Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russian officials of "playing games" with the peace talks as the war crosses the grim mark of four years.
“Russians are not serious" about bringing the war to a close, Zelensky said, responding to a question on how the peace talks were progressing.
The Ukrainian leader, who was speaking from his presidential office in Kyiv, also accused Vladimir Putin of using overtures to Donald Trump to weaken Kyiv’s negotiating position.
“I see it, because they are very poor actors. They are playing with Trump and playing with the entire world. That’s how it is,” Zelensky said. “Putin thinks he looks convincing and that he can be trusted. No – he is a bad actor,” he said.
This comes as Ukraine’s military chief announced a major battlefield win. Ukrainian troops have regained control of 400sqkm of territory, including eight settlements, Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said.
The rare battlefield gains in the southeastern Dnipropetrovsk region stand in contrast to the broader trend of slow and costly Russian advances across the frontlines over the past two and a half years a day before the war marks its four years anniversary.
Key Points
- Zelensky says Russian negotiators 'are playing games'
- Kremlin’s crackdown on misinformation sparks ‘unexpected internal resistance’ – report
- Ukraine's ex-war general says frontline reduced to 'robotic kill zone'
- Ukraine says it has recaptured eight settlements in major battlefield success
- Next round of Ukraine peace talks could be this week, Kyiv says
- Hungary blocking sanctions on Russia is an 'act of political sabotage', says Poland's Tusk
Zelensky says Russian negotiators 'are playing games'
05:24 , Arpan RaiUkraine president Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russian officials of playing games in the peace talks in an interview ahead of the war entering fifth year.
“Russians are playing games” and not serious about bringing the war to a close, Zelensky said responding to a question on how the peace talks were progressing, speaking from his presidential office in Kyiv.
The Ukrainian leader has also accused Vladimir Putin of using overtures to Donald Trump to weaken Kyiv’s negotiating position.
“I see it, because they are very poor actors. They are playing with Trump and playing with the entire world. That’s how it is,” Zelensky said.
“Putin thinks he looks convincing and that he can be trusted. No — he is a bad actor,” he said.
Kremlin’s crackdown on misinformation sparks ‘unexpected internal resistance’ – report
05:20 , Arpan RaiThe 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."
Ukraine recovers 400 sq km land, military says
04:56 , Arpan RaiUkraine recovered control of 400 sq kilometres of territory, including eight settlements, in February, the head of the military announced this morning.
Zelensky said only on 20 February that Ukraine’s Defense Forces had liberated 300 sq km in the south during a counteroffensive.
Watch: Russia boasts Rubicon's work in battlefield as war with Ukraine enters fifth year
04:25 , Arpan RaiUkraine's ex-war general says frontline reduced to 'robotic kill zone'
04:18 , Arpan RaiThe war frontline in Ukraine has turned into a “robotic kill zone” with drones dominating the warfare, leaving soldiers vulnerable to attacks, the former Ukrainian general has said.
Speaking at the Chatham House in London, Gen Valerii Zaluzhny who is now the Ukraine ambassador to the UK, said the war against Russia “has long since gone beyond long trenches, powerful tank fights and air battles", as the battlefield is now “completely transparent”, saturated by surveillance drones and automated strike systems.
The immediate aerial attacks, controlled from kilometres away, have left human prone to dangerous attacks as irreplaceable resource, unlike the weapons used as they can be mass-produced.
“It takes a lot of time to restore them,” Gen Zaluzhny said of trained personnel. “It is simply impossible to quickly replace such a resource on the battlefield,” he said.
This has made the distancing of troops from the kill zone an operational necessity in Ukraine, where it is estimated 65,000 Russian soldiers alone have been killed by drones.
Ukraine post-war reconstruction will cost $588bn, World Bank says
03:52 , Arpan RaiRebuilding Ukraine's economy will cost an estimated $588 billion over the next decade, the World Bank, United Nations, European Commission and the Ukrainian government said on Monday, a day before Vladimir Putin’s war on Ukraine enters its fifth year.
The latest assessment by the institutions, based on data from 24 February, 2022 through 31 December, 2025 showed a 12 per cent increase from last year's estimate, based in part on a 21 per cent jump in damaged or destroyed energy infrastructure from a year ago.
The estimate, the fifth conducted since the start of the war, found direct damage in Ukraine had reached $195bn, up nearly 11 per cent from the previous assessment, with housing, transport and energy sectors most affected, the groups said. That is more than double the damage reported in the first report in 2022.
"The damage is immense and increasing continuously," the report said, noting that damages were concentrated in frontline areas and metropolitan areas including the capital Kyiv.
The study does not include data from Russia's intensified attacks on Ukrainian energy facilities in January and February, which have left tens of thousands across Ukraine without heat, power and water during the coldest winter on record in decades.
Ukraine says it has recaptured eight settlements in major battlefield success
03:32 , Arpan RaiUkrainian troops have regained control of 400 square kilometres of territory, including eight settlements, along a section of the southern frontline since the end of January, Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said on Monday.
The rare battlefield gains in the southeastern Dnipropetrovsk region stand in contrast to the broader trend of slow and costly Russian advances across the frontlines over the past two and a half years a day before the war marks its four years anniversary.
Ukraine is keen to show the world, and particularly to US president Donald Trump, that it is not losing ground in its fight against Russia's invasion, at a time when Washington is pressing Ukraine to agree to a peace deal.
Syrskyi's statement did not make clear how much of the newly secured territory had previously been under Russian control and how much lay in "grey zone" areas not firmly held by either side.
Ukraine's General Staff did not immediately respond to a request for clarification.
