The Kremlin has confirmed the second round of Ukraine-Russia-US talks are scheduled for Wednesday to discuss a US-drafted plan to end the war on Ukraine.
The talks were earlier scheduled to take place on Sunday but no reason has been provided from either side for the delay. Volydymyr Zelensky said earlier that Ukraine is “interested in ensuring that the outcome brings us closer to a real and dignified end to the war”.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow and Kyiv had so far managed to narrow their differences on some issues, but had not made similar progress on more complex issues.
Confirmation from the Kremlin came soon after an overnight air attack on Ukraine which involved 171 drones and one Iskander-M ballistic missile.
"As of 09:00, [Ukrainian] air defence forces had destroyed or jammed 157 Shahed, Gerbera and other types of drones,” the air force said in a post on Telegram. “Hits by 1 ballistic missile and 12 UAVs had been recorded at 8 locations.”
On Monday, Mr Zelensky said that there had been no new targeted strikes by Russian missiles or Shahed drones on Ukraine's energy infrastructure.
Key Points
- Zelensky says new round of peace talks on Wednesday after delay
- Putin accused of terrorist attack after Russian drones kill at least 12 miners
- Ukraine allows Starlink verification to counter Russian drones in new move
- Estonian minister says Putin to ‘send thousands of criminals’ to ‘cause chaos’ in Schengen area
- Putin's aide says Russia will not accept Nato-member forces in Ukraine
No Russian strikes on Ukraine's energy infrastructure in past 24 hours
11:54 , Alex CroftVolodymyr Zelensky said that there had been no new targeted strikes by Russian missiles or Shahed drones on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, but there had been new Russian attacks on energy facilities in frontline regions.
“The system is operating stably,” he wrote on X. “However, given the extremely cold weather and the impact of Russian strikes, all challenges remain serious.
“Over the past 24 hours, there were new Russian attacks on energy facilities in frontline and border communities. At the same time, there were no targeted strikes by Russian missiles or ‘shaheds’ [drones] against energy infrastructure.”
Mr Zelensky added that Russian forces had remained focused on attacking the Ukrainian transport logistics, in line with recent days.
I held a coordination call on the situation in Ukraine. As of today, Ukrainian energy workers and repair crews have fully restored the energy system to its pre-incident state before Saturday’s technical failure. The system is operating stably. However, given the extremely cold… pic.twitter.com/0V7OjaoKyN
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) February 2, 2026
Russia suffers heaviest losses since WWII as casualties in Ukraine conflict near 2 million
11:25 , Alex CroftThe number of soldiers killed, injured or missing on both sides of Russia's war on Ukraine could hit two million by the spring, a report has warned.
It would mean Russia suffering the largest number of troop deaths recorded for any major power in any conflict since the Second World War.
The study by the Centre for Strategic and International Studies revealed the slow, deadly grind of the conflict, and comes before the fourth anniversary of Vladimir Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on 24 February.
The report said Russia suffered 1.2 million casualties, including up to 325,000 troop deaths, between February 2022 and December 2025. "No major power has suffered anywhere near these numbers of casualties or fatalities in any war since World War II,” the authors said.
Our foreign news reporter Maira Butt reports:
More than half of Ukrainians oppose giving Donbas to Russia for security guarantees
10:59 , Alex CroftA total of 52 per cent of Ukrainians are opposed to handing over the Donbas to Russia in exchange for security guarantees, according to a new survey by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS).
Around 40 per cent of Ukrainians would support the move, the survey said.
The poll showed that 52 per cent saw it as a totally unacceptable condition ot hand over the Donbas, and the 40 per cent willing to accept the condition admit it would be difficult.
A further 7 per cent were unable to make up their minds, Ukrainska Pravda reported.
Russia claims control over village in Zaporizhzhia region
10:33 , Alex CroftMoscow has claimed its forces have taken control over the settlement of Prydorozhnie in the Zaporizhzhia region, according to state-run news agency RIA.
The Independent could not independently verify the claim.
Kremlin confirms Ukraine-Russia talks to begin Wednesday
10:08 , Alex CroftThe next round of US-brokered trilateral talks between Ukraine and Russia will take place in Abu Dhabi from February 4-5, the Kremlin said on Monday, saying talks planned for February 1 had not happened for scheduling reasons.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia and Ukraine had so far managed to narrow their differences on some issues, but had not made similar progress when it came to what he called more complex issues.
Ukraine to receive two lorries worth of spuds in Berlin potato dump
09:45 , Alex CroftUkraine is receiving two lorries worth of potatoes after Berlin experienced a bumper harvest year with its biggest crop in more than two decades.
The phenomenon has inspired a potato dump in Berlin, as farmers, not wanting their produce to go to waste, have given away their potatoes away to soup kitchens, schools, churches, and the public.
Two lorries worth of spuds have also been delivered to Ukraine.
