FT: Russian satellites Luch-1 and Luch-2 have been intercepting and spying on European satellites — exposing how Moscow can monitor, disrupt, or even hijack systems that power Europe’s communications, TV, and government links. 1/
This matters because many European satellites still use unencrypted command links.
If Russia records these signals, it can later imitate ground controllers, alter orbits, knock satellites off alignment, or force them to fail. 2/
Since its launch in 2023, Luch-2 has approached 17 European geostationary satellites, parking next to them for weeks at a time above Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, according to orbital tracking data. 3/
Sometimes we don’t think about what the loss of heating and electricity really means.
This winter, Kyiv’s National Botanical Garden is fighting to save plants and research dating back to the 1940s, maintained through decades of scientific work and generational effort. 1/
Kyiv Independent: the garden holds over 4,000 species of tropical and subtropical plants.
Many exist in only a few collections worldwide. Some ecosystems where they were originally collected no longer exist at all. 2/
Outside temperatures dropped to –25°C.
Inside the greenhouses, temperatures fell to 0°C or lower.
For tropical plants, 15°C is the minimum for survival. Below that, growth stops, immunity collapses, and death can come weeks or months later. 3/
Why Donetsk sits at the center of the peace talks.
In Abu Dhabi, Rubio called it the one remaining item. Moscow disputes that — but the Ukrainian-held part of Donetsk is the core territorial demand Russia won’t drop, NYT. 1/
Russia still wants 2,082 sq miles of Donetsk — smaller than Delaware, but politically decisive.
For months, Moscow has signaled it won’t stop fighting until Kyiv hands over the rest of the region it still controls. 2/
Donetsk is the symbolic heart of the war.
Since 2014, the Kremlin has framed the invasion around “saving Donbas.” Luhansk is fully occupied. Leaving part of Donetsk outside Russian control breaks the propaganda story. 3/
Foreman: Russia's "third army" is effectively a bit of a rabble. It will throw emphasis back onto nuclear weapons.
Russia is already inferior economically, militarily, financially to Europe. That gap's going to grow. Russia is in decline. Russian economy is creaking along. 1/
Foreman: Why would Russia want to attack NATO when having suffered at the hands of Ukraine so grievously and then have to face an even more superior enemy?
Even European NATO could handle the Russian army let alone with the Americans there. An army quite good on paper. 2/
Foreman: More evidence was building that Russia was going to invade Ukraine. Shoigu and Gerasimov met with Putin.
We'd speak to the Russians directly. It was the last attempt to deter them. They were Champions League liars. We saw through their lies. 3/
Sikorski: The Nobel Peace Prize is of some interest. Right now, prime ministers get letters. As foreign ministers, we have the right to nominate.
If President Trump secures a fair peace for Ukraine, I shall do it myself. But it's I who will decide what a fair peace is. 1/
Sikorski: Norwegian air defense systems and F-35s were the 1st to help protect the Polish sky. Defense cooperation has been growing steadily and effectively.
Together we are helping Ukrainian soldiers who can now train in Poland in camps. 2/
Sikorski: Our locations give us a strategic role in the regions near to Russia. Poland is between East and West. In NATO, they used to joke that God created Poland for tank warfare.
We are trying to get away from that. We like to think of ourselves as southern Scandinavia. 3/