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Ukraine Funds Sperm Freezing for Soldiers Amid Deepening Demographic Crisis

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Facing a severe demographic decline worsened by Russia’s full-scale invasion, Ukraine is funding a programme that allows serving soldiers to freeze sperm and eggs free of charge. Introduced after private clinics began offering cryopreservation in 2022, the scheme was later regulated and financed by the state to help troops preserve the chance of having children if they are injured or killed. Lawmakers say the policy is both a personal safeguard for soldiers’ families and a small step toward protecting the nation’s future population.

The war has intensified an already serious crisis: large numbers of young men have been killed at the front, while millions—mostly women—have left the country as refugees. Clinics in Kyiv report that pregnancies have dropped sharply since the invasion, with stress, displacement and constant missile and drone attacks causing many couples to postpone having children. Officials argue that preserving fertility for military families is vital as Ukraine struggles with long-term population loss.

The programme has not been without controversy. Early rules required sperm samples to be destroyed if a donor died, prompting public outrage after widows were denied the right to use their husbands’ frozen material. Amendments now allow samples to be kept for several years after death with prior consent, though families still report legal and bureaucratic hurdles. Despite these challenges, supporters say open discussion of fertility and wider participation by soldiers could help ensure that the children of those killed in the war still have a chance to be born in the country their parents died defending.

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EU Not Ready to Set Ukraine Membership Date, Says Kaja Kallas

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European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said EU governments are not prepared to give Ukraine a concrete date for joining the bloc, despite Kyiv’s push for one as part of future security guarantees. Speaking at the Munich Security Conference, Kallas said member states believe significant work remains before any timeline can be set, underlining that EU accession is a merit-based and lengthy process.

Ukraine, led by President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, has been pressing for a 2027 membership target, with diplomats saying the date was floated in discussions involving the European Union, the United States, and Ukraine as part of a broader peace framework. However, many EU capitals view any fixed date as unrealistic while Ukraine is still aligning its laws and institutions with EU standards amid an ongoing war with Russia.

Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics echoed Kallas’ remarks, saying there was little appetite among EU leaders to commit to a date and expressing scepticism about the prospects of an imminent peace deal. He added that any special arrangement for Ukraine would also need to consider long-standing candidates such as Western Balkans states and Moldova, while noting that opposition from Hungary continues to slow the launch of detailed accession talks.

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Russian Drone Strike Kills 3 Toddlers and Father in Kharkiv Region

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A Russian drone attack in Bohodukhiv, Kharkiv region, killed three young children and their father, while injuring the pregnant mother, local officials reported. The victims were twin boys Ivan and Vladyslav, aged two, and their one-year-old sister Myroslava, along with their 34-year-old father, Hryhoriy. The mother, Olha, 35, sustained minor burns but survived. The family had recently relocated from a town near the Russian border, seeking refuge from ongoing shelling.

The attack marks a renewed wave of Russian strikes following a short pause, with the Kharkiv region under near-daily assaults. Regional authorities described the incident as “brutal,” noting that tens of thousands of residents face severe power outages and lack of heating, worsened by Moscow targeting energy and transport infrastructure.

In parallel, Russian forces hit other areas including Slovyansk, causing further casualties, while Ukraine launched retaliatory drone attacks on Volzhsky in Russia’s Volgograd region. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky emphasized the continued strain on civilians and noted ongoing international efforts, including upcoming U.S.-hosted talks, to end the war that began in February 2022.

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Estonia Warns of Russian Military Buildup

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Estonia’s foreign intelligence service has reported that Russia is rebuilding its military forces in response to Europe’s rearmament, though it does not plan to attack any NATO state in the near term. According to the report, Moscow aims to delay and hinder Europe’s ability to conduct independent military action, viewing European rearmament over the next two to three years as a significant concern.

The intelligence service highlighted Russia’s rapid expansion of ammunition production, which allows for stockpiling supplies for potential future conflicts while continuing operations in Ukraine. Any hypothetical attack on Estonia could involve coordinated drone operations across land, air, and sea. Estonia emphasized the need for the continent to invest in defense and internal security to deter potential aggression.

The report also noted Russia’s continued view of the U.S. as its main adversary while attempting to use diplomatic channels to ease sanctions and influence the Ukraine conflict. It highlighted Moscow’s strategic alignment with China, which could use Russian cooperation to challenge Western influence globally, particularly in the context of energy and military technology collaboration.

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US Pushes for Ukraine-Russia Peace by June Amid Ongoing Attacks

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that the US aims to end the war with Russia by June, inviting both sides to hold talks in the United States next week, likely in Miami. Zelensky confirmed Ukraine’s participation but noted that difficult issues, including territorial concessions, remain unresolved. For the first time, leaders may be involved in trilateral discussions, though preparatory steps are required before this can happen.

Meanwhile, Russia continues to target Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, causing widespread blackouts amid freezing temperatures. More than 400 drones and 40 missiles struck power plants, substations, and transmission lines, affecting regions such as Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Rivne. Thousands of Ukrainians remain without electricity, forcing many to take shelter in metro stations. Ukraine has also retaliated with strikes on Russian military and industrial facilities in Tver and Saratov regions.

Since Russia’s full-scale invasion nearly four years ago, more than 55,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed, with nearly 160,000 Russian military casualties confirmed. Zelensky emphasized that Moscow should not be allowed to leverage the harsh winter to pressure Ukraine. Despite ongoing diplomacy, the conflict continues to inflict severe humanitarian and infrastructural damage.

