<p><strong>Day 1,453.</strong></p><p>Today, amid fresh Russian bombardments and reports of Ukrainian counter-operations, we step back to assess the broader strategic picture on the battlefield – and ask what 2026 could bring if peace talks collapse. We then report from the Munich Security Conference, where American voices, including US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, set out competing visions for US involvement in Europe, and Belarus warned about Moscow’s nuclear expansion. Then we cover President Zelensky’s candid remarks, and examine the extraordinary claims from British intelligence that Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was killed with a toxin derived from a frog on the orders of Vladimir Putin.</p><br><p><strong>Contributors</strong></p><p>Francis Dearnley (Executive Editor for Audio). @FrancisDearnley on X.</p><p>Venetia&nbsp;Rainey (Co-host&nbsp;<a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/battle-lines/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Battle Lines</a>&nbsp;podcast). @venetiarainey&nbsp;on X.</p><p>Adélie Pojzman-Pontay (Journalist and Producer). @adeliepjz on X.</p><p>Rozina Sabur (National Security Editor). @RozinaSabur on X.</p><br><p><strong>SIGN UP TO THE ‘UKRAINE: THE LATEST’ WEEKLY NEWSLETTER:</strong></p><p><a href="http://telegraph.co.uk/ukrainenewsletter" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">http://telegraph.co.uk/ukrainenewsletter</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Each week, Dom Nicholls and Francis Dearnley answer your questions, provide recommended reading, and give exclusive analysis and behind-the-scenes insights – plus maps of the frontlines and diagrams of weapons to complement our daily reporting. It’s free for everyone, including non-subscribers.</p><br><p><strong>CONTENT REFERENCED:</strong></p><p>Putin’s frog poison hit on Navalny reveals his secret chemical weapons (The Telegraph):</p><p><a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/02/14/russia-killed-navalny-with-frog-poison-britain-reveals/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/02/14/russia-killed-navalny-with-frog-poison-britain-reveals/</a>&nbsp;</p><br><p>Kim opens new neighbourhood for families of soldiers killed in Ukraine (The Telegraph):</p><p><a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/02/16/kim-opens-neighbourhood-families-soldiers-killed-ukraine/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/02/16/kim-opens-neighbourhood-families-soldiers-killed-ukraine/</a>&nbsp;</p><br><p>Putin ‘moving nuclear missiles’ to EU border (The Telegraph): </p><p><a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/02/15/putin-moving-nuclear-missiles-to-eu-border/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/02/15/putin-moving-nuclear-missiles-to-eu-border/</a>&nbsp;</p><br><p>Nato will strike ‘deep inside Russia’ if Putin hits Baltics (The Telegraph):</p><p><a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/02/16/nato-air-strikes-deep-in-russia-if-putin-hits-baltics/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/02/16/nato-air-strikes-deep-in-russia-if-putin-hits-baltics/</a>&nbsp;</p><br><p>Poland considers building nuclear weapons (The Telegraph):</p><p><a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/02/16/poland-considers-building-nuclear-weapons-russia/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/02/16/poland-considers-building-nuclear-weapons-russia/</a>&nbsp;</p><br><p>Ukraine’s War of Endurance – The Fight for Advantage in the Conflict’s Fifth Year (Michael Kofman in Foreign Affairs):</p><p><a href="https://www.foreignaffairs.com/russia/ukraines-war-endurance" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.foreignaffairs.com/russia/ukraines-war-endurance</a>&nbsp;</p><br><p>Ukraine struck $100 million Russian Nebo-U radar system in occupied Crimea, General Staff claims (Kyiv Independent):</p><p><a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-says-it-struck-100-million-russian-nebo-u-radar-system-in-occupied-crimea/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-says-it-struck-100-million-russian-nebo-u-radar-system-in-occupied-crimea/</a>&nbsp;</p><br><p>Ukraine’s survival still an ‘open question’, Kyiv mayor warns (Financial Times):</p><p><a href="https://www.ft.com/content/a140cba5-d36c-47b7-95cb-57218fa5874c" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.ft.com/content/a140cba5-d36c-47b7-95cb-57218fa5874c</a>&nbsp;</p><br><p><strong>LISTEN TO THIS PODCAST IN NEW LANGUAGES:</strong></p><p>The Telegraph has launched translated versions of Ukraine: The Latest in Ukrainian and Russian, making its reporting accessible to audiences on both sides of the battle lines and across the wider region, including Central Asia and the Caucasus. Just search Україна: Останні Новини (Ukr) and Украина: Последние Новости (Ru) on your on your preferred podcast app to find them. Listen here: <a href="https://linktr.ee/ukrainethelatest" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://linktr.ee/ukrainethelatest</a></p><br><p>Subscribe:&nbsp;<a href="http://telegraph.co.uk/ukrainethelatest" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">telegraph.co.uk/ukrainethelatest</a></p><p>Email:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:[email protected]" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">[email protected]</a></p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>