The front lines in Ukraine have become increasingly blurred as thousands of drones fill the skies each day, pushing soldiers underground or into hard cover and creating zones where neither army exercises full control.
Next round of Ukraine peace talks could be this week, Kyiv says
03:25 , Arpan RaiAnother round of talks aimed at ending the war in Ukraine could be held at end of this week, president Volodymyr Zelensky's chief of staff told Ukrainian media.
Ukraine, Russia and the United States have held several rounds of talks in Abu Dhabi and Geneva as Washington seeks an end to four years of war since Moscow's 2022 invasion.
"I think at the end of the week, this week," Kyrylo Budanov told reporters when asked about the next round of talks.
"It is no secret that the negotiations are not easy, but we are definitely moving forward and approaching the moment when all sides will need to make final decisions – whether to continue this war or transition to peace," the president's office quoted him as saying.
Budanov also said the next exchange of prisoners of war between Russia and Ukraine could happen this week, and that it could be bigger than the previous one when the countries returned 157 POWs each but did not give a specific number.
Hungary blocking sanctions on Russia is an 'act of political sabotage', says Poland's Tusk
03:15 , Arpan RaiActions of the Hungarian government is act of political sabotage that make helping Ukraine impossible, Polish prime minister Donald Tusk said on Monday, referring to a possible blocking of further EU sanctions on Moscow and a €90bn loan for Kyiv by Budapest.
Ukraine has shown how it can survive - this is what it needs to win
03:00 , Alex CroftI could hear the takeoff detonation being filmed live and broadcast around the world in my earpiece along with my TV colleague’s on the ground report of the Russian attack - on the morning 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 took 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 has shown what it can do to survive – this is what it needs to win
Russian oil exports higher than pre-invasion of Ukraine in 2022, think tank says
02:57 , Arpan RaiRussia is exporting higher volumes of oil than it did before launching an invasion of Ukraine in 2022, even though its exports dropped last years, a Finnish think tank has said.
Despite western sanctions targeting Russia’s “shadow fleet”, Russian crude oil exports volume remained 6 per cent above pre-invasion levels in the fourth year of war, a latest report by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (Crea) has revealed.
“We’ve seen a significant drop in Russian fossil fuel export earnings as a result of new measures and greater enforcement,” said Isaac Levi, a Crea analyst and co-author of the report.
However, “there are still significant loopholes and areas that have been unaddressed by sanctioning countries”, he said, confirming that these allow volumes to remain high.
South Korea urges Russian embassy to remove 'victory' banner as Ukraine war anniversary nears
02:01 , Alex CroftSouth Korea has asked the Russian embassy in Seoul to take down a large banner reading "Victory will be ours", its foreign ministry said, just ahead of this week's fourth anniversary of the start of the war in Ukraine.
The ministry said in a statement on Sunday that it had conveyed its concerns to the embassy without clarifying whether it had received a response.
The roughly 15-metre (49.21 ft) banner, in the colours of the Russian flag and written in Russian, was hung on the embassy's outer wall in central Seoul ahead of the fourth anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine on Tuesday.
The banner remained in place on Monday.
In its statement, the ministry reiterated South Korea's position that Russia's invasion of Ukraine is illegal.
The ministry also said that military cooperation between Russia and North Korea should stop, describing it as a grave threat to South Korea's security and a violation of the UN Charter and UN Security Council resolutions.
Ukrainian missile attack disrupts power in Belgorod
01:00 , Alex CroftA "massive" Ukrainian missile attack inflicted serious damage on energy infrastructure and disrupted supplies of power, heat and water in Russia's Belgorod region, officials said on Monday.
"There has been, as a result, serious damage to energy infrastructure," Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said on Telegram. "In residences, there are interruptions in supplies of electricity, water and heat."
Gladkov described the attack as "massive", affecting both the city of Belgorod, 25 miles from the border, and the surrounding area.
Hungary threatens block EU sanctions on Russia over Ukraine pipeline dispute - ICYMI
00:01 , Alex CroftHungary has threatened to block a new package of European Union sanctions against Russia and stall efforts to help Ukraine, demanding the immediate resumption of Russian oil deliveries.
This ultimatum precedes a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels on Monday to discuss the bloc's 20th round of sanctions, hoping for approval by the fourth anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine on Tuesday.
Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó announced his intention to block the sanctions in a social media video on Sunday, accusing Ukraine of deliberately withholding Russian oil shipments via the Druzhba pipeline. He stated: "We will not consent to the adoption of the 20th package of sanctions, because we have previously made it clear that until the Ukrainians resume oil shipments to Hungary, we will not allow decisions that are important to them to be approved."
Read the full report:
Hungary threatens block EU sanctions on Russia over Ukraine pipeline dispute
Next peace talks could come this week: Ukraine
Monday 23 February 2026 23:00 , Alex CroftAnother round of peace talks aimed at ending the war in Ukraine could come as soon as this week, Volodymyr Zelensky’s chief of staff said today.
"I think at the end of the week, this week," Kyrylo Budanov told Novyny.Live when asked about the next round of talks.
Ukraine recovers 400 sq km land, military says
Monday 23 February 2026 22:01 , Alex CroftUkraine recovered control of 400 sq kilometres of territory, including eight settlements, in February, the head of the military announced this morning.
Zelensky said only on 20 February that Ukraine’s Defense Forces had liberated 300 sq km in the south during a counteroffensive.
