Ukraine
Ukrainian and Western officials said President Zelensky planned to announce presidential elections and a referendum on a peace deal on Feb. 24, but Kyiv said any announcement depended on security.
Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych defied an IOC ban by wearing a helmet commemorating athletes killed in Russia’s invasion at the Winter Olympics and faced disqualification.
/s3/static.nrc.nl/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/11110114/110226SPO_2031504504_1.jpg)
NATO estimated about 1.3 million Russian soldiers had been killed or wounded in the war in Ukraine and said Ukrainian forces remained in a difficult position.
The European Parliament approved a €90 billion loan to Ukraine to fund weapons purchases against Russia, while far-right MEP Jordan Bardella opposed it, citing excessive procurement exemptions and repayment assumptions.
A Russian drone strike killed a 34-year-old man and three small children in Bohodukhiv in Kharkiv region, authorities said, while two other civilians were wounded.
Russian actors spread fake news to discredit Ukrainian athletes at the Winter Olympics, NewsGuard said, as Russia’s exclusion continued to politicize the Games.
Russian strikes damaged Ukraine's power and heating infrastructure, leaving residents in Kyiv and front-line areas freezing while repair crews raced to restore electricity amid scarce food and supplies.
