Russo-Ukrainian war, day 1441: Russian missiles knock out heat to thousands as Trump praises “good” talks

(function(w,q){w[q]=w[q]||[];w[q].push([“_mgc.load”])})(window,”_mgq”);

Exclusives

No, Hungary, banning Russian gas isn’t a violation of EU law. Budapest claims the EU overstepped its powers. The treaties, case law, and Hungary’s own choices tell a different story.

Why Starlink made Russia’s kamikaze terror drones much harder to stop. Improved reliability and resistance to jamming make Starlink-equipped drones deadlier and a priority for Kyiv to shut down

Honeytrap empire: Epstein files reveal deep ties to Belarusian and Russian individuals, including an FSB-trained business advisor. 3 million pages document FSB contacts, sanctioned bank transfers, and channels to the Kremlin

Russia’s next target is Kostiantynivka. Fog may have just given them their shot.. Fog and rain could help Russian troops sever Kostiantynivka’s main supply line. If the city falls, Kramatorsk and Sloviansk are in trouble.

Russia’s frozen billions now fund Ukraine—and Kyiv won’t repay a cent. G7 loans backed by seized assets cut borrowing costs in half.

Can Ukraine build infrastructure faster than Russia destroys it? (INFOGRAPHICS). Missiles haven’t killed Ukraine’s hydropower ambitions—just forced them underground.

Can Starlink block Russian drones? Yes — but the devil’s in the details. 4G modems and stolen SIMs are the gap nobody’s closing

Military

Estonia prepares drone and counter-drone package for Ukraine after massive Russian air attack. Defense chiefs discussed joint weapons production in Estonia.

Sweden and Denmark to jointly purchase drone-killing air defense systems for Ukraine. Tridon Mk2 units to protect critical infrastructure within months.

Russia unleashes 521 missiles and drones on Ukraine in 2026’s largest attack, Zircon anti-ship missiles strain defenses. Navy-killer missiles designed to sink American warships now strike Ukrainian cities.

Ukrainian FPVs just destroyed Russian system that could unleash fire wave high as nine-story building (VIDEO). Russia’s “machine of death” was designed to leave no survivors. Ukrainian drones had other plans.

China used Russian technology to build world’s largest navy capable of challenging US. Soviet hull became training platform. Chinese carrier now has catapults.

What will be Ukraine’s three key priorities at next Ramstein meeting in Brussels?. They could determine how cities survive the winter.

Intelligence and technology

Ukraine’s “Marichka” underwater drone can lurk for a week before striking with one-tonne payload – new details revealed. Marichka can travel 1,000 km to target ships, ports, or conduct reconnaissance.

International

Ukraine seeks IAEA reform to punish states that weaponize nuclear facilities. Foreign Minister Sybiha says current rules fail to address deliberate violations.

Denmark gives most to Ukraine relative to GDP — US lags behind (INFOGRAPHIC). Baltic and Nordic states dominate the top of the rankings, with Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, and Sweden all committing over 1.4% of their economies to Ukrainian defense.

41 Ukrainian firms have both UK and Russian co-owners, new data reveals (INFOGRAPHIC). Fresh YouControl research exposes transparency gaps in Britain’s corporate registry.

Ukraine and West agree on 72-hour military response plan if Russia violates future ceasefires.

Not another Minsk, not another Budapest: NATO chief promises Ukraine different kind of security guarantees. The Budapest Memorandum from the 1990s promised Ukraine security in exchange for giving up nuclear weapons; the Minsk accords promised ceasefires with Russia in 2014 and 2015—both failed spectacularly.

Trump praises Ukraine-Russia talks as “doing very well” as Russian missiles knock out heat to thousands of Ukrainian homes during Arctic-level cold snap. The overnight attack on 3 February was already underway when the US President addressed reporters, with temperatures across Ukraine dropping past -20°C.

Lavrov’s Soviet playbook in Abu Dhabi: Russia frames itself as America’s equal to cut Europe out of Kyiv-Moscow talks. The Russian foreign minister compared Moscow to Washington as a fellow “great power” just days before trilateral negotiations, a tactic ISW says aims to entice Trump with economic deals while pushing to exclude Europe from peace talks.

Humanitarian and social impact

Russia strikes Zaporizhzhia during rush hour, killing two and wounding nine, including children (PHOTOS). Strike damaged apartment building, shops, and parked cars.

Kyiv receives 90 generators from Warsaw as Russian strikes cripple heating systems. Mayor Klitschko says aid is “extremely necessary” amid energy crisis.

Russia launches 2026’s largest energy attack during -20°C freeze – DTEK. Energy system operates “with serious restrictions” after overnight barrage.

Russia bombs Kyiv WWII museum beneath the Motherland monument. The site preserves memory of the fight against 20th-century aggression—Russia now repeats those crimes.

Russia slaughters civilians in Ukraine daily, Medvedev lectures Finland about “gratitude” to Lenin. Moscow’s Security Council chief demanded Helsinki thank the Bolshevik leader for recognizing Finnish independence while issuing implicit threats about 20th-century conflicts not being in Finland’s “favor.”

Russia “freed up resources” from energy attacks in Ukraine. Where it redirected them after Trump’s proposal killed 20 people in five days. Energy truce didn’t stop the killing. It redirected it.

Political and legal developments

A monk, a mechanic, and a prison chief: Inside Ukraine’s latest crackdown on homegrown Russian propagandists. SBU detained three suspects who used Telegram and TikTok to call for missile strikes on Kyiv, demand Kharkiv’s annexation, and justify the Bucha massacre.

Read our previous daily review here.

(function(w,q){w[q]=w[q]||[];w[q].push([“_mgc.load”])})(window,”_mgq”);