It comes as the country experiences a brutal winter, with temperatures in some areas dropping to -30C.
Russia has been repeatedly targeting Ukraine’s energy grid, leaving thousands of Ukrainians without power or food.
Reminder: Zelensky warns Russia is planning ‘massive’ strike ahead of peace talks
09:21 , Alex CroftAs we near the resumption of Ukrainian-US-Russian peace talks this week, let’s take a look back at President Zelensky’s warning from Thursday.
Exclusive: Ukraine peace deal must put people before land, warns key Zelensky ally
08:57 , Alex CroftA key political ally of Volodymyr Zelensky in Ukraine has called for a peace deal which prioritises people over land ahead of a major conference in the war torn country on Thursday.
Vitaliy Kim, governor of the Mykolaiv Oblast region in Ukraine, is an emerging name in Ukrainian politics and spoke to The Independent as other governors and mayors get together to discuss where the peace line needs to be drawn in the war with Russia.
Mr Kim headed the Mykolaiv branch of Zelensky’s Servant of the People party during the 2019 elections and was appointed by the Ukrainian president to be regional governor in November 2020.
The Independent’s political editor David Maddox reports:
Ukraine peace deal must put people before land, warns key Zelensky ally
Russian forces fire 172 drones and missiles at Ukraine overnight
08:33 , Alex CroftRussian forces fired a ballistic missile and 171 drones at Ukraine overnight, the Ukrainian air force has said.
An Iskander-M ballistic missile launched from temporarily-occupied Crimea was part of the attack, while drones were fired from the Russian cities of Kursk, Oryol, Primorsko-Akhtarsk, Millerovo, and occupied Donetsk.
Ukrainian air defences downed 157 drones but eight locations were hit, the air force added.
"As of 09:00, [Ukrainian] air defence forces had destroyed or jammed 157 Shahed, Gerbera and other types of drones,” the air force said in a post on Telegram. “Hits by 1 ballistic missile and 12 UAVs had been recorded at 8 locations.”
Expiry of Russia-US nuclear treaty should alarm the world, says Medvedev
08:06 , Alex CroftDmitry Medvedev, former Russian president and deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council, said that if the New START treaty expires then the world should be alarmed that the biggest nuclear powers had no limits for the first time in decades.
Signed in 2010 by US president Barack Obama and Medvedev, the New START treaty limited the number of deployed strategic nuclear warheads to 1,550 on each side.
It is due to expire on February 5 and Russian officials have said they have had no official response from Washington on a proposal from Vladimir Putin to stick to existing missile and warhead limits for one more year.
"I don't want to say that this immediately means a catastrophe and a nuclear war will begin, but it should still alarm everyone," Medvedev told Reuters news agency, TASS and the WarGonzo Russian war blogger in an interview at his residence outside Moscow.
"The (doomsday) clocks are ticking and they obviously have to speed up," he said.
Four injured in Russian attack on Cherkasy
07:52 , Alex CroftAt least four people were injured in a Russian drone attack on the Cherkasy region last night.
Ihor Taburets, head of the region’s military administration, said authorities are “recording the fall of enemy drones at several locations” after “fires broke out” as a result of the attack.
Authorities are expected to later release further details about the strike.
'Evil must stop’: Zelenskyy mourns latest Russian attack on miners as he confirms next diplomatic talks in UAE
07:21 , Arpan RaiPutin's aide says Russia will not accept Nato-member forces in Ukraine
07:10 , Arpan RaiA proposal by European powers to deploy Nato-member troops in Ukraine as part of a proposed security guarantee and peace deal was unacceptable for Russia, said Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council.
"What kind of guarantee can we talk about if a foreign contingent of unfriendly Nato member states is stationed on the territory of such a state," Medvedev told said in an interview.
Medvedev said Russia's terms for ending the conflict were unchanged from 2024 when president Vladimir Putin set them out in a speech at the foreign ministry.
Two killed as Ukrainian drone attack sparks fire in Belgorod
06:45 , Arpan RaiA Ukrainian drone attack has sparked fire and explosions in Russia’s Belgorod region’s city of Stary Oskol.
At least two people were killed in the attack, regional governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said.
He added that the Ukrainian drones attacked the city and fires were also reported at a residential home. Gladkov said an exploding drone shattered windows in more than three apartment buildings.
Witnesses said at least six loud blasts were reported in the city’s northern and northeastern areas, reported the Kyiv Independent, citing local residents.
'World seems very dangerous,' Medvedev says
06:06 , Arpan RaiDmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council, said the world was getting very dangerous but claimed Russia did not want to be dragged into a global conflict.
“The situation is very dangerous," Medvedev said in an interview at his residence outside Moscow. "The pain threshold is decreasing."
"We are not interested in a global conflict. We're not crazy. It's been said a hundred times. Who needs a global conflict?" he said. "Unfortunately, a global conflict cannot be ruled out," he said.
