At the same time, the channel plans to show the opening and closing ceremonies and inform viewers about the context of the admission of athletes from the Russian Federation and Belarus.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has warned the US against igniting a tariff war and expressed hope for a partnership with China. He plans to discuss this issue with Donald Trump in Washington and with Chinese leaders during a visit to China.
Kremlin special representative Kirill Dmitriev stated that the US will lift sanctions against Russia, as they have cost American businesses over $300 billion. He claims that the portfolio of potential US-Russian projects amounts to over $14 trillion.
Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson called on Europe to truly support Ukraine by providing it with all weapons, including long-range missiles. He emphasized the need to stop Russia's "shadow fleet" activities and unfreeze Russian assets.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine state that the admission of Russian and Belarusian athletes under national flags to the Paralympic Games is unacceptable. This decision undermines trust in international sports and justifies the crimes of the aggressors.
Expert Serhiy Kuyun states that the cessation of diesel fuel supplies from Hungary and Slovakia is not critical for Ukraine. These supplies account for up to 10% of the market and can be easily replaced.
Russia has classified key economic data, concealing the real level of poverty and the state of the economy. 168 tables were removed from statistical compilations, and 115 indicators stopped being updated in the Unified Interdepartmental Information and Statistical System (EMISS).
Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó announced the cessation of diesel fuel supplies to Ukraine. This decision followed the suspension of oil transportation through the Druzhba pipeline.
A special legal regime, Defence City, has been launched in Ukraine to scale up defense production. However, the requirements for residents, particularly regarding the absence of criminal proceedings, raise questions and may hinder the industry's development.
Hungary and Slovakia have approached the European Commission regarding the possibility of purchasing Russian oil via sea routes. The Hungarian company MOL has already ordered the first batches, which are expected to arrive in early March.
The European Commission has confirmed contacts with Ukraine regarding the repair of the "Druzhba" oil pipeline, which is hindering the supply of Russian oil to Hungary and Slovakia. These countries have 90-day reserve stocks, which eliminates short-term risks to supply security.
The relevant ministry believes that the decision to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to participate in the Paralympic Games under national flags is outrageous and effectively contributes to the "normalization" of Russia's war against Ukraine.
Ukraine has imposed sanctions against Lukashenka for his assistance in Russian aggression. Zelenskyy stated that Belarus is helping Russia circumvent sanctions and supplies components for missiles.
Six Russian and four Belarusian athletes will be allowed to compete under national flags at the 2026 Paralympic Games in Milan-Cortina. Russia received six spots in para-alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, and snowboarding, while Belarus received four spots in cross-country skiing.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Russian missiles and drones contain thousands of components that Russia does not produce. These include parts from China, Europe, the USA, and Japan, which highlights the aggressor's dependence on foreign supplies.
Yulia Svyrydenko instructed to accelerate the audit of "dormant" licenses for strategic minerals and oil and gas subsoil. Systemic solutions in the field of subsoil use are expected in March, and the first sanctioned assets will be put up for auction.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the return of 2,000 Ukrainian children from Russia's control. Thousands of children remain hostages of the Russian Federation, he emphasized.
The GUR recorded Starlink disconnections among Russian occupiers along the entire front line. Russians are forced to use low-quality Gazprom terminals, which do not provide stable communication.
SBU drones carried out a deep strike on the Metafrax Chemicals plant in the Perm Krai, which is one of the largest methanol producers. The plant produces chemical components for explosives and is under sanctions.
The European Commission has confirmed plans to adopt a new package of sanctions against Russia by February 24. This marks the fourth anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
France allowed the GRINCH tanker to leave its waters after the owning company paid a multi-million euro fine. The vessel was detained on suspicion of sanctions evasion and belonging to Russia's "shadow fleet."
The EU Council has updated the list of non-cooperative tax jurisdictions, adding Vietnam and the Turks and Caicos Islands. Fiji, Samoa, and Trinidad and Tobago were removed from the list, leaving 10 countries and territories.
Iranian media confirmed indirect talks between the US and Iran in Geneva. Iran demands a complete lifting of sanctions and confidence-building measures regarding its nuclear program.
One Russian 'Shahed/Geran' type drone can contain up to 12 transistors manufactured by the German company Infineon Technologies. Russia receives these components through shadow schemes, bypassing sanctions.
President Zelenskyy reported that the Russian attack was aimed at damaging Ukraine's energy infrastructure. As a result of the strike, 9 people were injured, the railway was damaged, and Odesa is experiencing heat and water outages.
French President Emmanuel Macron begins a three-day visit to India, where he will meet with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The main topics of discussion are cooperation in the field of artificial intelligence and a potential contract for the supply of 114 Dassault Rafale fighter jets.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met with IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi on February 16 in Geneva. The meeting took place ahead of the second round of talks between Tehran and Washington.
Due to the mass breakdown of garbage trucks, the capital of Cuba is on the verge of an ecological catastrophe. This is caused by financial restrictions from the United States and the inability to purchase spare parts.
Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković rejected Hungary's and Slovakia's request for Russian oil transit, accusing Budapest of manipulation. Hungary called Croatia an "unreliable transit country" seeking a monopoly.
Czech President Petr Pavel stated that there were attempts to interfere with ammunition purchases for Ukraine, but no corruption was recorded. Czechia involved 15 countries and supplied over 4.4 million rounds of ammunition.