Merz hails 'astonishing' Ukrainian gains
Monday 23 February 2026 21:02 , Alex CroftSpeaking in Berlin, Merz adds that Ukraine's fight against Russia's attacks was more effective than it was often made out to be, citing unexpected territorial gains this month.
"February saw astonishing territorial gains by the Ukrainian defence forces, and the Russian economy is creaking under the weight of sanctions and of warfare - more than we may sometimes surmise from our own media coverage here," he said.
In pictures: Aftermath of strikes in Odesa
Monday 23 February 2026 20:00 , Alex Croft
Hungary should remember history, says Sikorski
Monday 23 February 2026 19:00 , Alex CroftSpeaking in Brussels, Polish foreign minister Radosław Sikorski says he would have expected a much bigger feeling of solidarity for Ukraine from Hungary, as it was attacked by the Red Army in the past.
"I would have expected a much greater feeling of solidarity from Hungary for Ukraine," Sikorski told reporters in Brussels.
"And instead, with the help of state propaganda...the ruling party managed to create a climate of hostility towards the victim of aggression. And now it's trying to exploit that in the general election. It's quite shocking."
Budapest continues to obstruct the EU’s efforts to sanction Russia over its war in Ukraine. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on Monday the bloc would likely not reach an agreement today, given Hungarian resistance.
The USSR ordered tanks and troops into Hungary in 1956 to crush a nascent rebellion. Many thousands were killed or fled West, seeking asylum.
Watch: Zelensky says Putin has already started World War III
Monday 23 February 2026 18:20 , Alex CroftSetback to not have agreed on 20th Russian sanctions package, says EU's Kallas
Monday 23 February 2026 17:43 , Alex CroftEU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on Monday it was a setback that the European countries have been unable to approve a 20th sanctions package against Russia on the eve of the fourth anniversary of the war started by Russia against Ukraine.
"We have not reached an agreement on the 20th sanctions package. This is a setback and a message we didn't want to send today, but the work continues," Kallas told reporters.
Zelensky political opponent dismisses questions about presidential ambitions
Monday 23 February 2026 16:57 , Alex CroftUkraine's former top general Valeriy Zaluzhnyi, now serving as ambassador to the UK, dismissed questions about his presidential ambitions as "pub talk" and said he would not address his political future until after martial law ends.
Speaking at London's Chatham House, Zaluzhnyi said he would disclose any political plans only once the fighting in Russia's war in Ukraine has ended.
"When it is over, when martial law is lifted in Ukraine...only then will we be able to discuss my personal future," he said.
Zaluzhnyi served as Kyiv's top commander until February 2024 and is now Ukraine’s envoy in London. Although he has not voiced plans to run for office, opinion polls consistently show him as the most credible challenger to President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Zelensky, under U.S. pressure to agree to a peace deal, has signalled his readiness to hold elections when fighting ends.
Polish PM hits out at Hungary for 'political sabotage'
Monday 23 February 2026 16:14 , Alex CroftActions of the Hungarian government is act of political sabotage that make helping Ukraine impossible, Polish prime minister Donald Tusk said on Monday,
Mr Tusk was referring to a possible blocking of further EU sanctions on Moscow and a 90-billion-euro loan for Kyiv by Budapest.
Boris Johnson's comments on Ukraine troops 'reckless and irresponsible,' says Geordie Greig
Monday 23 February 2026 15:35 , Alex CroftParalympics chief stands firm on Russia competing despite Ukraine’s boycott threat
Monday 23 February 2026 15:04 , Alex CroftThe International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has controversially ruled that Russian and Belarusian athletes can compete under their national flags and anthems at the upcoming Winter Paralympics, its president Andrew Parsons confirmed on Monday.
This decision, allocating 10 combined slots to the nations, has ignited a political storm amid ongoing tensions stemming from Russia’s four-year invasion of Ukraine.
Speaking at a press conference in Milan, Mr Parsons stated the ruling "cannot be overturned by the board or by myself."
Read more:
Paralympics chief stands firm on Russia competing despite Ukraine’s boycott threat
Zelensky responds to criticism from former commander-in-chief
Monday 23 February 2026 14:32 , Alex CroftVolodymyr Zelensky has responded to criticisms by Valerii Zaluzhnyi, Kyiv’s ambassador to the UK and the former commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces.
Mr Zaluzhnyi has been widely seen as the top political rival to the Ukrainian president ever since he was ousted as the head of Ukraine’s army in 2024.
Last week, he revealed a deep right between himself and the president during his time in the army, including significant disagreements over Ukraine’s 2023 counteroffensive.
Speaking of Mr Zaluzhnyi’s comments, Mr Zelensky said: "Probably we all had the same emotion: isn't it too early for all this… I simply believe that discussing the details Valerii Fedorovych [Zaluzhnyi] spoke about is also not good today.
“Because no one gains anything from this. After all, we're talking about our armed forces… They're fighting today. And he won't look good, so to speak, if he talks about this and continues [to do so]. Well, he said what he said, and that's about it."
Ukraine strikes key oil facility with drones
Monday 23 February 2026 14:04 , Daniel KeaneUkraine struck a key Russian oil facility with drones on Monday, Kyiv’s military intelligence said.
Officials said the station was a key facility for the Druzhba oil pipeline which supplies Russian oil to eastern Europe, according to the SBU.
Ukrainian 'hits targets 750 miles deep into Russia'
Monday 23 February 2026 14:01 , James ReynoldsUkrainian drones have struck an oil pumping station in Russia's Tatarstan region, more than 750 miles from the border, an official from Ukraine's security service said.
The station is an important facility for the Druzhba oil pipeline, which supplies Russian oil to eastern Europe, the official said, adding that the attack caused a fire.
