Ukraine, the U.S., and Russia are set to meet in Abu Dhabi on Feb. 4-5 for a new round of talks as part of ongoing efforts to negotiate a peace deal, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Feb. 1.

"There were moments when there was a serious shortage of these missiles. I won't reveal any secrets. For example, there is a NASAMS system, but instead of six missiles in the launcher, there are only two," Yurii Ihnat, head of the Air Force's communications department, said.

Some 43% of Ukrainians do not believe that the war with Russia will end in 2026, up 14% from December, according to a poll by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS).

Explosions were reported overnight Feb. 2 in Russia's Belgorod region, where officials said an alleged Ukrainian drone attack sparked a fire in the city of Stary Oskol.

Russia launched a mass attack, targeting mines of DTEK, Ukraine's biggest private energy firm, the company said. One of the strikes hit a service bus in the town of Ternivka, which was transporting miners after their shift.

Key developments on Jan. 31-Feb. 1: * Ukraine sees 'real results' from blocking Russia’s Starlink use, defense minister says * Russia attacks bus carrying Ukrainian miners, kills 15, injures 15 * Ukraine, US, Russia to meet in UAE next week for new round of peace talks, Zelensky says * Russian attacks on Zaporizhzhia injure at least 9, maternity hospital damaged * Russian officials call for 'more powerful weapons' to attack Ukraine as temperatures drop SpaceX's initial steps to stop Russi

"Whether there are strikes or not, hundreds of buildings in Kyiv are still without heating. This means that the work being done in the city is not enough."

Russian troops launched two attacks on the southern city of Zaporizhzhia on Feb. 1, injuring at least nine people, including a child, Governor Ivan Fedorov said.

In the latest episode of Ukraine This Week, the Kyiv Independent’s Anna Belokur explains how martial law shapes daily life in Ukraine amid the country's harshest winter since the full-scale invasion.

Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said a system would soon be introduced to ensure only authorized terminals can operate in Ukraine. Unverified terminals will be disabled.

On Jan. 24, Ukraine's Air Force reported intercepting nine Kh-32 missiles, drawing renewed attention to a weapon that Russia has until now used sparingly in attacks on Ukraine, but often with devastating consequences. Known for its high speed and steep flight profile, the missile has long posed a serious challenge for Ukraine’s air defenses, with advanced systems such as the U.S.-supplied Patriot among the few capable of countering it. The missile is extremely difficult to intercept, due to it

Ukrainian forces downed 76 out of the 90 drones, including Shahed-type attack drones, launched by Russia overnight, the Air Force reported. Fourteen drones struck nine different locations, according to the statement.

The number includes 1,090 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.

Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal reported "a cascade shutdown" in Ukraine's power grid in the morning on Jan. 31.

Since the media outlets' last update in mid-January, the names of 4,536 Russian soldiers have been added to the list of casualties.

Polish authorities temporarily closed the airspace along the northern part of Poland's border with Belarus overnight on Jan. 30-31 after unidentified objects — believed to be Belarusian smuggling balloons — were detected in the region.

Russian Envoy Kirill Dmitriev held "productive and constructive meetings" with U.S. officials in Miami, U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff said on Jan. 31.

Russian State Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin's threat comes a few days after Ukrainian, Russian, and U.S. officials held the latest round of peace talks in Abu Dhabi on Jan. 23-24.

Moldova suffered a major power outage on Jan. 31, leaving most of its capital without electricity in the morning and halting trolleybuses and traffic lights. Parts of Moldova experienced power disruptions when Ukraine reported "a cascade shutdown" in its power grid due to technical malfunctions on high-voltage lines connecting the two countries' power systems. Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal said transmission lines between Romania and Moldova, as well as between western and central Ukraine, were

Editor's Note: This story is part of the "Hidden Canon"  – a special series celebrating Ukrainian classic literature and aiming to bring it to a wider international audience. The series is supported by the Ukrainian Institute. In Olha Kobylianska’s 1891 novella “A Human Being,” the heroine Olena commits an unforgivable transgression. Not adultery, not theft, not the abandonment of her family — her "crime" is intellectual freedom. She is a woman who thinks for herself and, far worse in the eyes

The Air Force said on Jan. 31 that Russia launched 85 drones against Ukraine overnight, of which 55 were Shahed-type drones. It said that it had downed 64 drones in the north, south, and east of the country.

Ukraine says it is working with SpaceX to stop Russian drones from using Starlink, after reports that satellite-connected UAVs are extending their range to strike deeper into Ukrainian territory.

The number includes 880 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.

Iran's Supreme National Security Council Secretary traveled to Russia on Jan. 30 for a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin amid heightened tensions between Tehran and Washington.

Kremlin negotiator Kirill Dmitriev will meet with members of the Trump administration in Florida on Jan. 31, a White House official confirmed to the Kyiv Independent on Jan. 30.

"I can just as well invite him to Kyiv, let him come. I'm openly inviting him, if he dares," Zelensky said during a briefing with journalists.

The Shadow Fleet Sanctions Act, introduced by Senators Jim Risch and Jeanne Shaheen in September 2025, expands Washington's authority to penalize shadow fleet vessels and slaps new penalties on Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) and other energy sector projects.

Under immense pressure by weeks of Russian missile strikes, blackouts, and freezing cold, Ukrainians may get a few days of reprieve — at least, according to Washington. Trump surprisingly announced on Jan. 29 that Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed not to strike Ukrainian cities for a week, though Moscow said that this would concern only Kyiv, and last only until Feb. 1 — just before another cold snap. The halt on strikes — provided it would be prolonged — could indicate Russia is feeling

U.S. President Donald Trump issued another ultimatum to Iran on Jan. 28, threatening to strike the regime if it does not agree to a deal on limiting its nuclear weapons program. Earlier in January, Iran was rocked by nationwide protests fueled by high inflation and the sharp depreciation of the Iranian rial. The protests quickly took a political turn, with demonstrators calling for the removal of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The scale of the unrest was unusually broad, with demonstra

If approved, the measure would prevent European companies from providing key services for transporting Russian oil.

The comment from Kremlin spokesperson Dmitri Peskov came a day after Trump said Russian President Vladimir Putin had agreed to his request not to strike Kyiv as well as other Ukrainian cities and towns for a week.

Editor's note: This article is a shortened on-site version of KI Insights' public newsletter, The Week Ahead, covering events from February 2-8. Sign up here to start your week with an agenda of Ukraine-related events delivered directly to your inbox every week. Audio version of The Week Ahead is now available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube. The biggest expectation of the coming days is a new round of peace talks, previously announced to begin in Abu Dhabi on February 1. At the same ti