State Border of Ukraine
Temporary restrictions for freight transport on the Ukrainian-Romanian border have been lifted. Earlier, traffic was suspended due to difficult weather conditions.
In Odesa, an indictment has been sent to court against a group that illegally took orphaned children abroad for adoption. The perpetrators trafficked at least 13 children, disguising their activities as "hosting programs."
Antenna equipment and a camouflaged electronic warfare system of the occupiers were also eliminated.
Key problems in the regions are vulnerable distribution networks due to lack of protection and strikes on boiler houses, which can leave people without heat.
NABU and SAP found that former Minister of Energy Herman Halushchenko received almost $13 million over 4 years. These funds were legalized through a fund on the island of Anguilla and offshore companies.
The SBU staged a spectacular "bavovna" (explosion) at the Velikolukskaya oil depot in the Pskov region; the enemy's anti-drone nets did not help.
Law enforcement agencies of Ukraine, Poland, and Moldova conducted operation "Rubicon", liquidating a transnational drug network. 104 people were detained, 34 drug laboratories and 74 warehouses were uncovered.
Over the past day, 237 combat engagements were recorded on the front, almost half more than the day before. Most attacks occurred in the Huliaipole and Pokrovsk directions.
President Zelenskyy expressed doubts that negotiating teams can resolve territorial issues between Ukraine and Russia. According to him, a peace agreement must be approved by the Ukrainian people.
At the trilateral talks in Geneva, Ukraine and Russia made significant progress, agreeing to inform their leaders and continue working on a peace agreement. According to White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt, another round of negotiations will take place.
On the M-15 highway (Odesa – Reni), the movement of freight transport, buses, and minibuses is temporarily restricted due to bad weather. Passenger cars move without restrictions, and checkpoints operate as usual.
The Prosecutor General announced the notification of suspicion to a supplier of substandard ballistic glasses for the military, totaling UAH 154. 8 million. The suspect fled abroad after a similar suspicion was issued to another entrepreneur; both companies are controlled by the same individual.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated his readiness to discuss the withdrawal of troops from the Donetsk region if Russia does the same. He rejected Russia's claims of sovereignty over this territory.
According to UNICEF, 2,589,900 Ukrainian children are displaced. Of these, more than 791,000 are internally displaced and almost 1,798,900 are refugees.
The High Anti-Corruption Court chose a pre-trial restraint for former Minister of Energy Herman Halushchenko in the form of detention. The alternative is a bail of 200 million hryvnias, the term of arrest is 60 days.
The State Border Guard Service is restricting traffic through checkpoints on the border with Moldova starting at 5:00 AM on February 18, 2026. The restriction applies to freight vehicles and passenger transport due to severe weather conditions.
Former Minister of Energy Herman Halushchenko stated in court his readiness to post bail of 20-30 million hryvnias. He is suspected of participating in a criminal organization and legalizing over 7.4 million US dollars.
The defense of former Minister of Energy Herman Halushchenko stated that the procedural documents were drawn up in a non-state language. This refers to Russian words used to quote the dialogues of the suspects.
In the occupied territory of Crimea, Russia imposes its citizenship, depriving people of the opportunity to move, work, and receive medical care without Russian documents. This is a forced necessity for survival, not a voluntary choice, notes Akhtem Chiygoz.
Former Minister of Energy Herman Halushchenko traveled outside Ukraine 58 times from 2018 to 2025, including during martial law. The defense emphasizes that he also returned to the country 58 times, without attempting to hide.
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 SAP prosecutor requested the arrest or bail of UAH 425 million 984 thousand for former Minister of Energy Herman Halushchenko. He is suspected of participating in a criminal organization and laundering over USD 7.4 million.
The SAP prosecutor announced that former Minister of Energy Herman Halushchenko faces 7 to 12 years of imprisonment with property confiscation. This is related to the suspicion of committing particularly serious, multi-episode crimes.
Last week, the Armed Forces of Ukraine liberated 201 square kilometers of territory, taking advantage of the Russians' loss of Starlink. This is the largest recaptured territory since June 2023.
The relevant issue will be considered in court in the near future.
Poland scrambled military aircraft on the night of February 17 due to Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukraine. Polish military also recorded objects resembling balloons from Belarus.
The High Anti-Corruption Court partially satisfied the complaint of former Minister of Energy Herman Halushchenko, determining the time of detention. The court refused to release the suspect from custody.
A three-year-old Ukrainian girl, abducted by her father in October 2025, has been found in Moldova. The girl was handed over to her mother, and the father was detained for extradition to Ukraine.
Since the beginning of the day, 78 combat engagements have taken place on the front, with the enemy most active in the Pokrovsk and Huliaipole directions. The enemy shelled Sumy Oblast and carried out 39 shellings in the Northern Slobozhansky and Kursk directions.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that a wider range of issues, including territories, would be discussed at the trilateral talks in Geneva. The Russian delegation will be headed by Vladimir Medinsky, and Kirill Dmitriev and Igor Kostyukov will also participate.