Ukraine ready to help with release of Belarusian political prisoners
Monday 23 February 2026 13:41 , James ReynoldsVolodymyr Zelensky says Ukraine is ready to continue helping with the release of Belarusian political prisoners, having already received prisoners released in a US-brokered exchange on its territory.
"We are ready to continue this and will provide Belarusian prisoners any assistance that is within our power. But freeing people from prisons is very difficult," he wrote on social media.
Next peace talks could come this week: Ukraine
Monday 23 February 2026 13:10 , James ReynoldsAnother round of peace talks aimed at ending the war in Ukraine could come as soon as this week, Volodymyr Zelensky’s chief of staff said today.
"I think at the end of the week, this week," Kyrylo Budanov told Novyny.Live when asked about the next round of talks.
Russia ready to open new nuclear power plant in Serbia
Monday 23 February 2026 13:01 , James ReynoldsMoscow is ready to offer Serbia a nuclear power plant project based on Russian technology, as part of an international consortium, the head of the nuclear state corporation Rosatom was quoted as saying by the RIA state news agency on Monday.
Ukraine has shown how it can survive - this is what it needs to win
Monday 23 February 2026 12:50 , Alex CroftIcould hear the takeoff detonation being filmed live and broadcast around the world in my earpiece along with my TV colleague’s on the ground report of the Russian attack - on the morning 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 took 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 has shown what it can do to survive - this is what it needs to win
Ukrainian missile attack disrupts power in Belgorod
Monday 23 February 2026 12:22 , James ReynoldsA "massive" Ukrainian missile attack inflicted serious damage on energy infrastructure and disrupted supplies of power, heat and water in Russia's Belgorod region, officials said.
"There has been, as a result, serious damage to energy infrastructure," Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said on Telegram. "In residences, there are interruptions in supplies of electricity, water and heat."
Gladkov described the attack as "massive", affecting both the city of Belgorod, 25 miles from the border, and the surrounding area.
In pictures: Four years of war in Ukraine
Monday 23 February 2026 11:40 , James ReynoldsRussia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, launched Europe’s biggest conflict since World War II.
This photo gallery looks back at four years of war:
Ukraine recovers 400 sq km land, military says
Monday 23 February 2026 10:55 , James ReynoldsUkraine recovered control of 400 sq kilometres of territory, including eight settlements, in February, the head of the military announced this morning.
Zelensky said only on 20 February that Ukraine’s Defense Forces had liberated 300 sq km in the south during a counteroffensive.
Merz hails 'astonishing' Ukrainian gains
Monday 23 February 2026 10:40 , James ReynoldsSpeaking in Berlin, Merz adds that Ukraine's fight against Russia's attacks was more effective than it was often made out to be, citing unexpected territorial gains this month.
"February saw astonishing territorial gains by the Ukrainian defence forces, and the Russian economy is creaking under the weight of sanctions and of warfare - more than we may sometimes surmise from our own media coverage here," he said.
Putin will not end his military campaign if the war ends, says Merz
Monday 23 February 2026 10:13 , James ReynoldsGerman chancellor Friedrich Merz says that Vladimir Putin will not end his military campaign if the war in Ukraine ends.
Inside Nikopol: The only place to hide from Putin’s killer drones is our underground school
Monday 23 February 2026 10:03 , James ReynoldsIn a harrowing dispatch from the frontline city of Nikopol – so close to Russian forces that few journalists have ventured there – World Affairs Editor Sam Kiley talks to children, parents and teachers who are hunted down daily by Putin’s deadly quadcopters, yet have somehow managed to survive:
‘The only place to hide from Putin’s killer drones is our underground school’
In pictures: Aftermath of strikes in Odesa
Monday 23 February 2026 09:25 , James ReynoldsWatch: Zelensky says Putin has already started World War III
Monday 23 February 2026 09:00 , James ReynoldsHungary should remember history, says Sikorski
Monday 23 February 2026 08:28 , James ReynoldsSpeaking in Brussels, Polish foreign minister Radosław Sikorski says he would have expected a much bigger feeling of solidarity for Ukraine from Hungary, as it was attacked by the Red Army in the past.
"I would have expected a much greater feeling of solidarity from Hungary for Ukraine," Sikorski told reporters in Brussels.
"And instead, with the help of state propaganda...the ruling party managed to create a climate of hostility towards the victim of aggression. And now it's trying to exploit that in the general election. It's quite shocking."
Budapest continues to obstruct the EU’s efforts to sanction Russia over its war in Ukraine. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on Monday the bloc would likely not reach an agreement today, given Hungarian resistance.
The USSR ordered tanks and troops into Hungary in 1956 to crush a nascent rebellion. Many thousands were killed or fled West, seeking asylum.
Former UK PM Boris Johnson says UK should immediately send non-combat troops to Ukraine
Monday 23 February 2026 08:00 , James ReynoldsFormer prime minister Boris Johnson has called for troops from the UK and Europe to be deployed immediately to Ukraine.
Mr Johnson said non-combat forces should be stationed in peaceful regions to send a firm message to Russian president Vladimir Putin.
Speaking ahead of the fourth anniversary of the invasion, the former politician told BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg that Ukraine’s allies had been “too slow” to respond.
Read the full story:
Boris Johnson says UK should immediately send non-combat troops to Ukraine
South Korea urges Russian embassy to remove 'victory' banner as Ukraine war anniversary nears
Monday 23 February 2026 07:25 , Arpan RaiSouth Korea has asked the Russian embassy in Seoul to take down a large banner reading "Victory will be ours", its foreign ministry said, just ahead of this week's fourth anniversary of the start of the war in Ukraine.
