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New START expires, frees US, Russia from decades of nuclear arms restrictions

"If it expires, it expires," U.S. President Donald Trump said in his interview with The New York Times when asked about his intentions to extend the New START treaty that officially ended on Feb. 5. The expiration would put an end to the last bilateral agreement limiting Russian and U.S. nuclear arsenals — a combined 80% of the world's total. Russia's President Vladimir Putin announced his support for extending the treaty in September. "We consider this a very important topic," said Kremlin s

U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington, D.C., U.S. on Feb. 5, 2026.

As Russian losses in Ukraine mount, the Kremlin strains to avoid full mobilization

As casualties in Ukraine continue to mount, the Kremlin is seeking new sources of manpower while trying to avoid the political shock of full mobilization. Just days before the New Year, Russian leader Vladimir Putin signed laws expanding military conscription. The changes allow year-round drafting and authorize the use of reservists to guard critical infrastructure. At the same time, a growing trend is drawing attention — the share of ethnic Russians among the dead is rising, as is the number

A military parade takes place on Red Square in Moscow, Russia, on May 9, 2025

Kyiv power plant struck in Feb. 3 Russian attack will take 'no less than 2 months' to repair, Mayor Klitschko says

Editor's note: This is a developing story and is being updated. Parts of east Kyiv could be without heating for at least two months, officials have warned. On Feb. 5, Kyiv Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko announced that repairs on the Darnytsia Thermo-Electric Station would take "no less than two months," even barring new strikes. The Darnytsia thermal power station supplied heating to 1,100 apartment buildings on the eastern side of Kyiv and came under attack on Feb. 3, resulting in what Klitschko te

EU ambassador pushes back on criticism of Europe's decision-making

The Kyiv Independent’s Oleksiy Sorokin speaks with Katarina Mathernova, the European Union Ambassador to Ukraine, after Russia's large-scale missile and drone attack on Kyiv during one of the coldest days of the winter, leaving parts of the city without heat and electricity.

About Crimea

Russia invaded Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in February 2014 amid the deadliest days of the EuroMaidan Revolution. Around 30,000 Russian troops crossed into Crimea, taking hold of the peninsula by early March 2014. Russia has continued to occupy Crimea ever since. Crimea covers an area of around 27,000 square kilometers (10,400 square miles), roughly the same size as the U.S. state of Massachusetts.

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