Ukraine’s Defense Ministry has officially approved the domestically-produced Baton (“a loaf of bread” in Ukrainian) drone for use by the Armed Forces, the ministry announced on Feb. 10.
The Baton drones are designed to meet military …
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Spies, Lies, and Algorithms
Amy B. Zegart
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Ukraine approves high-speed Baton drones for battlefield deployment
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Czech authorities investigating allegations of unauthorized drone shipments to Ukraine
Prague is investigating allegations of unauthorized drone shipments from Czechia to Ukraine, Ceske Noviny reported on Feb. 9, citing Defense Minister Jana Cernochova.
The investigation is focused on the Nemesis project, organized by the Skupina D …
Ukraine
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Romanian President Iohannis announces resignation to avert political crisis
Romanian President Klaus Iohannis announced his resignation on Feb. 10 to avert a possible crisis caused by an upcoming parliamentary vote on his impeachment.
Far-right opposition parties submitted, for the third time, an initiative to the Romanian …
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USA
The Counteroffensive: Inside Ukraine's historic first all-drone assault on Russian positions
Editor’s Note: This article was published by the twice-weekly newsletter “The Counteroffensive with Tim Mak” on Feb. 8, 2025, and has been re-published by the Kyiv Independent with permission. To subscribe to The Counteroffensive, click here.
Kharkiv …
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Russia massing troops for new assaults in Chasiv Yar, military warns
Russian forces are concentrating troops for fresh assaults in Chasiv Yar in Donetsk Oblast, Lieutenant Colonel Dmytro Zaporozhets, a spokesperson for the Operational Tactical Group Luhansk, said on Feb. 10.
Chasiv Yar in Ukraine’s east has been …
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Illegal border crossing attempts in Ukraine have nearly halved since last summer, Border Guard says
The State Border Guard has recorded a decrease in attempts to illegally cross Ukraine’s border since July 2024, spokesperson Andrii Demchenko said on Feb. 10.
“If we compare January with July last year, we see a 45% decrease,” …
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USA
EU vows retaliatory measures as Trump set to announce 25% tariffs on steel, aluminum
The European Commission on Feb. 10 threatened retaliatory measures if U.S. President Donald Trump goes forward with his plan to impose a 25% tariff on all steel and aluminum imports.
Trump said on Feb. 9 that Washington would announce tariffs on steel …
Russia
The Less Dependent Europeans Are on Russia, the Sooner We Can Ensure Security in Europe – Zelenskyy
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Europe mulls large-scale seizures of Russia's 'shadow fleet' ships, Politico reports
European countries are privately discussing large-scale seizures of Russian oil tankers in the Baltic Sea after a number of incidents, Politico reported on Feb. 10, citing two unnamed EU diplomats and two government officials.
The media outlet …
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Zelensky-Putin talks and Kursk strike | Ukraine This Week
This Sunday, the Kyiv Independent’s Anna Belokur gives updates on Ukraine-Russia peace talks, U.S. President Donald Trump’s ongoing aid freeze, and the debate surrounding a deadly strike on civilian infrastructure in Russia’s Kursk Oblast.
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Transnistria rejects EU aid offer under Moscow's pressure, Moldova's PM says
The Moldovan government said that Transnistrian authorities refused to accept the European Union’s offer of 60 million euros ($62 million) in energy aid under pressure from Moscow, the Moldovan media outlet Newsmaker reported on Feb. 10. …
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Scholz, Merz agree on Germany's continued support for Ukraine
German Chancellor Olaf Schlolz and his chief challenger in the upcoming elections, Friedrich Merz, agreed during a television debate on Feb. 9 that Berlin must continue supporting Ukraine and that Russia’s war must end as soon as possible.
Polls …
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European Investment Bank head Calvino arrives in Kyiv
Editor’s note: This is a developing story and is being updated.
The European Investment Bank (EIB) head, Nadia Calvino, arrived in Kyiv on Feb. 10, the EU Ambassador to Ukraine, Katarina Mathernova, announced.
The news comes as 19 EU member …
Ukraine
Finally at Home! 150 for 150 POW Exchange in Ukraine
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Trump claims 'progress' on ending Russia-Ukraine war, confirms contact with Putin
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Feb. 9 that the United States had made progress in talks to end Russia’s war against Ukraine but declined to disclose details about his communication with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Speaking to …
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China's Xi to visit Moscow for Victory Day celebrations, Russian envoy says
Chinese President Xi Jinping plans to visit Moscow on May 9 to attend Russia’s Victory Day celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, pro-Kremlin media Interfax reported on Feb. 10, citing Russian Ambassador to …
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2 killed, 16 injured in Russian attacks across Ukraine over past day
Russian attacks on multiple Ukrainian regions killed at least two civilians and injured 16 over the past day, regional authorities reported on Feb. 10.
Overnight, Russia launched 83 Shahed-type combat drones and decoy drones, the Air Force said. …
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Drones reportedly target key Russian oil refinery in Krasnodar Krai
Drones attacked Russia’s Krasnodar Krai on Feb. 10, reportedly targeting the Afipskiy oil refinery, a key facility processing 6.25 million tons of oil annually, claimed Andrii Kovalenko, head of Ukraine’s Center for Countering …
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Zelensky, Vance to meet at Munich Security Conference, CBS News reports
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. Vice President JD Vance are expected to meet during the Munich Security Conference later this week, CBS News reported on Feb. 9, citing undisclosed sources.
The news comes amid U.S. President …
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General Staff: Russia has lost 850,490 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022
Russia has lost 850,490 troops in Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, the General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces reported on Feb. 10.
This number includes 1,170 casualties Russian forces suffered just over …
Ukraine
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Thousands of North Koreans taking construction jobs in Russia, media reports
Thousands of North Koreans entered Russia in 2024 to take jobs in construction, South Korea’s Yonhap news agency reported on Feb. 9.
The report comes a day after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Moscow’s key ally, pledged his …
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USA
'We need to recoup those costs' — Mike Waltz on future of US aid to Ukraine
United States National Security Adviser Mike Waltz said on Feb. 9 that U.S. officials will discuss the future of Washington’s financial support for Ukraine during meetings in Europe this week.
Waltz’s comments come ahead of the Munich …
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EU should consider 'full trade embargo' on Russia, Estonian president says
The European Union should stop importing Russian energy products and “seriously consider” a complete trade embargo against Russia, Estonian President Alar Karis said on Feb. 9.
Karis' statement comes a day after the Baltic states Estonia, …
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USA
Musk to reveal fraud, slash 'billions' at Pentagon, Trump says
Elon Musk will likely uncover billions of dollars in wasteful and fraudulent spending at the U.S. Defense Department, U.S. President Donald Trump said in an interview with Fox News on Feb. 9.
Musk, currently the world’s richest man, heads the …
Ukraine
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Kursk incursion stopped Russian invasion of Zaporizhzhia, Zelensky claims
Ukraine’s offensive into Russia’s Kursk Oblast prevented Russian forces from carrying out large-scale operations in northeastern and southern Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview with ITV News on Feb. 7.
Kyiv …