The ministry said in a statement on Sunday that it had conveyed its concerns to the embassy without clarifying whether it had received a response.
The roughly 15-metre (49.21 ft) banner, in the colours of the Russian flag and written in Russian, was hung on the embassy's outer wall in central Seoul ahead of the fourth anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine on Tuesday.
The banner remained in place on Monday.
In its statement, the ministry reiterated South Korea's position that Russia's invasion of Ukraine is illegal.
The ministry also said that military cooperation between Russia and North Korea should stop, describing it as a grave threat to South Korea's security and a violation of the UN Charter and UN Security Council resolutions.
Zelensky hints ‘real compromise’ could be made with Russia
Monday 23 February 2026 07:10 , Arpan RaiVolodymyr Zelensky has said that Ukraine is prepared for "real compromises" to end the war, but not at the expense of its independence or sovereignty.
He expressed willingness to discuss compromises with the United States, while rejecting repeated "ultimatums" from Russia.
Zelensky reiterated that Ukraine would consider peace based on current battlelines, accusing Russia of "terrorism" through its demands.
"Stay where we stay – this is a big compromise," Zelensky said, confirming reports that Ukraine is agreeing to freeze the current lines of conflict as part of any deal.
"They took almost 20 per cent of our territory and we are ready to speak about peace at this moment, on the basis of 'stay where we stay'.
"This is a big compromise. What does Russia offer us as a compromise? What are they ready to do?
"We are ready for real compromises. But not compromises at the cost of our independence and sovereignty. We are ready to speak about compromises with the United States. But not to get ultimatums from the Russians again and again. They are the aggressor. Everybody has recognised it,” he said.
"They said, 'We are ready not to occupy your other regions'. But it is terrorism. Even that language, it is terrorism. 'I'm ready not to kill you – give us everything',” the Ukrainian leader said, calling it an “ultimatum” and “not a compromise.
“That's why I said: We are ready for compromises that respect Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity, our army, our people, and our children. But we are not ready for ultimatums,” he said.
Lviv attack: Bomb explosions kill police officer and injure 24
Monday 23 February 2026 06:56 , Arpan RaiOne police officer was killed and 24 people were wounded after several explosive devices detonated at midnight in Lviv, in western Ukraine, the National Police said on Sunday, in an attack president Volodymyr Zelensky blamed on Russia.
"It has been preliminarily established that homemade explosive devices detonated," the police officials said.
Lviv mayor Andriy Sadovyi described the incident as a terrorist act and said a 23-year-old policewoman had died. Twelve people remained in hospital, two in serious condition, he said.
Interior minister Ihor Klymenko said a woman had been detained in connection with the investigation.
The police said that the first explosion occurred after a patrol crew arrived at the suspected scene of a shop break-in, while the second explosion occurred a little later.
Russian attack on Odesa region kills two people
Monday 23 February 2026 06:36 , Arpan RaiA Russian attack on Ukraine's southern Odesa region has killed at least two people and injured three overnight, Ukraine’s emergency service said this morning.
People died when a Russian drone fell on a truck stop causing a fire, the service said on its Telegram channel.
Watch: Zelensky warns Putin has started WW III
Monday 23 February 2026 06:01 , Arpan RaiRussia-controlled Zaporizhzhia reports power outage after Ukrainian attack
Monday 23 February 2026 05:45 , Arpan RaiThe Russian-controlled part of Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia region was facing an electricity outage after a major Ukrainian attack on energy infrastructure, a Russian-installed official said yesterday.
Yevgeny Balitsky, Moscow-installed governor of the Russian-controlled parts of Zaporizhzhia region, said a second power outage occurred this morning. Maintenance services had earlier managed to resume electricity supply to around 50 per cent of the region.
"Socially significant facilities are connected to backup power sources. Generators are running, providing water and supporting critical infrastructure," Balitsky said on his Telegram.
In Russian-controlled Luhansk a fuel reservoir caught fire after a Ukrainian drone attack on an oil depot, Leonid Pasechnik, the Moscow-installed leader, said.
The Russian defence ministry said air defence systems had intercepted and destroyed 86 Ukrainian drones over Russian region and the Crimean Peninsula overnight.
Hungary threatens block EU sanctions on Russia over Ukraine pipeline dispute
Monday 23 February 2026 05:32 , Arpan RaiHungary has threatened to block a new package of European Union sanctions against Russia and stall efforts to help Ukraine, demanding the immediate resumption of Russian oil deliveries.
This ultimatum precedes a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels on Monday to discuss the bloc's 20th round of sanctions, hoping for approval by the fourth anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine on Tuesday.
Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó announced his intention to block the sanctions in a social media video on Sunday, accusing Ukraine of deliberately withholding Russian oil shipments via the Druzhba pipeline.
He stated: "We will not consent to the adoption of the 20th package of sanctions, because we have previously made it clear that until the Ukrainians resume oil shipments to Hungary, we will not allow decisions that are important to them to be approved."
Russian oil shipments to Hungary and Slovakia have been interrupted since 27 January.
Hungary threatens block EU sanctions on Russia over Ukraine pipeline dispute
Zelensky hints ‘real compromise’ could be made with Russia
Monday 23 February 2026 05:06 , Arpan RaiVolodymyr Zelensky has said that Ukraine is prepared for "real compromises" to end the war, but not at the expense of its independence or sovereignty.