His comments came as Russia's invasion of Ukraine is about to enter its fifth year in February.
Medvedev claims Europe failed to defeat Russia in Ukraine
05:42 , Arpan RaiDmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council, claimed European powers failed to defeat Russia in Ukraine but had inflicted severe economic harm on themselves by trying to do so.
"Europe surprised me a lot," Medvedev said in the interview with Reuters, TASS, and the WarGonzo Russian war blogger.
“Because Europe is undermining the foundations of its existence by its own actions. It's just amazing,” he said.
Medvedev said that European powers wanted to "inflict a strategic defeat on Russia" but that they had not "achieved anything". The former president is known for his sabre-rattling and aggressive rhetoric towards the West.
In December, the European Union planned to fund Ukraine with €90bn (£79bn) of frozen Russian assets.
EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said the plan would cover two-thirds of the funding required to sustain Ukraine’s war effort, with “international partners” financing the rest.
Drones strike Ukrainian maternity hospital
05:28 , Arpan RaiRussian attack drones struck a maternity hospital in southern Ukraine on Sunday morning, the Ukrainian emergency service reported.
In a Telegram post, it said the strike wounded three women in the hospital in the city of Zaporizhzhia, and also sparked a fire in the gynecology reception area that was later extinguished.
Regional administration head Ivan Fedorov later said the number of wounded had risen to six.
Days earlier, US president Donald Trump said Putin had agreed to temporarily halt the targeting of the Ukrainian capital and other cities, as the region suffers under freezing temperatures that have brought widespread hardship to Ukrainians.
Ukraine peace deal must put people before land, warns key Zelensky ally
05:12 , Arpan RaiA key political ally of Volodymyr Zelensky in Ukraine has called for a peace deal which prioritises people over land ahead of a major conference in the war torn country on Thursday.
Vitaliy Kim, governor of the Mykolaiv Oblast region in Ukraine, is an emerging name in Ukrainian politics and spoke to The Independent as other governors and mayors get together to discuss where the peace line needs to be drawn in the war with Russia.
Mr Kim headed the Mykolaiv branch of Zelensky’s Servant of the People party during the 2019 elections and was appointed by the Ukrainian president to be regional governor in November 2020.
Ukraine peace deal must put people before land, warns key Zelensky ally
Russia's Shoigu assures China of Moscow's support on Taiwan
04:48 , Arpan RaiRussian security council secretary Sergei Shoigu has reassured senior Chinese official Wang Yi of Moscow’s continuing support to Beijing over Taiwan.
Russia has repeatedly said it opposes Taiwan's independence in any form and considers the self-governed island an inseparable part of China.
"We see that China's ill‑wishers continue to destabilise the situation in the Taiwan Strait. For our part, I want to reaffirm our consistent and unwavering support for Beijing on the Taiwan issue," Shoigu said, reported TASS news agency.
“We proceed from the fact that the government of the People's Republic of China is the only legitimate government representing all of China," he added.
China and Russia have forged close ties in recent years and declared a "no limits" strategic partnership days before Russian president Vladimir Putin sent tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine in February 2022.
Chinese president Xi Jinping has vowed to “reunite” the self-governed island with the mainland by force, if necessary, and the US is bound by treaty to help arm Taipei to defend itself from attack.
Watch: At least 12 miners killed in Russian strike on bus after peace talks delayed
04:32 , Arpan RaiUkraine allows Starlink verification to counter Russian drones in new move
04:14 , Arpan RaiUkraine’s defence minister has said only authorised Starlink terminals will be allowed to operate in the war-hit nation as the forces look to counter Moscow’s use of satellite internet on attack drones.
Mykhailo Fedorov said Ukraine is working together with the Elon Musk’s satellite internet technology and has already taken the initial steps in countering Russia’s drone opertions.
“The next step is to implement a system that will allow only authorised terminals to operate in Ukraine,” he said.
The newly appointed defence minister said the Ukrainian users will get to register their Starlink terminals for verification in the coming dyas and those that fail to get verification, will be disconnected.
“The registration process will be simple, fast, and convenient for users. Detailed instructions will be published shortly,” Fedorov said, thanking Starlink and SpaceX for their cooperation and support.
Estonian minister says Putin to ‘send thousands of criminals’ to ‘cause chaos’ in Schengen area
03:42 , Arpan RaiEstonia has warned against Russia’s thousands of ex-combatants entering Europe’s Schengen area, stating their battle-hardened criminal past that could wage a hybrid war in the European Union.
“The same war that saw civilians executed in broad daylight in Bucha has produced battle-hardened fighters who pose a direct threat to Europe’s internal security. Russian ex-combatants must be kept out of the Schengen Area,” Estonia’s foreign minister Margus Tsahkna said.
He has claimed that the Kremlin is planning to dispatch "ex-prisoners and rapists" to wage a hybrid war in the European Union and called for a blanket ban on Russian soldiers who fought in Ukraine.
