Russia-Ukraine War

Valentyn, a 26-year-old platoon commander in the 25th Air Assault Brigade, in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine, on Jan. 23, 2026.
War

Ukrainian infantry fight to survive on the Pokrovsk front as Russia closes in

by Asami Terajima

DONETSK OBLAST — Walking through the mine-infested field under intense Russian drone surveillance was the scariest part of the mission for 22-year-old infantryman Mykola. "If you stop, you die," said Mykola, a small-framed soldier with dark circles under his eyes and a tired stare. "When we were walking to get to the positions, it wasn't hard to walk — it was hard to realize that you may not walk out alive because there were a lot of our dead around." The walk to his positions near the easter

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Ukraine war latest: Ukraine reportedly strikes Russian oil depot in Pskov Oblast, hits Belgorod with missiles

Key developments on Feb. 19: * Ukraine reportedly strikes oil depot in Russia's Pskov Oblast, targets Belgorod with missiles, leaving blackouts * US reportedly presses allies to block Ukraine from full participation at NATO summit * Moldova, Ukraine investigate alleged Russian-backed plot to assassinate prominent Ukrainians * Sweden to send cutting-edge air defense system to Ukraine as part of new $1.42 billion aid package Ukraine reportedly struck an oil depot in Russia's Pskov Oblast and

'Don't believe in fairy tales' — Russia scrambles for front-line signal after Starlink cut-off

Russia's assault on Ukraine has gone dark thanks to a recent cut-off of satellite internet. "Their pilots are now forced to pass on information by radio, and I can intercept those messages," Tymur, a deputy battalion commander in the Lyman sector, told the Kyiv Independent. "They have their own versions and alternatives to Starlink. They just need time to expand their use." At the start of February, SpaceX and the Ukrainian Defense Ministry implemented a "white list" for Starlinks to operate

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