He expressed willingness to discuss compromises with the United States, while rejecting repeated "ultimatums" from Russia.
Zelensky reiterated that Ukraine would consider peace based on current battlelines, accusing Russia of "terrorism" through its demands.
"Stay where we stay – this is a big compromise," Zelensky said, confirming reports that Ukraine is agreeing to freeze the current lines of conflict as part of any deal.
"They took almost 20 per cent of our territory and we are ready to speak about peace at this moment, on the basis of 'stay where we stay'.
"This is a big compromise. What does Russia offer us as a compromise? What are they ready to do?
"We are ready for real compromises. But not compromises at the cost of our independence and sovereignty. We are ready to speak about compromises with the United States. But not to get ultimatums from the Russians again and again. They are the aggressor. Everybody has recognised it,” he said.
"They said, 'We are ready not to occupy your other regions'. But it is terrorism. Even that language, it is terrorism. 'I'm ready not to kill you – give us everything',” the Ukrainian leader said, calling it an “ultimatum” and “not a compromise.
“That's why I said: We are ready for compromises that respect Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity, our army, our people, and our children. But we are not ready for ultimatums,” he said.
South Korea urges Russian embassy to remove 'victory' banner as Ukraine war anniversary nears
Monday 23 February 2026 04:12 , Arpan RaiSouth Korea has asked the Russian embassy in Seoul to take down a large banner reading "Victory will be ours", its foreign ministry said, just ahead of this week's fourth anniversary of the start of the war in Ukraine.
The ministry said in a statement on Sunday that it had conveyed its concerns to the embassy without clarifying whether it had received a response.
The roughly 15-metre (49.21 ft) banner, in the colours of the Russian flag and written in Russian, was hung on the embassy's outer wall in central Seoul ahead of the fourth anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine on Tuesday.
The banner remained in place on Monday.
In its statement, the ministry reiterated South Korea's position that Russia's invasion of Ukraine is illegal.
The ministry also said that military cooperation between Russia and North Korea should stop, describing it as a grave threat to South Korea's security and a violation of the UN Charter and UN Security Council resolutions.
Earlier this month, Russian ambassador to South Korea Georgy Zinoviev praised what he described as North Korean troops' role in fighting in Russia's Kursk region, according to media reports.
Lviv attack: Bomb explosions kill police officer and injure 24
Monday 23 February 2026 03:52 , Arpan RaiOne police officer was killed and 24 people were wounded after several explosive devices detonated at midnight in Lviv, in western Ukraine, the National Police said on Sunday, in an attack president Volodymyr Zelensky blamed on Russia.
"It has been preliminarily established that homemade explosive devices detonated," the police officials said.
Lviv mayor Andriy Sadovyi described the incident as a terrorist act and said a 23-year-old policewoman had died. Twelve people remained in hospital, two in serious condition, he said.
Interior minister Ihor Klymenko said a woman had been detained in connection with the investigation.
The police said that the first explosion occurred after a patrol crew arrived at the suspected scene of a shop break-in, while the second explosion occurred a little later.
Power restored to most households in Ukraine's Russia-controlled Zaporizhzhia
Monday 23 February 2026 03:41 , Arpan RaiEmergency crews have restored power to most areas hit by cuts after a major Ukrainian attack on energy infrastructure, the Russia-installed governor of the part of Zaporizhzhia region controlled by Moscow said.
Yevgeny Balitsky said power supplies had been restored to all but 12,000 households in a single district. Emergency crews were working to complete the job, he said.
Balitsky had earlier said two power outages had occurred in the region in southeastern Ukraine. Workers had already restored power to 50 per cent of the region and generators were supporting critical infrastructure.
In Russian-controlled Luhansk in Ukraine's northeast, a fuel reservoir caught fire after a Ukrainian drone attack on an oil depot, Leonid Pasechnik, the Moscow-installed leader, said.
Pope says peace in Ukraine 'cannot be postponed'
Monday 23 February 2026 03:18 , Arpan RaiPope Leo made an impassioned appeal on Sunday for peace in Ukraine, saying an end to the four-year-old conflict "cannot be postponed" as the United States tries to broker an elusive accord between Moscow and Kyiv.
Russia, which launched a full-scale invasion of its neighbour on February 24, 2022, used drones and ballistic and cruise missiles in its latest attacks overnight, the Ukrainian military and local officials said on Sunday.
"My heart goes out again to the dramatic situation that everyone can see," the pope said during his weekly address to pilgrims in St. Peter's Square after a Sunday prayer.
"So many victims, so many broken lives and families, so much destruction, so much unspeakable suffering."
The US has been seeking to mediate between the two sides, but progress has been halting, with Russia demanding Ukraine withdraw from parts of the eastern Donbas region it still controls, an idea Kyiv has rejected.
"Peace cannot be postponed," the pope said. "It is an urgent necessity that must find space in hearts and be translated into responsible decisions."
He said war was a "wound inflicted on the entire human family", which leaves behind "death, devastation, and a trail of pain that marks generations."
Ukraine attack seriously damages infrastructure in Russia's Belgorod
Monday 23 February 2026 03:11 , Arpan RaiA massive Ukrainian missile attack inflicted serious damage on energy infrastructure and disrupted supplies of power, heat and water in Russia's Belgorod region on the border with Ukraine, the region’s governor said.
"There has been, as a result, serious damage to energy infrastructure," governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said on Telegram on Monday.
"In residences, there are interruptions in supplies of electricity, water and heat."
Gladkov said the attack affected both the city of Belgorod, 40km (25 miles) from the border, and the surrouding area. He said the extent of damage would be assessed at first light.