“Russia and Putin are already using different people to commit attacks on our societies, but when there will be peace, we can imagine that we will have hundreds of thousands of ex-combatants coming to Europe," he said.
Putin accused of terrorist attack after Russian drones kill at least 12 miners
03:27 , Arpan RaiA Russian drone strike on the Ukrainian city of Dnipro hit a bus carrying mineworkers and killed at least a dozen people, Ukrainian authorities said on Sunday.
The strike injured several more people and sparked a fire that was subsequently put out, according to the emergency services.
DTEK, Ukraine's largest private energy company, said it owned the bus and accused Russia of carrying out "a large-scale terrorist attack on DTEK mines in the Dnipropetrovsk region," whose capital is Dnipro.
“The epicenter of one of the attacks was a company bus transporting miners from the enterprise after a shift in the Dnipropetrovsk region," the company said in a Telegram post.
The strike came days after US president Donald Trump said the Kremlin had agreed to temporarily halt the targeting of the Ukrainian capital and other cities, as the region suffers under freezing temperatures that have brought widespread hardship to Ukrainians.
Zelensky says new round of peace talks on Wednesday after delay
03:07 , Arpan RaiRussian, Ukrainian and US officials are set to hold the second round of trilateral talks on Wednesday this week to discuss a US-drafted plan to end the war on Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky said.
The talks were earlier scheduled to take place on Sunday but no reason has been provided from either side for the delay.
"The dates for the next trilateral meetings have been set – February 4 and 5 in Abu Dhabi," Zelensky said. Officials from Russia and the US are yet to confirm the new dates.
"Ukraine is ready for a substantive discussion, and we are interested in ensuring that the outcome brings us closer to a real and dignified end to the war," the Ukrainian war-time leader said.
This comes as the US says it is “very close” to brokering a peace deal to end the war in Ukraine but negotiations have hit a deadlock over the issue of Russia-occupied territory in a post-war scenario.
Exclusive: Ukraine peace deal must put people before land, warns key Zelensky ally
02:04 , Harriette BoucherA key political ally of Volodymyr Zelensky in Ukraine has called for a peace deal which prioritises people over land ahead of a major conference in the war torn country on Thursday.
Vitaliy Kim, governor of the Mykolaiv Oblast region in Ukraine, is an emerging name in Ukrainian politics and spoke to The Independent as other governors and mayors get together to discuss where the peace line needs to be drawn in the war with Russia.
Mr Kim headed the Mykolaiv branch of Zelensky’s Servant of the People party during the 2019 elections and was appointed by the Ukrainian president to be regional governor in November 2020.
His significant intervention ahead of Frontline Cities and Communities Forum 2026, where governors and mayors will try to agree what they want from a peace settlement, underlines a willingness to move away from border arguments to security guarantees.
Political Editor David Maddox has the story:
Ukraine peace deal must put people before land, warns key Zelensky ally
Russia suffers heaviest losses since WWII as casualties in Ukraine conflict near 2 million
01:03 , Harriette BoucherThe number of soldiers killed, injured or missing on both sides of Russia's war on Ukraine could hit two million by the spring, a report has warned.
It would mean Russia suffering the largest number of troop deaths recorded for any major power in any conflict since the Second World War.
The study by the Centre for Strategic and International Studies revealed the slow, deadly grind of the conflict, and comes before the fourth anniversary of Vladimir Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on 24 February.
The report said Russia suffered 1.2 million casualties, including up to 325,000 troop deaths, between February 2022 and December 2025. "No major power has suffered anywhere near these numbers of casualties or fatalities in any war since World War II,” the authors said.
Ukraine expects US to be active in de-escalation measures
00:07 , Harriette BoucheVolodymyr Zelensky has said that February will be a “period of quite intense foreign policy activity” as he expects the US to be as active as Ukraine in its de-escalation measures.
Trilateral negotiations, meant to take place in Abu Dhabi on Sunday, have been delayed to next week.
Zelensky announced the postponement just hours before Russia launched deadly strikes that hit a bus in the Dnipro region and killed 15 people.
In a post on social media on Sunday night, the president said: “Today’s Russian drone strike on an ordinary bus carrying miners in the Dnipro region is a telling crime that yet again shows that Russia bears responsibility for the escalation. Evil must be stopped.
“There is an arrangement to hold a trilateral meeting at an appropriate level in the Emirates next week. February will be a period of quite intense foreign policy activity.
“We expect the American side to be just as active, particularly when it comes to de-escalation measures – reducing strikes. Much depends on what the U.S. can achieve so that people trust both the process and the outcomes.”
Ukraine to receive two lorries worth of spuds in Berlin potato dump
Sunday 1 February 2026 23:30 , Harriette BoucherUkraine is receiving two lorries worth of potatoes after Berlin experienced a bumper harvest year with its biggest crop in more than two decades.
