Listed below are the important thing developments on the 1,093rd day of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Right here is the scenario on Friday, February 21:
Combating
- Russian forces took again greater than 800 sq. kilometres (309 sq. miles) from Ukrainian troops in western Russia’s Kursk area, the Krasnaya Zvezda newspaper reported, quoting Colonel Normal Sergei Rudskoi, head of the Russian Normal Workers’s fundamental operational directorate. The realm is about 64 p.c of the land initially seized by Kyiv, the newspaper claimed.
- Moscow’s forces attacked Ukraine’s power infrastructure within the southern Odesa area for a second time, Kyiv’s power agency DTEK mentioned. The primary assault left considered one of Odesa’s districts with out heating and energy.
- Ukraine’s army mentioned Russian forces launched 161 drones in an in a single day assault on Ukraine, out of which 80 have been shot down and 78 have been “misplaced”. Moscow additionally attacked the northeastern Kharkiv area with 14 missiles.
Politics & Diplomacy
- Russian Central Financial institution’s Governor Elvira Nabiullina mentioned the financial institution was not concerned within the talks with the US on lifting sanctions or the freeze on Russia’s international nation reserves.
- Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov mentioned any plans by the UK to ship troops to Ukraine as a part of a possible peacekeeping mission can be unacceptable. Such a transfer would contain forces from a NATO member state, which might have crucial ramifications for Russia’s safety, Peskov mentioned. Russia’s international minister has branded such plans a “direct risk”.
- Peskov mentioned that Russia had agreed to renew dialogue with the US on “all parameters” relating to the struggle on Ukraine, together with prisoner exchanges.
- He additionally slammed Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for his “inadmissible” and “unacceptable” remarks about different heads of state, after Zelenskyy accused US President Donald Trump of residing in a Russian-fuelled “disinformation bubble” when it got here to Ukraine.
- White Home Nationwide Safety Adviser Mike Waltz additionally criticised Zelenskyy’s feedback, saying Ukraine must “tone it down and take a tough look and signal that deal”, referring to the rare earth minerals that the US now desires for serving to Kyiv’s struggle effort.
- Ukraine started talks with the Worldwide Financial Fund’s workforce engaged on the nation’s newest mortgage programme assessment, which may unlock about $917m in new funds.
- Kyrylo Budanov, Ukraine’s army intelligence company chief, mentioned he believes a ceasefire between Moscow and Kyiv may occur this yr. “How lengthy it will likely be, how efficient it will likely be – is one other query,” Budanov added.
- The Related Press information company reported that Zelenskyy and Trump’s particular envoy to Ukraine and Russia Keith Kellogg had a gathering in Ukraine, however {that a} joint information convention scheduled for afterwards was cancelled on the US’s request. Nonetheless, Zelenskyy mentioned the “detailed” assembly with Kellogg was “good” and “restore[d] hope.”
- NATO chief Mark Rutte mentioned any European safety ensures for Ukraine below a future peace deal would should be backed by the US, “not with boots on the bottom”, however backup to make sure that the deterrence is there, he mentioned.
- Regardless of rigidity with the US, Zelenskyy mentioned Kyiv was able to work with Washington to supply a “robust, efficient funding and safety settlement” when coping with Russia and a peace deal.
- “We have now proposed the quickest and most constructive approach to obtain outcomes. Our workforce is able to work 24/7,” Zelenskyy mentioned.