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Ukraine Deactivates Russian Starlink Terminals, Disrupting Assaults

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Ukrainian forces have deactivated Starlink internet terminals being used by the Russian military on the battlefield, a move officials described as a major setback for Moscow. The deactivation disrupted Russian assault operations across multiple areas, affecting thousands of terminals that had previously enabled mobile and hard-to-intercept communications.

Ukraine coordinated with SpaceX to block unauthorized use of Starlink by Russian forces and established a “white list” of Ukrainian terminals to ensure uninterrupted service for its own operations. Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov confirmed that Russian terminals had already been blocked, with verification ongoing. SpaceX has not officially commented, though Elon Musk indicated prior measures to stop Russian use were effective.

The impact on Russian forces has been severe, according to Ukrainian advisers, with command and communications largely collapsing on the frontlines. Kyiv continues to rely on tens of thousands of Starlink connections for battlefield communication and drone operations, highlighting the strategic importance of satellite-based internet in modern warfare.

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Moldova Suffers Major Power Outage Linked to Ukraine Grid Failure

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Moldova experienced widespread power cuts on Saturday after an emergency failure linked to neighbouring Ukraine’s electricity grid, according to officials. The outage affected the capital, Chisinau, and large parts of the country after disruptions in Ukraine caused a voltage drop on one of the main power lines supplying Moldova, the energy ministry said.

Chisinau mayor Ion Ceban said most districts of the city were left without electricity, with traffic lights and other essential services also knocked out. Authorities worked to manage the situation as residents faced sudden blackouts across urban areas.

Ukraine has also been hit by emergency power cuts, with electricity provider DTEK confirming outages in some regions. Kyiv’s metro was temporarily shut down and the city’s water supply was briefly halted. Ukraine’s power grid has been repeatedly targeted by Russian strikes in recent months, leading to ongoing electricity shortages that continue to affect both Ukraine and neighbouring countries.

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Russia, Ukraine Pause Energy Attacks but Clash Over Duration

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Russia and Ukraine said they have halted strikes on each other’s energy infrastructure, following a U.S.-backed de-escalation push, but sharply differed on how long the moratorium should last. The Kremlin said President Vladimir Putin agreed to stop attacks on Ukrainian energy targets until February 1, while President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said the pause took effect from Friday midnight and should last a full week. Both sides confirmed there were no energy strikes over the past 24 hours, though no formal ceasefire has been agreed.

Ukraine accused Russia of shifting tactics, saying Moscow had instead intensified attacks on logistics, including rail facilities, even as temperatures in Kyiv are forecast to plunge to minus 26 degrees Celsius. Hundreds of residential buildings in the capital remain without heating after weeks of earlier strikes. Zelenskiy also said Ukraine refrained from hitting Russian energy facilities in response, but warned that air defences have been weakened due to delays in receiving U.S.-supplied Patriot missiles.

Diplomatic efforts remain uncertain, with Zelenskiy saying it was unclear whether a planned meeting between Russian, Ukrainian and U.S. negotiators would go ahead as scheduled. Major sticking points include Russia’s demand that Ukraine cede territory in eastern regions and control over the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant. Despite limited progress in talks, fighting continues across the front lines, and many Ukrainians remain sceptical that the temporary energy truce will lead to a broader or lasting ceasefire.

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Russia Strikes Kyiv and Kharkiv, One Dead

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Russian forces launched attacks on Ukraine’s two largest cities, Kyiv and Kharkiv, early Saturday, resulting in one confirmed death and at least 15 injuries. In Kyiv, Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported fires in multiple districts along the Dnipro River, as power, heating, and water supplies were disrupted. Both drones and missiles were used in the assault, damaging a medical facility among other buildings.

In Kharkiv, approximately 30 km from the Russian border, Mayor Ihor Terekhov said 25 drones struck several districts over a two-and-a-half-hour period, hitting a dormitory for displaced persons, a hospital, and a maternity ward. At least 11 people were injured during the attacks. Emergency services continued working to restore essential utilities in freezing overnight temperatures.

The strikes came shortly after Ukraine, Russia, and US negotiators concluded the first day of talks in the UAE aimed at resolving the nearly four-year conflict. Despite ongoing diplomatic efforts, the attacks underscore the continuing volatility and human toll in the conflict zones.

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France Seizes Suspected Russian ‘Shadow Fleet’ Oil Tanker in Mediterranean

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The French navy, with support from allied forces including the United Kingdom, has seized an oil tanker in the western Mediterranean Sea suspected of being part of Russia’s sanction-busting “shadow fleet”, officials announced on Thursday. The vessel, named Grinch, was intercepted between Spain and Morocco while sailing from Russia’s northern port of Murmansk under what authorities say was a false or irregular flag.

President Emmanuel Macron said the operation was carried out in accordance with international law and aimed at enforcing sanctions intended to curb revenue that helps finance Russia’s war against Ukraine. The tanker was boarded and diverted for further inspection after French maritime authorities confirmed doubts over its documentation. France’s maritime prosecutor in Marseille has launched a judicial investigation into the incident.

The UK provided key tracking and monitoring support through its naval assets as part of a broader effort to disrupt “shadow fleet” operations, which involve ageing tankers used to evade Western sanctions. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed the action and urged further measures to ensure sanctioned oil no longer funds Russia’s military operations. This marks another high-profile enforcement against vessels linked to sanctions evasion following similar actions by Western countries.

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