The phenomenon has inspired a potato dump in Berlin, as farmers, not wanting their produce to go to waste, have given away their potatoes away to soup kitchens, schools, churches, and the public.
Two lorries worth of spuds have also been delivered to Ukraine.
It comes as the country experiences a brutal winter, with temperatures in some areas dropping to -30C.
Russia has been repeatedly targeting Ukraine’s energy grid, leaving thousands of Ukrainians without power or food.
Analysis: Trump should be backing Ukraine war, not Iran
Sunday 1 February 2026 22:30 , Sam RkainaWorld affairs editor Sam Kiley writes: Chaotic, unprincipled and dangerously effective, Donald Trump’s latest foreign policy move in Ukraine may provide a brief respite from Russian bombing in plunging temperatures that have left civilians freezing in their homes.
The danger lies in what he expects to get in return for securing a week-long agreement from Vladimir Putin to hold off on tormenting Ukraine. The concession he will, no doubt, demand is that Kyiv give in to the Kremlin’s demands to hand over his most potent defensive lines and fortress cities without a shot being fired in return for a longer “ceasefire”.
Trump has been backing the wrong side in Ukraine, and may soon launch a war in Iran that he cannot control.
Ukraine peace deal must put people before land, warns key Zelensky ally
Sunday 1 February 2026 21:45 , David MaddoxA key political ally of Volodymyr Zelensky in Ukraine has called for a peace deal which prioritises people over land ahead of a major conference in the war torn country on Thursday.
Vitaliy Kim, governor of the Mykolaiv Oblast region in Ukraine, is an emerging name in Ukrainian politics and spoke to The Independent as other governors and mayors get together to discuss where the peace line needs to be drawn in the war with Russia.
Mr Kim headed the Mykolaiv branch of Zelensky’s Servant of the People party during the 2019 elections and was appointed by the Ukrainian president to be regional governor in November 2020.
His significant intervention ahead of Frontline Cities and Communities Forum 2026, where governors and mayors will try to agree what they want from a peace settlement, underlines a willingness to move away from border arguments to security guarantees.
Click here for the full story.
Russia launched 980 drones in the last week, Zelensky says
Sunday 1 February 2026 20:50 , Sam RkainaRussia is attempting to disrupt logistics and connectivity between cities and communities through its drone, bomb and missile attacks, President Zelensky said on Sunday.
”Over the past week, Russia has used more than 980 attack drones, nearly 1,100 guided aerial bombs, and two missiles against Ukraine,” he wrote on X.
“We are recording Russian attempts to destroy logistics and connectivity between cities and communities. That is precisely why the need to protect the sky persists.”
Next trilateral talks due within days
Sunday 1 February 2026 20:00 , Sam RkainaA new round of US-brokered trilateral talks between Ukraine and Russia will take place in Abu Dhabi on February 4 and 5, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sunday, adding that Kyiv was ready for a "substantive discussion".
“Our negotiating team has just delivered a report. The dates for the next trilateral meetings have been set – February 4 and 5 in Abu Dhabi,” he wrote on X.
”Ukraine is ready for a substantive discussion, and we are interested in ensuring that the outcome brings us closer to a real and dignified end to the war.”
Moscow 'still hasn't seen Trump's nuclear subs'
Sunday 1 February 2026 19:27 , Sam RkainaTrump in August said he had ordered two US nuclear submarines to move closer to Russia in response to what he called "highly provocative" comments from Medvedev about the risk of war after what appeared to be an ultimatum from Trump.
“We still have not found them,” Medvedev said of the U.S. submarines.
After Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Medvedev has repeatedly hurled invective at Kyiv and Western powers while warning of the risks of an escalation of the war towards a nuclear "apocalypse".
Medvedev said Russia would "soon" win military victory in the Ukraine war but the key thing was to prevent any further conflict, adding: “I would like this to happen as soon as possible.”
'No such thing as a former businessman - or KGB agent'
Sunday 1 February 2026 18:45 , Sam RkainaPresident Vladimir Putin remains the final voice on Russian policy, though Medvedev, an arch-hawk who has repeatedly goaded Trump on social media, gives a sense of hardliners' thinking within the Russian elite, according to foreign diplomats.
“Trump wants to go down in history as a peacemaker - and he is really trying,” Medvedev said.
“He is really trying to do that. And that is why contacts with Americans have become much more productive.”
Medvedev said the key to understanding Trump was his business background, quipping that there was no such thing as a former businessman - a play on an old Russian joke that there is no such thing as a former KGB agent.
Russia praises 'peacemaker' Trump
Sunday 1 February 2026 18:10 , Sam RkainaDmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council, praised US President Donald Trump as an effective leader who was seeking peace.
But, he added, Moscow had seen no trace of nuclear submarines Trump said he moved to Russian shores.
Trump, who has said he wants to be remembered as a "peacemaker" president, has repeatedly said that a peace deal to end the Ukraine war is close, and a new round of U.-Russian-Ukrainian talks is scheduled for this week in Abu Dhabi.
