US President Donald Trump has confirmed that his administration is actively engaged in discussions with Ukraine, Russia, and other relevant parties. In a statement made on February 2, Trump told journalists that meetings and talks with various parties, including Ukraine and Russia, have been scheduled. He expressed optimism, stating that the discussions were progressing well. These comments came shortly after Keith Kellogg, the US special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, highlighted the necessity for both sides to make concessions to reach a resolution in the ongoing conflict. Kellogg noted that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had indicated a willingness to soften his stance on territorial issues, while Russian President Vladimir Putin would also have to adjust his positions for meaningful progress.

Zelensky, in a separate statement, emphasized the importance of Ukraine's involvement in any talks aimed at resolving the conflict. He stressed that it would be dangerous to exclude Kyiv from negotiations, asserting that representatives from the US, Ukraine, Russia, and the EU should all participate in discussions. Furthermore, Zelensky reiterated that Ukraine would not accept any compromises that recognized Russian-occupied territories as part of Russia, even under significant external pressure. Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio echoed Kellogg’s sentiment, acknowledging that reaching an agreement would require concessions from both Moscow and Kyiv, including Ukraine potentially relinquishing its goal of regaining all territory seized by Russia.

In a related development, Zelensky revealed that Ukrainian forces had successfully struck a Russian military command post in Kursk Oblast, resulting in the deaths of dozens of officers, including both Russian and North Korean personnel. The attack, carried out on January 31, targeted a central command post on the Kursk front, using missiles and other weaponry in a coordinated assault. Zelensky further disclosed that Russia had deployed around 12,000 North Korean soldiers to Kursk to support its war efforts, with over 4,000 of them already killed in action. Despite this heavy loss, Russia reportedly plans to send additional North Korean soldiers to the region.

On the ground in Ukraine, Russian forces have intensified their efforts to capture the village of Andriivka in Donetsk Oblast. Russian troops are attacking from multiple fronts, including from the areas of Slovianka and Petropavlivka, using dug-in fortifications to advance toward the village. Despite these efforts, Ukrainian forces continue to resist, though the situation remains difficult. Analysts suggest that the Russians may have gained a foothold on the northeastern outskirts of Andriivka, and further assaults are expected in the coming days.

Meanwhile, on February 2-3, Ukrainian drones launched attacks on fuel and energy infrastructure in Russia’s Astrakhan and Volgograd oblasts. The strikes resulted in fires, though there were no reported casualties. Russian authorities confirmed that air defense systems had intercepted a large number of Ukrainian drones, with 70 drones destroyed over Russian territory. Among the targeted sites was a gas processing plant near Astrakhan and an oil refinery in Volgograd, one of the largest in Russia. Ukrainian officials stated that these strikes aim to disrupt fuel production that supplies the Russian military, particularly targeting refineries producing gasoline, diesel, and aircraft fuel.

In Ukraine, the government has condemned recent acts of violence against military enlistment officers. Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander-in-Chief of Ukraine’s Armed Forces, called for an investigation into the violence, which has seen military personnel attacked in multiple incidents. These include the murder of a serviceman in Poltava Oblast and explosions at enlistment offices in Rivne and Pavlohrad. Syrskyi stressed that such acts of violence are unacceptable and called for the perpetrators to be held accountable. The Ukrainian military has vowed to continue improving its enlistment processes while ensuring the protection of personnel.

Additionally, the Russian military has reportedly developed new systems to control multiple unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) simultaneously. The Russian Ministry of Defense confirmed the use of ground control systems (GCS) capable of operating a "swarm" of drones using a single remote control. This technology is reportedly helping Russian forces bypass electronic warfare measures while conducting operations against Ukraine.

Sources:

• Ukrainska Pravda
• Radio Free Europe
• ISW
• DeepState
• Telegram
• AP