US, Russia to reestablish high level military-to-military dialogue, US military says
The US and Russia have agreed to reestablish high level military-to-military dialogue, following talks in Abu Dhabi, more than four years after suspension, according to the US military.
The agreement was reached following meetings in Abu Dhabi between Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, the Commander of US European Command — who is also NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe — and senior Russian and Ukrainian military officials, the United States European Command said in a statement.
The channel “will provide a consistent military-to-military contact as the parties continue to work towards a lasting peace”, the statement said. High level military communication was suspended in 2021, just before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Poland preparing $56 million aid package for Ukraine, Tusk says
Poland is preparing a new 200 million zloty ($55.91 million) aid package for Ukraine mainly composed of armoured equipment, Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced during his joint news conference in Kyiv with President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Tusk said Poland could give Ukraine MiG-29 fighter jets at any time, but that Zelensky had told him Kyiv may need other air-defence equipment as a higher priority, and that he would discuss this with Polish officials and get back to the Ukrainian president about it on Monday.
Ukraine is ready to swap drones for Polish defence missiles and jets, Zelensky says
Ukraine is ready to swap its drones for air defence missiles and Polish MiG-29 fighter jets, said President Volodymyr Zelensky at a news conference with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk.
Zelensky also said the two discussed the development of power grid connectivity between Poland and Ukraine, whose energy system has been battered by Russian air strikes in recent months.
Talks between US, Russian and Ukrainian teams in Abu Dhabi 'not easy', Zelensky says
Negotiations between Ukrainian, Russian and US teams in Abu Dhabi have not been easy, said President Volodymyr Zelensky, adding that Kyiv wanted to see faster steps towards ending Russia’s invasion.
"It is certainly not easy, but Ukraine has been and will remain as constructive as possible," Zelensky told a press conference in Kyiv alongside Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, adding: "We want faster results."
Kyiv residents replace windows blown out by drone strike
In icy conditions, residents in Kyiv use wooden boards to replace broken windows in an apartment building damaged during a Russian overnight drone strike.
© Gleb Garanich, Reuters
Ukraine-Russia-US talks have concluded, Ukrainian spokesperson says
Ukraine and Russia have concluded the second day of US- brokered talks in Abu Dhabi aiming to find an end to the four-year war, a Ukrainian spokesperson said Thursday, after the warring sides agreed a prisoner swap.
"The negotiations have concluded," Diana Davitian, spokeswoman for Ukraine’s top negotiator Rustem Umerov, told journalists.
Russia, Ukraine swap 157 POWs each, Moscow says
Ukraine and Russia have conducted their first prisoner exchange in months, each releasing 157 captured soldiers, Russia’s defence ministry said Thursday, amid US-brokered talks in Abu Dhabi aimed at ending the war.
"On February 5, 157 Russian servicemen were returned" from Ukraine, the defence ministry said in a statement. It added that "in exchange, 157 prisoners of war of the Ukrainian Armed Forces were handed over."
The United States and United Arab Emirates acted as mediators for the exchange, it said.
Sweden gives $111 million energy aid to Ukraine
Sweden’s government has said it will provide aid to Ukraine’s energy system worth 1 billion Swedish crowns ($111.11 million).
Moscow says Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant must be Russian, but US could work there
Russia is ready for international cooperation over the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, including with the United States, a senior nuclear official was quoted as saying.
But the facility must be Russian, said Alexei Likhachev, head of the state nuclear corporation Rosatom.
Russian forces have controlled the plant in southern Ukraine since shortly after the start of the war in 2022. Its fate is one of the points of contention between Russia and Ukraine in peace talks mediated by the United States.
The six reactors are not in operation, and the plant relies on external power to keep its nuclear material cool and prevent a catastrophic accident.
Russian war bloggers report Starlink outage on Ukraine front
Russian military bloggers on Thursday reported a sweeping outage of Starlink internet terminals across the Ukraine front, after network owner Elon Musk shut them down following a plea from Kyiv.
At least nine bloggers close to the Russian army said connections had been lost, adding that this could weaken Moscow’s ability to wage drone warfare and hinder coordination between units.
Moscow does not have a home-produced alternative to the satellite internet terminals.
Ukraine-Russia peace talks set to continue after 'productive' first day
Ukrainian and Russian officials meet for a second day in Abu Dhabi Thursday to continue US-brokered peace talks after what Kyiv’s lead negotiator described as a “productive” first day.
The discussions aim to achieve practical steps toward peace and a possible prisoner exchange. Morgan Ayre reports.
Ukraine, Russia delegations agree to exchange 314 prisoners, US envoy Witkoff says
Delegations from the United States, Ukraine and Russia have agreed to exchange 314 prisoners, US President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff said in a post on X on Thursday.
"Discussions will continue, with additional progress anticipated in the coming weeks," he said.
Ukrainian pop star’s attempt to bring hope sparks ire amid Kyiv power cuts
Ukraine’s energy minister has cautioned that scheduled power outages may intensify in the coming days, even as 200 emergency teams race to restore heating in the capital.
Amid freezing temperatures and mounting hardship, a local pop star has drawn attention by using music in an attempt to lift spirits that provoked ire among Kyiv residents, correspondent Gulliver Cragg reports.
Starlink terminals used by Russia in Ukraine deactivated, minister says
Starlink internet terminals used by Russian forces in Ukraine have been deactivated, Kyiv’s defence minister said.
Defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov said on the Telegram app that Ukraine would continue to compile a list of verified terminals that are authorized for operations and the first batch on that list was already operational.
Ukraine hits infrastructure at Russian missile launch site, military says
Ukraine’s military said Thursday it carried out a series of "successful" strikes at the infrastructure of a Russian intermediate-range ballistic missile launch site in January.
Ukraine’s general staff said in a statement that some buildings were damaged, one hangar was "significantly" damaged and some personnel was evacuated from the Kapustin Yar test range near the Caspian Sea. It did not provide the dates of the attacks.
The military added it used its long-range capabilities to carry out the strikes, including the Ukrainian-made Flamingo missile.
Kremlin says it neither confirms nor denies visit by Macron’s top diplomat
The Kremlin said on Thursday that it could neither confirm nor deny reports that French President Emmanuel Macron’s top diplomat had visited Moscow this week.
Macron’s most senior diplomat was in Moscow on Tuesday to hold talks with Russian officials, said a French source who was aware of the meeting and two diplomatic sources.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that French sources were fond of leaking to the media.
Russia’s Dmitriev says progress made on Ukraine peace deal
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, said on Thursday that there had been progress in talks on a Ukraine peace deal.
"There is definitely progress, things are moving forward in a good, positive direction," Russian negotiator Kirill Dmitriev told state media.
Ukraine, Russia start second day of peace talks in Abu Dhabi
Ukraine and Russia on Thursday started a second day of US-brokered talks in Abu Dhabi to discuss how to end their four-year-old war, top Ukrainian negotiator Rustem Umerov said.
"The second day of negotiations in Abu Dhabi has begun," Umerov said on the Telegram app. "We are working in the same formats as yesterday: trilateral consultations, group work and further synchronisation of positions."
Russia attacked railway infrastructure in Ukraine’s Sumy region, deputy PM says
Russia carried out a "massive" drone attack on railway infrastructure in Ukraine’s northern Sumy region, Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Kuleba said on Thursday.
The railway’s energy infrastructure was also targeted, Kuleba said on the Telegram messaging app, posting photos of damaged railway cars.
"The enemy is trying to stop train traffic," Kuleba said, describing the attack as "another act of terrorism" against Ukrainian logistics.