Asked if Trump was positive or negative for Russia and about unproven speculation that Trump was some sort of Russian agent, Medvedev said the American people had chosen Trump and that Moscow respected that decision.
“He is an emotional person, but on the other hand, the chaos that is commonly referred to, which is created by his activities, is not entirely true,” he said.
“It is obvious that behind this lies a completely conscious and competent line.”
Ukraine working on Starlink system
Sunday 1 February 2026 17:31 , Sam RkainaUkrainian Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said Kyiv was developing a system that would allow only authorised Starlink terminals to work on Ukrainian territory.
“Ukraine, together with @Starlink, has already taken the first steps that delivered rapid results in countering Russian drones,” he wrote on X.
“The next step is implementing a system that will allow only authorized terminals to operate on the territory of Ukraine.”
In a social media post in February 2024, SpaceX said it does not sell or ship Starlink to Russia, and “does not do business of any kind with the Russian Government or its military”.
Musk turned on Starlink service over Ukraine in 2022 after Kyiv pleaded for help in the first days following Russia's full-scale invasion.
Musk says efforts to stop unauthorized Russian use of Starlink has worked
Sunday 1 February 2026 17:01 , Sam RkainaElon Musk said on Sunday moves by his SpaceX company to stop the 'unauthorized' use by Russia of its internet system Starlink seemed to have worked.
Kyiv's military relies on tens of thousands of satellite-based Starlink internet connections for battlefield communication and for piloting some drone missions, but said this week it had found Starlink terminals on long-range drones used in Russian attacks.
Ukraine said it was working with SpaceX to stop Russia from guiding drones with Starlink.
“Looks like the steps we took to stop the unauthorized use of Starlink by Russia have worked. Let us know if more needs to be done,” SpaceX CEO Musk said on X.
Moscow still targeting logistics despite pledge, Zelensky says
Sunday 1 February 2026 16:30 , Sam RkainaPolice said the attack took place in the city of Terenivka.
Footage posted by the State Emergencies Service showed a charred bus with shattered windows that had veered off the road.
Earlier on Sunday, regional officials said at least nine had been wounded in Russian strikes on a maternity hospital and a residential building in the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia.
Sunday's strikes follow remarks by President Zelensky earlier in the day that Russia - which said it had agreed to stop attacking Ukrainian energy infrastructure until February 1 - was still targeting logistics in Ukraine.
Russian drone strike kills at least 12 miners
Sunday 1 February 2026 16:22 , Sam RkainaAt least 12 people were killed and seven wounded after a Russian drone struck a bus carrying miners in Ukraine's southeastern Dnipropetrovsk region, energy firm DTEK and government officials said on Sunday.
DTEK said in a statement that Russian forces had carried out a "massive terrorist attack" on a company mine in the region, and that all the dead and wounded were its employees returning from a shift.
"Today, the enemy carried out a cynical and targeted attack on energy sector workers in the Dnipropetrovsk region," energy minister Denys Shmyhal wrote on the Telegram app.
Russian war dead passes 1.24m, Ukraine says
Sunday 1 February 2026 12:40 , James ReynoldsRussia has lost 1,240,680 troops in Ukraine since the start of the full-scale invasion in February 2022, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces said on Sunday.
The figure includes 1,090 casualties that Russian forces sustained over the past day.
A report earlier this week said that the overall death toll for both sides in the four year conflict was approaching 2 million.
Russian war dead passes 1.24m, Ukraine finds
Sunday 1 February 2026 11:30 , James ReynoldsRussia has lost 1,240,680 troops in Ukraine since the start of the full-scale invasion in February 2022, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces said on Sunday.
The figure includes 1,090 casualties that Russian forces sustained over the past day.
How Putin lures foreign nationals to the frontlines with the promise of work
Sunday 1 February 2026 11:00 , James ReynoldsFor average wage earners in Russia, it's a big payday. For criminals seeking to escape the harsh conditions and abuse in prison, it's a chance at freedom. For immigrants hoping for a better life, it's a simplified path to citizenship.
All they have to do is sign a contract to fight in Ukraine.
This is how Russia lures in foreign nationals with the promise of work:
How Putin lures foreign nationals to the frontlines with the promise of work
Full story: Trump envoy showed ‘troubling lack of knowledge at Ukraine peace talks and could not say when war began’
Sunday 1 February 2026 10:30 , James ReynoldsOne of Donald Trump’s senior envoys for Ukraine has sparked alarm after making a series of blunders during crucial peace talks, according to a report.
The unnamed official is said to have made several comments that exposed a basic lack of knowledge about the war between Ukraine and Russia during trilateral peace talks in Abu Dhabi last week.
