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A top Kremlin official has suggested Moscow could retaliate with its navy if European powers intensify the seizure and boarding of Russian ships in the Baltic Sea.
Presidential aide Nikolai Patrushev called the European raids on shadow fleet ships "piracy," and expressed concern that the next step would be a full-fledged blockade.
The Kyiv Independent (kyivindependent.com)
President Trump repeatedly promised during his campaign that he would end the war in Ukraine in one day.
But by most measures, the war has grown worse for Ukrainians since Mr. Trump returned to the White House, not better.
Ukraine is set to receive 35 missiles for U.S.-produced Patriot air defense systems from its partners soon, German Defense Minister Boris #Pistorius told journalists on Feb. 12 following a meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group at NATO headquarters.
Ukraine is set to receive 35 missiles for U.S.-produced Patriot air defense systems from its partners soon, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said on Feb. 12.
The Kyiv Independent (kyivindependent.com)
About 11,000 North Korean troops are stationed in Russia's Kursk Oblast as of early 2026 to support Moscow's war in Ukraine, Yonhap reported on Feb. 12, citing South Korea's intelligence.
Approximately 10,000 North Korean combat troops and 1,000 engineer troops are currently stationed in the front-line Russian region, according to the National Intelligence Service (NIS).
The Kyiv Independent (kyivindependent.com)
To combat online crime, web services and messaging apps need to be blocked, leaving Russians with only the state-owned messaging app MAX. This proposal was made by Ruslan Gumerov, head of the Tatarstan Ministry of Internal Affairs' Cybercrime Department .
Чтобы побороть преступность в интернете, нужно заблокировать веб-сервисы и мессенджеры и оставить россиянам один государственный мессенджер МАХ.
Русская служба The Moscow Times (ru.themoscowtimes.com)
In 2025, Russian telecom operators blocked 18.45 million SIM cards at the request of Roskomnadzor. This is a 76% increase from the previous year.
В 2025 году российские операторы связи заблокировали по требованию Роскомнадзора 18,45 млн сим-карт.
Русская служба The Moscow Times (ru.themoscowtimes.com)
Ukraine will need Western troops to enforce any ceasefire with Russia’s Vladimir Putin, but voters in Europe’s two most powerful economies Germany and France are deeply reluctant to help.
POLITICO Poll says Emmanuel Macron’s pledge to put French boots on the ground is not backed by the French public.
POLITICO (www.politico.eu)
Russia's central bank cut its key interest rate by 50 basis points to 15.5% on Friday and signalled that rates could fall further in a bid to shore up the slowing wartime economy, which is struggling with high borrowing costs.
Facing the possibility of losing power after 16 years, Prime Minister Viktor Orban has cast Hungary's election on April 12 as a stark choice between "war or peace", saying his opponents would drag the country into the war raging next door in Ukraine.
Russia has no intention of ending its war in Ukraine, according to assessments by eastern NATO member states Poland and Estonia that offer a warning to Washington that Vladimir Putin is likely buying time in peace talks.
