Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events

Here is the situation on Friday, February 21:

Fighting

Russian forces took back more than 800 square kilometres (309 square miles) from Ukrainian troops in western Russia’s Kursk region, the Krasnaya Zvezda newspaper reported, quoting Colonel General Sergei Rudskoi, head of the Russian General Staff’s main operational directorate. According to the newspaper, the area covers roughly 64 percent of Kyiv’s initial seized land.
Moscow’s forces attacked Ukraine’s energy infrastructure in the southern Odesa region for a second time, Kyiv’s energy firm DTEK said. One of Odesa’s neighborhoods was without power and heating after the first attack.
Ukraine’s military said Russian forces launched 161 drones in an overnight attack on Ukraine, out of which 80 were shot down and 78 were “lost”. Additionally, Moscow used 14 missiles to attack the region’s northeast.

Elvira Nabiullina, the head of the Russian Central Bank, claimed that the country had not been discussing lifting sanctions or the restrictions on Russia’s foreign-investment reserves with the US.
Any plans by the United Kingdom to send troops to Ukraine as part of a potential peacekeeping mission, according to Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin’s spokesman. Such a move would involve forces from a NATO member state, which would have necessary ramifications for Russia’s security, Peskov said. Russia’s foreign minister has branded such plans a “direct threat”.
Peskov said that Russia had agreed to resume dialogue with the US on “all parameters” regarding the war on Ukraine, including prisoner exchanges.
He also slammed Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for his “inadmissible” and “unacceptable” remarks about other heads of state, after Zelenskyy accused US President Donald Trump of living in a Russian-fuelled “disinformation bubble” when it came to Ukraine.
Mike Waltz, the White House’s national security adviser, also criticized Zelenskyy’s comments, saying Ukraine should “tone it down and take a hard look and sign that deal.” Waltz also referred to the rare earth minerals the US currently wants to help Kyiv’s war effort.

The International Monetary Fund’s team is currently examining Ukraine’s most recent loan program, which could bring in about $917 million in new funds.
Kyrylo Budanov, Ukraine’s military intelligence agency chief, said he believes a ceasefire between Moscow and Kyiv could happen this year. “How long it will be, how effective it will be – is another question”, Budanov added.
According to the Associated Press, Zelenskyy and Keith Kellogg, Trump’s special envoy to Ukraine and Russia, had a meeting in Ukraine, but the US requested that a joint press conference be postponed. However, Zelenskyy said the “detailed” meeting with Kellogg was “good” and “restore]d] hope”.
NATO’s Mark Rutte said any US-backed security guarantees for Ukraine under a pending peace deal would need to be “not with boots on the ground,” but “backup” to ensure that the deterrence is present, according to Rutte.
Zelenskyy said Kyiv was prepared to work with Washington to reach a “strong, effective investment and security agreement” when it was discussing Russia and a peace deal.
The quickest and most effective method has been suggested, “We believe.” Our team is ready to work 24/7″, Zelenskyy said.

Source: Aljazeera