Ukraine claws back southern territory as Russia’s war enters fifth year

As the war in Ukraine entered its fifth year, Ukrainian forces claimed territorial gains in the south. President Zelenskyy initially reported regaining 300 square kilometers since an unspecified time, while his commander later cited 400 square kilometers gained since late January. These gains, along with improved air defenses protecting Kyiv, occurred despite Russian drone and missile attacks. The Institute for the Study of War attributed Ukraine's success to disruptions in Russian military communications caused by the disconnection of illegal Starlink terminals and the partial disabling of Telegram. Despite these Ukrainian gains, Russia has captured 1.5% of Ukraine over the past three years at a high cost. The battle for Pokrovsk, a logistics hub in the Donetsk region, ended in a Russian victory after two years.

In Lviv, western Ukraine, a 23-year-old female police officer was killed and 25 people were injured in what Ukrainian officials are calling a terror attack. Two homemade explosive devices, planted in waste bins, detonated after police responded to a reported break-in early Sunday. A 33-year-old Ukrainian woman was detained as a suspect, with police stating she acted on the instructions of a Russian special services agent. The explosions occurred in the city center, with the first blast happening upon the arrival of a police car and a second when another crew arrived. The incident is being investigated as an act of terrorism. Separately, Ukraine faced overnight Russian strikes targeting the energy sector, residential buildings, and railways, resulting in at least one death in the Kyiv region.

On Sunday, just before the fourth anniversary of Russia's invasion, Russia launched a large-scale missile and drone attack targeting Ukrainian infrastructure. The attacks, which began around 4:00 am, impacted energy and rail infrastructure, as well as residential buildings across Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Russia launched approximately 50 missiles and 300 drones. One man was killed and a dozen people were wounded, including four children, in and around Kyiv. Rescuers were seen searching through the debris of damaged buildings in the Kyiv region. Zelensky condemned the attacks, stating that Russia is prioritizing strikes over diplomacy.

The UK Parliament is set to debate the release of documents concerning Prince Andrew's appointment as a UK trade envoy. A government minister has indicated that the government will likely not prevent MPs from voting to publish these documents. Separately, Keir Starmer acknowledged the resilience of the Ukrainian people, noting the initial expectation of a swift Russian victory four years ago. He recounted his visit to a Kyiv hospital and a primary school, highlighting the severe injuries and loss experienced by Ukrainians due to the conflict. Starmer urged people to combat the false narrative of Russia winning the war.

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico announced on February 23, 2026, that Slovakia is halting emergency electricity supplies to Ukraine. This action follows a two-day ultimatum issued to Ukraine to reopen the Druzhba pipeline, which transports Russian oil to Slovakia. Fico stated that the stoppage will remain in effect until oil transit resumes, citing a "purely political decision" by Ukraine to halt supplies. Ukraine claims the pipeline was shut down due to a Russian drone strike in late January. While Ukraine's grid operator stated they haven't been officially informed and it won't significantly impact their power system, Fico threatened further reciprocal steps, including reconsidering Slovakia's support for Ukraine's EU membership. Slovakia and Hungary, both reliant on Russian oil, have been urging Ukraine to resume deliveries.

On the eve of the fourth anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, EU support is faltering as Hungary threatens to block both a new package of sanctions against Russia and a €90 billion ($106 billion) financial aid package for Ukraine. Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who maintains close ties with Russia, has a history of delaying EU sanctions. Ukraine needs the aid package to fund its defense and essential needs, expecting the first installments this spring to avoid a budget crisis. Hungary cites disruptions to the Druzhba pipeline, which supplies Russian oil, as the reason for its opposition, despite Ukraine stating the damage was caused by a Russian attack and repairs are underway. The EU is attempting to resolve the situation, but Hungary's stance highlights the challenges of the bloc's consensus-based decision-making.

In a video address marking the fourth anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged Donald Trump to visit Ukraine, specifically Kyiv. Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine has not been broken and will not betray its people in negotiations with Russia. He emphasized that seeing Ukraine firsthand is crucial to understanding the reality of the war and identifying Russia as the aggressor. Zelenskyy recalled a phone call from President Biden offering to help him leave the country, but he declined. The address included footage from the early days of the invasion and showed Zelenskyy at a memorial for fallen soldiers. Trump has not yet accepted Zelenskyy's invitation to visit.

In February 2026, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke with U.S. President Donald Trump regarding ongoing peace negotiations with Russia. The conversation, which included U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, preceded a meeting between U.S. and Ukrainian officials in Geneva. Discussions covered topics for the Geneva meeting, preparations for trilateral talks with Russian officials expected in early March, and a potential prisoner swap. Zelenskyy hopes the upcoming trilateral meeting will facilitate leaders-level talks with Russia to resolve complex issues and end the war. Separately, Russian economic envoy Kirill Dmitriev will also be in Geneva to meet with U.S. negotiators on economic issues.

