Russia and Ukraine to Resume Peace Talks
The Kremlin has confirmed that the next round of peace talks aimed at ending the war in Ukraine will take place on February 17–18 in Geneva, Switzerland.
More than 30,000 foreigners who recently acquired Russian citizenship but failed to register for military service have been identified and added to mobilization lists, according to Alexander Bastrykin, chairman of the Investigative Committee, as reported by Russian news agency Interfax on Thursday.
Bastrykin disclosed this information during a legal forum in St. Petersburg, stating that these individuals are now obligated under Russian law to participate in military operations if required. He emphasized that around 10,000 of these new citizens have already been deployed to the front lines in Ukraine.
The origins of these individuals who obtained Russian passports were not specified by Bastrykin or the Investigative Committee.
Russian President Vladimir Putin previously asserted that no new mobilization efforts were necessary to support ongoing military activities in Ukraine. Just two weeks ago, Putin announced that nearly 700,000 Russian military personnel are currently stationed in Ukraine.
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian Air Force successfully intercepted and destroyed all 23 drones and five of six missiles launched by Russia during recent hostilities. Serhiy Tyurin, regional governor of Ukraine's Khmelnytskyi region, confirmed that nine aerial objects were neutralized by Ukrainian air defenses in his area, with no reported casualties or significant damage.
In Mykolaiv Oblast, Ukrainian forces reportedly downed six drones and three cruise missiles, as stated by Governor Vitaly Kim. Additionally, two drones were intercepted over Kherson Oblast and one over Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, underscoring Ukraine's efforts to counter airborne threats amid ongoing conflict with Russia.
The Kremlin has confirmed that the next round of peace talks aimed at ending the war in Ukraine will take place on February 17–18 in Geneva, Switzerland.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said that Europe’s “easiest path to victory” would be to stop providing financial assistance to Ukraine.
President Volodymyr Zelensky is not preparing to announce presidential elections or a referendum on a potential peace agreement with Russia on Feb. 24, the fourth anniversary of the start of Moscow’s full-scale invasion
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to present a roadmap for holding presidential elections on February 24, together with a proposal for a nationwide referendum on a potential peace agreement with Russia.
Japan is preparing to deepen its cooperation with NATO by joining an alliance-backed framework aimed at supporting Ukraine
WHO launched its Humanitarian Appeal for Ukraine 2026, requesting USD 42 million to protect access to health care for 700,000 people.
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