memory was last year when I went to one of the busiest hospitals in Kyiv and saw for myself the incredibly awful burns on some of those who had returned from the front line. Burns the like of which I’d never seen in my life before.
“And at the same time, I went to a primary school and these children who were five, six, seven years old, had lost both their parents to the conflict.”
Ukraine war has been 'four years of failure for Putin'
Tuesday 24 February 2026 18:01 , Alex CroftThe Ukraine war has been “four years of failure for Putin”, Defence Secretary John Healey said.
Asked for his reflections on the fourth anniversary of the war, Mr Healey told the Press Association: “This is four years of failure for Putin.
“This is a war he thought he would win in a week, he has lost more than a million men during that time and Russia has been fighting in Ukraine for longer than the Soviet Union was fighting Germany during the Second World War.”
Asked if he agreed with Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky’s claim that the “beginning of the end” of the war is afoot, Mr Healey said: “I want to make 2026, like President Zelensky does, the year that this war ends, that we can bring peace.
“The UK is ready to play a part in securing that peace for the long term.”
Ukraine does not feel abandoned by US government, envoy says
Tuesday 24 February 2026 17:45 , Nicole Wootton-CaneUkraine does not feel abandoned by the US government, its ambassador to the United States said, adding that she expected President Donald Trump to discuss ending Russia's war in Ukraine during his State of the Union speech later on Tuesday.
Speaking to reporters, Olga Stefanishyna also said she received a demarche from the US State Department recently after attacks by Ukraine on Russian port of Novorossiysk affected US interests in Kazakhstan. Most of Kazakhstan's oil is sent to Novorossiysk for export.
"We have heard from the Department of State that we should refrain from... attacking American interests," she said.
Ukraine war in numbers: The bleak toll of Putin’s invasion after four devastating years
Tuesday 24 February 2026 17:30 , Alex CroftRussia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine has now been raging for four years – and despite repeated attempts at peace talks brokered by the US, there appears to be no end in sight.
As the war marks the grim anniversary milestone on Tuesday, the bloody war of attrition continues, having claimed the lives of more than 15,000 Ukrainian civilians.
In the last year, Moscow has ramped up its use of drones by 200 per cent, regularly launching hundreds of strikes from unmanned aircraft.
Vladimir Putin’s forces have also increasingly targeted Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, leaving millions without power or heat as they face their coldest winter in years, with temperatures as low as -26C.
Ukraine war in numbers: Bleak toll of Putin’s invasion after four devastating years
Russia launches 134 drones and missiles overnight
Tuesday 24 February 2026 17:01 , Alex CroftRussian forces fired an Iskander-M ballistic missile and 133 drones at Ukrainian targers overnight, the Ukrainian air force has said.
Ukrainian defences destroyed or jammed 111 drones across the country’s north, south and east
Strikes were recorded across 16 locations by one ballistic missile and 19 drones.
The attack was ongoing as of earlier on Tuesday morning, the air force added.
In pictures: Zelensky meets British foreign minister before Coalition of the Willing meeting
Tuesday 24 February 2026 16:32 , Alex Croft
Kremlin’s crackdown on misinformation sparks ‘unexpected internal resistance’ – report
Tuesday 24 February 2026 16:17 , Alex CroftThe Kremlin’s efforts to push greater control over the information space with restrictions on Whatsapp and Telegram has caused domestic trouble in Russia.
Russia’s reliance on Telegram as the most widely used social media platform for communication and access to information, says Tatiana Stanovaya, the founder of Russian political analysts R.Politik and senior fellow at the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center.
“Although preparations for such a move had been evident, the decision nonetheless came as a shock to many, including senior officials, businesses, and representatives of the pro-war community," she said.
The move "has triggered unexpected internal resistance across the elite, including from domestic policy overseers, regional authorities, parts of United Russia, the military, pro-war bloggers and even the systemic opposition,” analysts have said.
She added that while the systemic opposition's decision to speak out against the measure carries no tangible political weight, "it signals emerging discrepancies within the ruling elite".
"The FSB, which stands behind the decision, was compelled to justify its actions publicly," she added.
"The measure is highly likely to be implemented, yet it will have a noticeable impact on public sentiment."
Kyiv dismisses 'absurd' Russian claims it is seeking to obtain nuclear weapons
Tuesday 24 February 2026 16:00 , Alex CroftUkraine has dismissed Russian claims that Kyiv was trying to obtain nuclear weapons with the help of Britain and France as “absurd”.
"Russian officials, known for their impressive record of lies, are once again trying to fabricate the old ‘dirty bomb’ nonsense," Heorhii Tykhyi, spokesperson for the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, told Reuters.
"For the record: Ukraine has already denied such absurd Russian claims many times before, and we officially deny them again now. We urge the international community to reject and condemn Russia’s dirty information bombs."
Earlier, Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), without providing evidence, accused Britain and France of preparing to secretly supply Ukraine with nuclear weapons parts and technology. Britain and France, both nuclear powers, did not immediately respond to the allegation.
EU: We will force through 90 billion euro loan 'one way or another' despite Hungary opposition
Tuesday 24 February 2026 15:40 , Alex CroftVolodymyr Zelensky, EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and EU Council president Antonio Costa are currently holding a press conference at a meeting of the Coalition of the Willing.
Costa said Moscow must accept it will not win this war, adding that he anticipates significant progress in Ukraine’s accession path to the European Union in the foreseeable future.
Asked about the 90 billion euro EU loan for Ukraine, von der Leyen said it would be delivered “one way or another”, after threats by Hungary that it will block the loan.
She added that a new “winter energy package” of 920 million euros would be provided to Ukraine for 2026-2027.
Explosion in Moscow kills police officer on anniversary of war on Ukraine
Tuesday 24 February 2026 15:29 , Alex CroftAn unidentified attacker detonated an explosive device next to a police patrol vehicle in central Moscow early on Tuesday, killing himself and one officer, while injuring two others, officials have confirmed.
The incident occurred just after midnight near the Savyolovsky Train Station in the Russian capital’s downtown area, according to Moscow’s Interior Ministry branch. The assailant reportedly approached a traffic police car before detonating the device, resulting in the immediate death of an officer and hospitalisation for two colleagues.
Russia’s Investigative Committee has launched an inquiry into the attack. No details regarding the assailant’s identity, potential motives, or further specifics have been released.
Explosion in Moscow kills police officer on anniversary of war on Ukraine