A Ukrainian delegation is heading to Geneva for US-brokered talks with Russian officials ahead of next week's fourth anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The meeting, scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday, is expected to be low-key, with little anticipation of significant progress on ending the war. Both sides appear to be sticking to their negotiating positions on key issues, including the future of Ukrainian land occupied or still coveted by Russia. The US has set a June deadline to reach a settlement, but no breakthroughs are anticipated. Ukraine's defenders continue to engage in a war of attrition with Russia along the 1,250-kilometer front line, while civilians face repeated aerial barrages and drone attacks. The talks come as Russia reports having shot down 229 Ukrainian drones in the previous 24 hours.

Russian and Ukrainian officials began a third round of US-brokered peace talks in Geneva on Tuesday, ahead of the war's fourth anniversary. The negotiations, led by Rustem Umerov for Ukraine, will address security and humanitarian issues. Despite the talks, Russia launched heavy air strikes across Ukraine, damaging infrastructure and leaving many without essential services. Ukraine's President Zelenskyy urged allies to increase pressure on Russia for a "real and just" peace deal. The US President Trump has pushed for a deal, stating Ukraine needs to come to the table quickly. Russia is demanding Ukraine cede the remaining 20 percent of the eastern region of Donetsk, which Ukraine refuses to do.

In an interview with Axios published on Tuesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed concern over what he perceives as undue pressure from former US President Donald Trump to resolve the ongoing conflict with Russia. Zelensky stated that Trump has been publicly calling on Ukraine, rather than Russia, to make concessions in peace negotiations. He added that any peace plan requiring Ukraine to cede territory in the Donbas region not currently occupied by Russia would be rejected in a referendum. Zelensky voiced hope that Trump's stance was merely a negotiating tactic. Trump recently stated that Ukraine needs to quickly come to the table for negotiations to be successful. The interview was conducted as Russian, Ukrainian, and US negotiators held talks in Geneva.

Russian army chief Valery Gerasimov visited troops in Ukraine and announced that Russian forces had seized 12 villages in eastern Ukraine during the first two weeks of February 2026. The announcement, made by the defense ministry, comes ahead of US-mediated talks in Geneva aimed at ending the nearly four-year war. Gerasimov noted the advances occurred despite severe winter conditions. While the pace of Russia's advance has increased since autumn, they have yet to achieve their goal of capturing the entire Donetsk region. Russia is demanding Kyiv withdraw from Donetsk as a condition for ending the conflict, a demand Ukraine rejects.

On Saturday, Ukrainian drones struck an industrial site in Russia's Udmurt Republic, wounding 11 people. While regional head Alexander Brechalov confirmed the attack and resulting damage, he did not identify the specific site. However, a Russian news channel, Astra, reported the target was the Votkinsk Machine Building Plant, a key state-owned missile factory that produces Iskander and intercontinental ballistic missiles. The attack, which occurred over 1,400 kilometers from Ukraine, prompted the suspension of operations at the Udmurt Republic's main airport and others nearby. This strike follows unsuccessful U.S.-brokered peace talks between Russia and Ukraine held in Switzerland earlier in the week, as the fourth anniversary of the war approaches.

On February 16, 2026, day 1,453 of the Russia-Ukraine war, fighting continued with both sides launching attacks. Russian forces struck multiple regions in Ukraine, including Dnipropetrovsk, Sumy, Zaporizhzhia, and Odesa, causing injuries and damaging infrastructure, leaving some without heat. Ukraine targeted a key oil terminal in the Krasnodar region of Russia, near Crimea, and launched a drone attack on the Russian Black Sea port of Taman, causing damage and fires. Russia claimed to have captured the village of Tsvitkove in the Zaporizhia region, while Ukrainian attacks left areas in the Bryansk region of Russia without heat and electricity. Russian air defenses also downed drones approaching Moscow.

Valerii Zaluzhnyi, the former army chief of Ukraine and now ambassador to the United Kingdom, has revealed a rift between himself and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. In an interview with the Associated Press in London on February 2, 2026, Zaluzhnyi, who is seen as a potential political rival to Zelenskyy, discussed the previously unseen tensions. The article suggests the disagreement may stem from differing views on the direction of the war and potentially, political ambitions. The revelation comes after Zaluzhnyi was removed from his position as army chief in February 2024. The details of the rift and its potential impact on Ukraine's political landscape remain to be seen.

After President Trump's return to the White House in January 2025, his promise to quickly end the war in Ukraine has not materialized. In 2025, the conflict worsened for Ukrainians, with increased civilian casualties and Russian territorial gains. Trump shifted U.S. policy by reducing aid to Ukraine by 99% and halting weapon shipments unless paid for, while simultaneously making overtures to Russia. Meanwhile, Russia increased weapons production and attacks, severely damaging Ukraine's power grid. Negotiations involving Russia, Ukraine, and the U.S. are scheduled, as Trump seeks to be credited with ending the war.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismissed Vladimir Putin's historical arguments as a "delay tactic" in peace negotiations, urging a focus on ending the war. Zelenskyy stated that debating history would only prolong the process and that the only relevant discussion is how to achieve a swift resolution. His comments followed talks in Switzerland between Ukrainian, U.S., and Russian officials, which Zelenskyy suggested yielded limited progress, particularly on sensitive political matters. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte questioned Russia's seriousness about negotiations, noting the presence of Vladimir Medinsky, known for emphasizing historical narratives. Medinsky described the talks as "difficult but businesslike."