Ukraine
An explosion occurred at the Kolomyia District TCC at 01:15, classified by the SBU as a terrorist act. There were no casualties, and the building was damaged.
The President of Ukraine reported significant progress in the military aspect of the negotiations on ending the war. The military agreed on approaches to monitoring the ceasefire, provided there is political will.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that he expects a detailed report on the results of all meetings in Geneva. The priority is security guarantees for Ukraine, and Ukrainian representatives have clear directives.
Russian occupiers continue their offensive on Hryshyne, but the Defense Forces are detecting and destroying the enemy. The eastern part of the settlement has been cleared, and about 10 occupiers have been eliminated.
Negotiations involving Ukraine, the US, and Russia in Geneva have concluded. The work of the political and military groups lasted approximately two hours.
The talks in Geneva involving Ukraine, the US, and Russia lasted about two hours. The head of the Russian delegation called them "difficult but businesslike," and a new meeting will take place "in the near future."
In Ukraine, passage on state roads is ensured, but weather deterioration is expected. Traffic is restricted on the M-15 Odesa – Reni and H-31 Dnipro – Tsarychanka – Kobeliaky – Reshetylivka highways.
President Zelenskyy held a meeting with Ukrainian negotiators before the second day of talks in Geneva. He noted that Russia is trying to prolong the negotiations and set the task of making them productive.
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.
Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin expressed concern about the war in Ukraine. He noted that from both sides, there does not seem to be real progress towards peace.
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.
Sweden has recognized Russia as the main military threat to itself and NATO. A military intelligence report points to airspace violations and cyber operations as examples of aggressive actions.
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.
Georgia's "friendliness" rating towards Russia increased from 15 to 19. 4 points over the year, according to a study by a Russian institute. The country is now in the category of "Relatively friendly/unfriendly communication regimes."
Over the past day, 160 combat engagements took place at the front, with 31 attacks occurring in the Huliaipole direction. The enemy launched missile and air strikes, using kamikaze drones and MLRS.
On the night of February 18, Russia launched an Iskander-M ballistic missile and 126 attack UAVs at Ukraine. Air defense forces shot down or suppressed 100 enemy drones.
US President's Special Envoy Steve Vitkoff announced significant progress after the first day of trilateral talks in Geneva. Both sides agreed to inform their leaders and continue working towards reaching an agreement.
Oleksandr Zinchenko, Artem Dovbyk, and Illia Zabarnyi are the highest-paid Ukrainian footballers. Their annual salaries in European clubs range from 5 to 5.56 million euros gross.
According to foreign intelligence, the Kremlin plans to create an interdepartmental group to promote "traditional values" in the Russian information space. This includes banning films that discredit these values and introducing new subjects in schools.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy believes that a face-to-face meeting with Putin is the best way to resolve the territorial issue. He instructed his team to organize such a meeting in Geneva.
Rustem Umerov met with representatives of the USA, France, Great Britain, Germany, Italy, and Switzerland. The parties discussed the results of the negotiations and synchronized approaches for further steps.
According to journalist Barak Ravid, negotiations in the political group in Geneva today "stalled. " According to sources, the reason was the positions presented by Russia's new chief negotiator, Vladimir Medinsky.
Ihor Zhovkva met with NATO Assistant Secretary General Boris Ruge. New defense support packages, which Ukraine expects to receive by February 24, were discussed.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy does not rule out the possibility of running in future elections, provided he has the support of the people. He suggested that elections could take place during an unstable ceasefire.
President Zelenskyy stated that the US had promised to provide licenses for the production of air defense missiles for Patriots, but ultimately refused. Ukraine proposed joint production in Europe, specifically with Romania and Poland.
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.
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.
On February 18, a significant deterioration of weather conditions is expected in Ukraine, with the exception of the western regions. To coordinate rescue services, the Emergency Response Headquarters begins round-the-clock operation.
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.
The energy crisis of 2025-2026 forced Ukrainian enterprises to reduce production and change working hours. Small businesses found themselves in the most vulnerable position, and electricity prices increased by 60%.