Belgorod has frequently come under attack from Ukrainian forces in the conflict whose fourth anniversary will be marked this week.
After 4 years of war by Russia in Ukraine, peace is still elusive despite a US push for a settlement
Monday 23 February 2026 02:00 , Maira ButtWhen Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine surpassed 1,418 days last month, it officially exceeded a historic milestone — the same span of time it took Moscow to defeat Nazi Germany in World War II.
And unlike the Red Army that pushed all the way to Berlin eight decades ago in what it called the Great Patriotic War, Russia's 4-year-old, all-out invasion of its neighbor is still struggling to fully capture Ukraine’s eastern industrial heartland.
After Moscow failed to seize the capital of Kyiv and install a puppet government in February 2022, the conflict turned into trench warfare with tremendous cost. By some estimates, nearly 2 million soldiers are dead, wounded or missing on both sides in Europe’s most devastating conflict since World War II.
After 4 years of war by Russia in Ukraine, peace is still elusive despite a US push for a settlement
In case you missed it: Former UK PM Boris Johnson says UK should immediately send non-combat troops to Ukraine
Monday 23 February 2026 01:00 , Maira ButtFormer prime minister Boris Johnson has called for troops from the UK and Europe to be deployed immediately to Ukraine.
Mr Johnson said non-combat forces should be stationed in peaceful regions to send a firm message to Russian president Vladimir Putin otherwise the Russian leader would “keep going” with the conflict.
Speaking ahead of the four-year anniversary of the invasion, the former politician told BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg that Ukraine’s allies had been “too slow” to respond.
“We've always delayed needlessly,” he said. “We've then ended up giving the Ukrainians what they have been asking for, and actually it's always served to their advantage and to the disadvantage of Putin. I mean, the one person who suffers from escalation is Putin.”
Hungary threatens to block EU sanctions on Russia over Ukraine pipeline dispute
Monday 23 February 2026 00:01 , Maira ButtHungary has threatened to block a new package of European Union sanctions against Russia and stall efforts to help Ukraine, demanding the immediate resumption of Russian oil deliveries.
This ultimatum precedes a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels on Monday to discuss the bloc's 20th round of sanctions, hoping for approval by the fourth anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine on Tuesday.
Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó announced his intention to block the sanctions in a social media video on Sunday, accusing Ukraine of deliberately withholding Russian oil shipments via the Druzhba pipeline.
Hungary threatens block EU sanctions on Russia over Ukraine pipeline dispute
Watch: Life growing up in a cold and dark Ukraine under constant Russian attack
Sunday 22 February 2026 23:00 , Maira ButtPutin has started WW3, says Zelensky
Sunday 22 February 2026 22:10 , Maira ButtPresident Volodymyr Zelensky has warned that Russian leader Vladimir Putin has already started World War III and must be stopped.
“I believe that Putin has already started it [WW3],” he told the BBC.
“The question is how much territory he will be able to seize and how to stop him... Russia wants to impose on the world a different way of life and change the lives people have chosen for themselves.”
The comments come amid fraught ongoing trilateral discussions to secure a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine.
As the war approaches its four-year anniversary, Russia insists Ukraine surrender key territory while Zelensky is reluctant to any agreement that does not contain robust security guarantees.
Ukrainians discuss having and raising children in wartime despite falling birth rates
Sunday 22 February 2026 22:00 , Maira ButtUkrainians are continuing to have children and raise families in wartime despite a decline in birth rates since the outbreak of war almost four years ago.
“It’s scary. You don’t know their direction. We hide at home between two walls. Veronica recognises the air-raid sirens,” Valeriia Ivashchenko told The Guardian.
“When the invasion began, I didn’t have a kid. I want to continue to build our life here. War means you can only plan for the short or medium term.”
UN says Ukraine’s women at breaking point after four years of war
Sunday 22 February 2026 21:00 , Maira ButtThe United Nations has warned that women and girls in Ukraine are reaching a “breaking point” after four years of conflict.
One in three women-led organisations in Ukraine warned they may only survive six months or less with the current state of funding.
Attacks on energy infrastructure are also hitting women and girls hard.
“Those energy blackouts, they are not just technical disruptions,” chief of Humanitarian Action Sofia Calltorp told reporters in Geneva on Friday. “They directly undermine women's safety, protection, and economic security.”
Families have been left without heating, electricity, and reliable shelter amid brutal winter conditions.
Calltorp explained that extended darkness, lack of street lighting, and disrupted transport “severely restrict women’s mobility and increase exposure to harassment and accidents”.
UN Women reported that 2025 had been the deadliest year for women in Ukraine, with more than 5,000 killed and 14,000 since the war began in 2022.
Russian Olympics athlete disqualified after accidentally taking competitor's skis
Sunday 22 February 2026 20:30 , Maira ButtRussian athlete Dariya Nepryaeva was disqualified from the women's 50km classic cross-country race at the Winter Olympics on Sunday.
The 23-year-old accidentally took a competitor’s skis during a mid-race equipment change.
Germany's Katharina Hennig Dotzler finished ninth and said the skis she was left with were slower than those she would have used had her equipment not been taken.
“It was not the fastest one. This morning we tested four pairs of skis, and that was maybe the third or fourth. It’s a difference, but such things happen in sport,” she said.
Nepryaeva returned the skis and apologised. Russia and Belarus are not allowed to compete in the Olympics following the invasion of Ukraine but some athletes were permitted to compete individually.
