Suffocation with plastic bags, electric shocks to the genitals, broken fingers, needles driven under fingernails and forced removal of pro-Ukrainian tattoos.
In Russian detention centers and prisons, this is called a “gentleman’s kit” — United24 cites a report by Memorial. 1/
Almost all Ukrainians released from Russian captivity report systematic torture, humiliation, and a complete lack of medical care.
These abuses are not isolated incidents but a routine part of detention. 2/
In January 2025, Memorial’s monitoring mission conducted 40 interviews with former POWs, civilian hostages, witnesses, and families of victims.
The research covered 8 regions of Ukraine and focused on war crimes committed after Russia’s full-scale invasion. 3/
NATO chief Mark Rutte warns Russia could wage war against the alliance "on the scale our grandparents and great-grandparents endured" — referencing World War-level conflict. He says Russia could be ready to use military force against NATO within five years — Reuters. 1/
In a Berlin speech, Rutte warned that too many NATO allies don't feel the urgency of Russia's threat and are "quietly complacent." He urged rapid increases in defense spending and production: "The time for action is now." 2/
"We are Russia's next target," Rutte declared. "Conflict is at our door. Russia has brought war back to Europe. And we must be prepared." He warned that allies wrongly believe time is on their side — it's not. 3/
Secret FBI-Ukraine contacts are rattling Western capitals.
Ukraine’s top peace negotiator held closed-door meetings with FBI Director Patel and Deputy Director Bongino amid US pressure on Kyiv to accept Trump’s peace plan — The WP. 1/
Rustem Umerov secretly met FBI leadership multiple times while traveling to the US for negotiations with Trump envoy Witkoff.
The meetings were not disclosed to most Western partners, triggering concern over their purpose and timing. 2/
Some Western officials fear the channel could be used to pressure Zelenskyy into accepting a US-backed deal with major territorial concessions.
Others worry Ukrainian officials sought FBI leverage or protection amid a widening corruption probe in Kyiv. 3/
Brussels triggered an emergency legal clause to keep €210B in Russian sovereign assets immobilised for the foreseeable future, shielding them from release or external bargaining — Euronews.
The move uses Article 122 of EU treaties — an emergency economic provision. 1/
It allows action by qualified majority, bypassing unanimity and the European Parliament. This removes the risk of single-country vetoes that plagued the sanctions-based freeze. 2/
How far are Ukraine and Russia from signing a peace deal?
The Times writes that the next few days are the most dangerous moment of the war, as Europe fears Trump could cut Ukraine loose and side with Moscow to force a settlement at almost any price.
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In October, Trump envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner negotiated a 28-point US–Russia plan with Putin ally Kirill Dmitriev — without Ukraine or the EU.
The deal handed Crimea and Donbas to Russia, froze the front and capped Ukraine’s army at 600,000.
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The plan banned NATO membership, forced troop withdrawals, lifted sanctions on Russia and invited Moscow back into the G8.
Security guarantees stayed weak and vague: talk of a response, no hard commitments.
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BlackRock CEO Larry Fink has entered the economic track of Trump–Ukraine negotiations — a major signal that reconstruction planning is moving into real money and procedures, reports Bloomberg. 1/
Zelenskyy said Fink joined Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Jared Kushner on Wednesday for what he called “the first meeting of the group that will work on a document concerning reconstruction and economic recovery of Ukraine.” 2/
Fink’s return is notable: BlackRock paused its Ukraine recovery fund nearly a year ago after Trump’s re-election.
Before the freeze, the fund was on track to raise $2.5B from governments, development banks and private investors. 3/