Fierce battles and high-stakes diplomacy marked the 1,092nd day of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. From territorial gains to escalating rhetoric between world leaders, the conflict continues to shape global geopolitics.
Russian forces have reportedly reclaimed over 800 square kilometers of territory in the Kursk region, amounting to 64 percent of the land Ukraine had taken during its counteroffensive last year, according to Colonel General Sergei Rudskoi of Russia’s General Staff.
Moscow claims to control 75 percent of the Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions, as well as over 99 percent of Luhansk. Rudskoi asserted that these four regions are now legally part of Russia and will not be returned to Ukraine.
In other developments:
- A Ukrainian drone attack in Russia’s Belgorod region killed one civilian, according to regional Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov.
- A large-scale Russian assault on Odesa left four people hospitalized and disrupted services for about 160,000 residents.
- Russian guided bombs struck Kupiansk in northeastern Ukraine, killing at least one person, according to Kharkiv region Governor Oleh Syniehubov.
- Ukraine reported that Russia launched 167 drones and two missiles overnight, with Ukrainian forces managing to shoot down 106 of them.
- In a rare event, Ukraine claimed to have destroyed a North Korean M-1978 Koksan howitzer in Luhansk, marking the first known instance of such a weapon being targeted.
- A South Korean newspaper reported that two captured North Korean soldiers revealed they had been sent to Russia under the guise of training.
- Russian President Vladimir Putin alleged that a Ukrainian drone attack on the Caspian Pipeline Consortium may have been coordinated with European intelligence.
- Kremlin forces are advancing toward the Shevchenko lithium deposit in Donetsk, reportedly closing in from three different directions.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy voiced frustration over Kyiv’s exclusion from recent U.S.-Russia talks, calling it a diplomatic slight. Speaking from Turkey after meeting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Zelenskyy emphasized that Ukraine must be included in any discussions about its future.
Putin assured that Ukraine would not be sidelined in ceasefire negotiations but insisted that talks depend on improving relations between Moscow and Washington, which he described as being at an all-time low.
Tensions escalated further after former U.S. President Donald Trump criticized Zelenskyy, blaming him for the war and suggesting he could have struck a deal to prevent the invasion. Trump also claimed that his Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent was treated “rudely” during a visit to Kyiv, where he attempted to negotiate access to Ukraine’s rare earth minerals in exchange for security aid.
Zelenskyy dismissed Trump’s remarks, accusing him of spreading Russian disinformation and underestimating the scale of U.S. assistance to Ukraine. He also rejected Trump’s proposed $500 billion mineral deal, calling it unrealistic and unfair.
In other diplomatic movements:
- Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed that Putin and Trump might meet before the end of February.
- The European Union approved a new sanctions package that includes a ban on importing Russian aluminum.
- Kazakhstan reached out to Ukraine after a recent Russian drone strike hit a Kazakh oil pipeline.
- Trump’s special envoy for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, traveled to Kyiv for discussions with Zelenskyy and other officials.
- French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot stated that the U.S. seeks a long-term peace agreement rather than a temporary ceasefire that would allow Russia to regroup.
With no signs of de-escalation, the war remains a focal point of international politics, affecting global security, economic stability, and diplomatic alliances.