Read the full story:
Trump envoy showed ‘troubling lack of knowledge at Ukraine peace talks
Recap: Brief ceasefire on energy infrastructure to expire
Sunday 1 February 2026 10:00 , James ReynoldsRussia and Ukraine said on Friday they had halted strikes on each other's energy infrastructure, following a request from Donald Trump.
The Kremlin said it had agreed to Trump's ask to halt strikes on energy targets, which have knocked out power and heating to hundreds of Kyiv apartment buildings.
Spokesman Dmitry Peskov indicated the measure would end on Sunday.
Zelensky indicated on Friday that both sides did stick to the agreement, though assessed that Russia had shifted its targeting to logistics instead.
Zelensky says power line disruption likely due to weather
Sunday 1 February 2026 09:30 , James ReynoldsIn a nightly address on Saturday, Volodymyr Zelensky addressed the “technical incident” that cut power in Ukraine and Moldova.
“The causes are being thoroughly investigated. As of now, there is no confirmation of external interference or a cyberattack,” Zelensky emphasised.
“Most indications point to weather: ice buildup on the lines and automatic shutdowns.”
Officials in both countries reported that power was partially restored in the early afternoon following rushed efforts to stabilise interconnected grids.
Investigation identifies over 168,000 Russians killed in Ukraine
Sunday 1 February 2026 09:01 , Vishwam SankaranRussian media have so far confirmed the identities of 168,142 Russian military personnel killed in Ukraine.
The latest investigation, conducted by cross-referencing public sources like obituaries, posts by relatives, regional media reports, and statements from local authorities, has led to the addition of 4,536 Russian soldiers to the list since the last update mid-January.
Russia's actual losses could be significantly higher, investigators say.
The analysis comes following the publication of a new report from the Center for Strategic and International Studies, which noted that Russia has suffered "more losses than any major power in any war since World War II".
In Video: Blackouts plunge Ukraine in darkness
Sunday 1 February 2026 08:30 , Vishwam SankaranWhere have talks been left?
Sunday 1 February 2026 08:00 , James ReynoldsUkraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky said on Saturday that Ukraine was waiting for more information from the US about future peace talks.
The last talks with Russia and the US took place last week. Zelensky indicated he expects the next round to happen next week, pushing back Sunday’s anticipated summit.
Separately, a delegation of US officials had “productive” meetings with Russian special envoy Kirill Dmitriev in Florida on Saturday, according to US special envoy Steve Witkoff.
Witkoff singled out the question of territory as the key to making progress in the negotiations, with Kyiv rejecting Moscow's demand that it cede all of the Donbas region, including areas its army has not captured.
Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov said this week that land was not the sole key issue under discussion, but did not identify other unresolved issues.
Additionally, Russia agreed to a request from Donald Trump to halt airstrikes on Kyiv until February 1 amid harsh winter temperatures, and Ukraine said it was ready to reciprocate as Washington pushes for a diplomatic solution to end the war.
Poland closes airspace after Belarusian balloon incursion
Sunday 1 February 2026 07:50 , Vishwam SankaranPoland closed its airspace along its eastern border after its military radar detected objects entering from Belarus for the second time within 72 hours.
The mysterious objects are suspected to be smuggling balloons.
"This incident represents another in a series of hybrid-type events observed in the eastern region of Poland," the Polish Operational Command said in a statement.
In recent times, Europe has been increasingly dealing with airspace alerts involving drones or unidentified objects.
This has prompted several European cities, including Brussels and Munich, to temporarily shut down their airspace.
Kyiv metro suspended and water supplies cut
Sunday 1 February 2026 07:15 , Adam WithnallThe metro in Kyiv suspended operations and water supplies in the city were cut temporarily.
The state emergency service said its teams led 500 stranded passengers out of metro stations. Some passengers were seen waiting at a station with dimmed lights in anticipation of electricity being restored.
Traffic lights and some public transport in Chisinau were not working, according to the city's mayor, and most districts did not have electricity.
The accident caused a shutdown on Ukraine's side, triggering automatic protection at substations and the temporary disconnection of nuclear power plant units from the grid, Ukrainian energy minister Denys Shmyhal said.
Nearly 3,500 apartment buildings in Kyiv without power
Sunday 1 February 2026 06:31 , Adam WithnallZelensky said nearly 3,500 apartment buildings lack heating in the capital.
"The city and utilities and energy experts are promising to fix the heating situation by tomorrow morning," he said. "But the pace should be faster."
Russia agreed to halt strikes on energy infrastructure until Sunday at the request of US president Donald Trump. Kyiv said it would reciprocate, and the countries did not report major attacks.
Regions in both Ukraine and Moldova were affected after the malfunction at 10.42am Kyiv time. Officials in both countries said power was restored later in the day following efforts to stabilise interconnected grids.
Officials in Moldova said it took 3 and a half hours for power supplies to return to normal in the country lying between Ukraine and Romania.
