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Morning Headlines
Reuters: Restaurants and cafes are closing down in Russia at the fastest pace since the start of the war in Ukraine four years ago as consumption stalls even in affluent Moscow.
Sweden intends to enable a loan of an additional SEK 2.5 billion ($277 million) to Ukraine via the World Bank by guaranteeing repayment of the loan. This means that Sweden will enable additional budget support to Ukraine in early 2026.
The Kyiv Independent: President Volodymyr Zelensky reiterated on Feb. 18 that Ukraine will not cede territory to Russia or withdraw from land it currently controls, as U.S.-brokered talks aimed at ending Russia’s full-scale invasion remain deadlocked over territory ahead of the war’s fourth anniversary.
Reuters: The Telegram messaging app said that it had not found any breaches of its encryption, dismissing a Russian government allegation that foreign intelligence services are able to see messages sent by Russian soldiers.
Politico: Former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has two key pieces of advice for anyone negotiating with Putin. First and most importantly, never trust him; and second, only start talking to the Russian leader when you’re arguing from a position of strength.
The Kyiv Independent: Ukraine reportedly struck an oil depot in Russia's Pskov Oblast and launched missiles at the Russian city of Belgorod, causing power outages in parts of the city, Telegram news channels and local authorities reported overnight Feb. 18-19.
Reuters: Democratic U.S. senators traveling in Ukraine and neighboring countries on Wednesday vowed to return to Washington and push for stiff new energy sanctions and other legislation to put pressure on Russia to end its aggression against Ukraine.
ISW: Putin is likely setting informational conditions to restart limited, rolling involuntary reserve call-ups as Russia appears to be struggling to replace its losses in Ukraine with existing force generation mechanisms.
More News
OCCRP: The workhorse of Russia’s drone fleet — responsible for crippling Ukraine's energy grid and triggering a humanitarian crisis — is built with EU technology. Despite tightening sanctions, parts for the Geran-2 are still flowing into Russia with ease.
Reuters: Canada will step up support to Ukraine's energy sector, working with industry to supply oil and gas equipment on favourable terms and boost renewable energy investments, the two governments said on Wednesday.
The Kyiv Independent: Ukrainian forces struck six Russian military targets over the past two days, Ukraine's General Staff said on Feb. 18, including overnight attacks on military facilities in Russian-occupied territories.
OCCRP: British authorities allege that Alexander Kuksov, a Russian with Maltese citizenship, was part of a major money laundering operation. His brother was convicted for his role in the same network.
The Moscow Times: Russia’s stock market has slumped since Putin in May 2024 set a goal of doubling its capitalization to 66% of GDP by 2030 — a target that now looks increasingly out of reach as market value has fallen sharply amid war‑related sanctions and weak investor demand.
United24 Media: Ukraine’s military intelligence has published the identities of individuals and organizations allegedly involved in a Russian state-backed program that removes Ukrainian children from temporarily occupied territories under the guise of cultural excursions.
The Kyiv Independent: Ukraine is considering requiring passport verification for the purchase of local SIM cards in response to Russia's latest use of FPV drones, Serhii Beskrestnov, adviser to Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, said on Feb. 18.
Bloomberg: Russia’s oil producers reduced the pace of drilling in 2025 to the lowest level in three years, dimming the outlook for output growth this year as Western sanctions and a strong ruble undercut revenue (archive).
Reuters: Russian crude shipments in January made up the smallest portion of India's oil imports since late 2022, according to data from industry sources, while Middle Eastern supplies rose to their highest share over the same period.
Reuters: Global oil firms and traders including Vitol, Trafigura and TotalEnergies have won tenders to supply Libya with gasoline and diesel as the country grants large Western players wider access and reduces imports of Russian fuel.
Reuters: Citigroup announced on Wednesday the sale of its former Russian subsidiary to Renaissance Capital, a transaction already approved by regulators and which completes Citi’s full exit from the country.
United24 Media: Russia is preparing to expand the use of naval drones in its war against Ukraine, with plans indicating a potential shift toward mass deployment in the Black Sea.
Politico: The EU’s sports commissioner won’t be going to the opening ceremony of the Paralympics over a decision to allow athletes from Russia and Belarus to fly their national flags.
Reuters: Ukraine officials will boycott the Milano Cortina Paralympics next month over the participation of a handful of Russian and Belarusian athletes cleared to compete under their flags, Ukraine's Sports Minister Matvii Bidnyi said on Wednesday.
Reuters: Ukraine imposed a package of sanctions against Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on Wednesday, vowing to "increase countermeasures" against Minsk for its wartime assistance to Russia.
The Insider has identified more than 300 companies that make purchases specifically for the Kremlin’s military-industrial complex. If these were all to be added to sanctions lists at the same time, it could deal a serious blow to Russia’s military production efforts.
worth mentioning
Ukraine's SBU denies Zaluzhnyi's claim that office was raided in 2022 while army commander
Romania calls for NATO Black Sea mission
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