The Kyiv Independent’s Kollen Post sits down with retired U.S. astronaut Col. Terry W. Virts to discuss his time aboard the International Space Station alongside Russian colleagues in 2014–2015, during Russia’s annexation of Crimea and invasion of Ukraine's eastern regions. Virts shares personal recollections of how his crewmates fell under the sway of Russian propaganda — and why he believes space missions should remain above politics.
Those targeted include are citizens and residents of Russia, Hong Kong, Kyrgyzstan, and the United Arab Emirates.
Russian forces launched 101 drones at Ukrainian cities overnight, according to Ukraine's Air Force.
The number includes 1,040 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.
"An agent of our movement set fire to a hardware module at the base of a communication tower. As a result of the destruction of the ground equipment, all the infrastructure installed on the mast was completely de-energized and put out of action," the Atesh partisan group announced.
"The Armed Forces of Ukraine attacked our region using long-range Neptune missiles and HIMARS multiple rocket launcher systems," Bryansk Oblast Governor Alexander Bogomaz claimed. "As a result of the attack, power supply was disrupted in seven municipalities."
Blackouts and heating outages were reported in the Russian city of Belgorod on Feb. 7 after alleged attacks on a local thermal power plant and electrical substation.
"This is a level of attack that no terrorist in the world has ever dared," President Volodymyr Zelensky said the following evening.
The controversy erupted after promotional photos appeared on social media showing models styled as schoolgirls in a classroom setting, wearing outfits widely perceived as sexualized versions of high school uniforms.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban criticized Ukraine for calling on the EU halt imports of cheap Russian energy. "Anyone who says this is an enemy of Hungary, so Ukraine is our enemy," he said at a rally on Feb. 7.
British defense officials told the Guardian that military options for seizing ships were discussed during consultations among NATO allies.
An unidentified drone was found on Moldovan territory on Feb. 6, Moldovan authorities reported.
India's Ministry of Commerce has not publicly confirmed the White House's claim that New Delhi agreed to halt imports of Russian oil.
Data from the FIRMS satellite monitoring service, which tracks fires worldwide in near real time, showed active burning on the plant's territory following the strike.