Grid outages 'led to cascade of shutdowns'
Sunday 1 February 2026 05:55 , Adam WithnallUkrainian energy minister Denys Shmyhal said the two line outages between Ukraine and Romania and Moldova respectively occurred within a minute of each other, "leading to a cascade of shutdowns in seven regions of the country."
Moldova's energy ministry said the disruption there was triggered by problems in Ukraine's grid that led to a voltage drop on the line connecting Romania and Moldova.
Reuters said Romania's energy ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The system is under greater pressure as forecast night-time temperatures of -13 degrees Celsius (9 Fahrenheit) in Kyiv are due to sink to -22 C on Monday.
Ukraine and Moldova hit by blackouts from grid malfunction
Sunday 1 February 2026 05:21 , Adam WithnallParts of Ukraine and Moldova, including the neighbouring countries' capitals, were plunged into blackouts on Saturday caused by a malfunction of high-voltage power lines, officials said. Power was restored later in the day.
Officials did not directly link the accident to war damage, although Ukraine's power grid has suffered from the accumulated impact of Russian airstrikes, leading to severe restrictions on electricity supplies in recent weeks.
President Volodymyr Zelensky blamed ice buildup on power lines and ruled out a cyberattack.
"In the morning, a technological accident occurred on the power grid: two lines between Romania and Moldova and within the territory of Ukraine stopped operating," he said in his nightly video address. "The causes are being thoroughly investigated."
He said Ukraine had increased power imports to meet demand.
Analysis: Why Iran is the wrong war for Trump to back
Sunday 1 February 2026 04:01 , Harriette BoucherChaotic, unprincipled and dangerously effective, Donald Trump’s latest foreign policy move in Ukraine may provide a brief respite from Russian bombing in plunging temperatures that have left civilians freezing in their homes.
The danger lies in what he expects to get in return for securing a week-long agreement from Vladimir Putin to hold off on tormenting Ukraine. The concession he will, no doubt, demand is that Kyiv give in to the Kremlin’s demands to hand over his most potent defensive lines and fortress cities without a shot being fired in return for a longer “ceasefire”.
Trump has been backing the wrong side in Ukraine, and may soon launch a war in Iran that he cannot control.
US negotiators have been trying to get Volodymyr Zelensky to agree to cede all of Donetsk and most of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson provinces as a reward for Russia’s bloody invasion that has, by many estimates, cost the country 1.2 million casualties.
The US administration has cut all military aid for Ukraine and allows only an intelligence feed to Kyiv’s forces, leaving its energy system so vulnerable to air attacks by Russia that most Ukrainians have no power in their homes.
World affairs editor Sam Kiley writes:
Watch: NATO warns Ukraine faces 'harshest winter' as Russia targets energy grid
Sunday 1 February 2026 03:15 , Harriette BoucherTrump envoy showed ‘troubling lack of knowledge at Ukraine peace talks and could not say when war began’
Sunday 1 February 2026 02:10 , Harriette BoucherOne of Donald Trump’s senior envoys for Ukraine has sparked alarm after making a series of blunders during crucial peace talks, according to a report.
The unnamed official is alleged to have made several comments that exposed a basic lack of knowledge about the war between Ukraine and Russia during trilateral peace talks in Abu Dhabi last week.
The talks, set to continue this weekend, are the first between the three countries since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in February 2022 – but the comments in the Kyiv Independent have led to fears that inexperience and misunderstanding could pose a risk to Kyiv.
The Independent’s Maira Butt reports:
Trump envoy showed ‘troubling lack of knowledge at Ukraine peace talks
Witkoff reports 'productive and constructive' Ukraine talks with Russia
Sunday 1 February 2026 01:15 , Harriette BoucherUS special envoy Steve Witkoff said he held “productive and constructive meetings” with Russian special envoy Kirill Dmitriev in Florida on Saturday as peace talks set for Sunday have been postponed until next week.
In a post on social media, Mr Witkoff said: “Today in Florida, the Russian Special Envoy Kirill Dmitriev held productive and constructive meetings as part of the U.S. mediation effort toward advancing a peaceful resolution of the Ukrainian conflict.
“We are encouraged by this meeting that Russia is working toward securing peace in Ukraine and is grateful for @POTUS’s critical leadership in seeking a durable and lasting peace.”
Ukraine to receive two lorries worth of spuds in Berlin potato dump
Sunday 1 February 2026 00:20 , Harriette BoucherUkraine is receiving two lorries worth of potatoes after Berlin experienced a bumper harvest year with its biggest crop in more than two decades.
The phenomenon has inspired a potato dump in Berlin, as farmers, not wanting their produce to go to waste, have given away their potatoes away to soup kitchens, schools, churches, and the public.
Two lorries worth of spuds have also been delivered to Ukraine.
It comes as the country experiences a brutal winter, with temperatures in some areas dropping to -30C.
Russia has been repeatedly targeting Ukraine’s energy grid, leaving thousands of Ukrainians without power or food.