Ukraine foreign minister responds to Pope Leo's call for a ceasefire
Sunday 22 February 2026 20:00 , Maira ButtUkraine’s foreign minister Andrii Sybiha has responded to Pope Leo’s call for an urgent ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine.
Speaking on Sunday during his weekly address, Pope Leo said peace in the region “cannot be postponed” and that ending the war is an “urgent necessity”.
Sybiha wrote in a post on X on Sunday: “We are grateful to His Holiness for his compassion and moral leadership. The Pontiff’s call for a ceasefire is very timely.
“The entire world wants Russia to finally cease fire and invest in diplomacy instead of new brutal strikes. We value the Holy See’s solidarity with Ukraine.”
Zelensky calls Lviv explosion a 'cynical and brutal terrorist act'
Sunday 22 February 2026 19:30 , Maira ButtUkrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has vowed to investigate a “terrorist attack” in Lviv on Sunda, which killed a 23-year-old female police officer.
“A cynical and brutal terrorist act is being investigated in Lviv,” he said in a post on X on Sunday.
“There were two explosions, and the second occurred after emergency services had already arrived at the scene. Twenty-five people were injured.
“Tragically, one person – a 23-year-old police officer – was killed. My condolences to her family and loved ones. All the injured are receiving assistance. Some are in serious condition, and doctors are doing everything possible to save lives.
“The circumstances of this terrorist attack are now being fully analysed. Many facts have already been established.
“The perpetrators were recruited via Telegram. The attack was organized by Russia. The Ministry of Internal Affairs, the National Police, and the Security Service of Ukraine will present further details to the public. We have intelligence indicating that the Russians intend to continue carrying out such actions – in effect, attacks on Ukrainians. We must strengthen protection for our people.”
Russia has not responded to the claims.
Ukraine blames Russia for 'terrorist attack' in Lviv
Sunday 22 February 2026 19:01 , Maira ButtUkrainian authorities believe that an attack in Lviv that killed one person and injured 25 others was a “terrorist attack”.
They believe the incident is linked to Russian special services, according to the Financial Times.
The regional prosecutor’s office said police were called about a break-in at a store in the city centre shortly after midnight. The incident near the Lviv opera house led to an explosion that was followed by a second around 15 minutes later.
National police released CCTV footage that shows a hooded figure walking up to a bin and placing a package on the pavement in front of the store.
UK will ‘make 2026 the year war ends’ says defence secretary
Sunday 22 February 2026 18:30 , Maira ButtUK defence secretary John Healey has expressed his hopes to be the first minister to deploy British troops to Ukraine in a bid to end the ongoing conflict.
Writing ahead of the four-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion he said “2026 must be the year this terrible war ends” in the Telegraph on Sunday.
“I want to be the defence secretary who deploys British troops to Ukraine – because this will mean that this war is finally over,” Mr Healey said.
“It will mean we have negotiated peace in Ukraine. And a secure Europe needs a strong, sovereign Ukraine.”
He added: “I am proud of our UK leadership. I am determined that we will make 2026 the year this war ends.”
20 drones intercepted after flights suspended at 3 Moscow airports
Sunday 22 February 2026 18:00 , Maira ButtFlights were suspended at three Moscow airports on Sunday due to a barrage of drone attacks according to aviation regulator Rosaviatsia.
Domodedovo, Vnukovo and Zhukovsky airports had operations paused in a series of recurring suspensions, while Sheremetevo airport was operating normally, Rosaviatsia said.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said 20 Ukrainian drones had been destroyed or intercepted en route to Moscow from about 3 p.m. (1200 GMT) in a series of posts on Telegram.
Johnson’s Ukraine comments typical of his attention-seeking, says Independent editor-in-chief
Sunday 22 February 2026 17:30 , Maira ButtHolly Patrick reports:
Boris Johnson's call for non-combat troops from the UK and Europe to be deployed immediately to Ukraine is "reckless and irresponsible," Geordie Greig told Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg.
The former prime minister said non-combat forces should be stationed in peaceful regions to send a firm message to Vladimir Putin, otherwise the Russian leader would “keep going” with the conflict.
Speaking on Sunday (22 February), The Independent editor-in-chief said of Mr Johnson's comments: "It's typical of attention-seeking stunts, which he's become known for.
"The idea that Johnson can flip a switch in Putin's mind is laughable."
UK defence ministry issues update on Russia’s blocking of WhatsApp
Sunday 22 February 2026 17:00 , Maira ButtThe UK’s ministry of defence has issued an update on the Kremlin’s blocking of the WhatsApp messenger app in a statement released on Sunday afternoon.
“The Kremlin has formally blocked access to WhatsApp telling reporters that the decision was taken because the platform failed to comply with Russian law – particularly requirements for data access and cooperation with law enforcement — and urging its roughly 100 million Russian users to switch to a domestic alternative,” it said on X.
“The move fits into a broader campaign to tighten state control over internet communications and information flow, which has intensified since Russia launched the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.”
It continued: “The ban on WhatsApp comes amid a wider regulatory push. Russia’s media regulator, Roskomnadzor, has also begun restricting access to Telegram, another major messaging platform used widely across the country.
“At the centre of the Kremlin’s strategy is ‘Max’ — a state-backed ‘super-app’ developed by the Russian technology group VK that integrates messaging with payment functions, government services, and other services within one platform.”
Latest Defence Intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine - 22 February 2026.
— Ministry of Defence 🇬🇧 (@DefenceHQ) February 22, 2026
Find out more about Defence Intelligence's use of language: https://t.co/awJjaS5M6P #StandWithUkraine pic.twitter.com/WgyZdii9lB
