Ukraine war live: 15 miners killed in Russian strike on bus after peace talks delayed

The variety of troopers killed, injured or lacking on either side of Russia’s struggle on Ukraine may hit two million by the spring, a report has warned.

It might imply Russia struggling the most important variety of troop deaths recorded for any main energy in any battle for the reason that Second World Warfare.

The research by the Centre for Strategic and Worldwide Research revealed the gradual, lethal grind of the battle, and comes earlier than the fourth anniversary of Vladimir Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on 24 February.

The report mentioned Russia suffered 1.2 million casualties, together with as much as 325,000 troop deaths, between February 2022 and December 2025. “No main energy has suffered wherever close to these numbers of casualties or fatalities in any struggle since World Warfare II,” the authors mentioned.

Volodymyr Zelensky has mentioned that February shall be a “interval of fairly intense overseas coverage exercise” as he expects the US to be as energetic as Ukraine in its de-escalation measures.

Trilateral negotiations, meant to happen in Abu Dhabi on Sunday, have been delayed to subsequent week.

Zelensky introduced the postponement simply hours earlier than Russia launched lethal strikes that hit a bus within the Dnipro area and killed 15 individuals.

In a submit on social media on Sunday evening, the president mentioned: “In the present day’s Russian drone strike on an bizarre bus carrying miners within the Dnipro area is a telling crime that but once more reveals that Russia bears duty for the escalation. Evil should be stopped.

“There may be an association to carry a trilateral assembly at an applicable degree within the Emirates subsequent week. February shall be a interval of fairly intense overseas coverage exercise.

“We anticipate the American facet to be simply as energetic, notably in relation to de-escalation measures – lowering strikes. A lot depends upon what the U.S. can obtain so that folks belief each the method and the outcomes.”

Ukraine is receiving two lorries value of potatoes after Berlin skilled a bumper harvest 12 months with its largest crop in additional than twenty years.

The phenomenon has impressed a potato dump in Berlin, as farmers, not wanting their produce to go to waste, have given away their potatoes away to soup kitchens, colleges, church buildings, and the general public.

Two lorries value of spuds have additionally been delivered to Ukraine.

It comes because the nation experiences a brutal winter, with temperatures in some areas dropping to -30C.

Russia has been repeatedly concentrating on Ukraine’s power grid, leaving hundreds of Ukrainians with out energy or meals.

A key political ally of Volodymyr Zelensky in Ukraine has known as for a peace deal which prioritises individuals over land forward of a significant convention within the struggle torn nation on Thursday.

Vitaliy Kim, governor of the Mykolaiv Oblast area in Ukraine, is an rising title in Ukrainian politics and spoke to The Impartial as different governors and mayors get collectively to debate the place the peace line must be drawn within the struggle with Russia.

Mr Kim headed the Mykolaiv department of Zelensky’s Servant of the Folks occasion through the 2019 elections and was appointed by the Ukrainian president to be regional governor in November 2020.

His vital intervention forward of Frontline Cities and Communities Discussion board 2026, the place governors and mayors will attempt to agree what they need from a peace settlement, underlines a willingness to maneuver away from border arguments to safety ensures.

Russia is making an attempt to disrupt logistics and connectivity between cities and communities by its drone, bomb and missile assaults, President Zelensky mentioned on Sunday.

”Over the previous week, Russia has used greater than 980 assault drones, practically 1,100 guided aerial bombs, and two missiles towards Ukraine,” he wrote on X.

“We’re recording Russian makes an attempt to destroy logistics and connectivity between cities and communities. That’s exactly why the necessity to defend the sky persists.”

A brand new spherical of US-brokered trilateral talks between Ukraine and Russia will happen in Abu Dhabi on February 4 and 5, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky mentioned on Sunday, including that Kyiv was prepared for a “substantive dialogue”.

“Our negotiating workforce has simply delivered a report. The dates for the subsequent trilateral conferences have been set – February 4 and 5 in Abu Dhabi,” he wrote on X.

”Ukraine is prepared for a substantive dialogue, and we’re interested by guaranteeing that the result brings us nearer to an actual and dignified finish to the struggle.”

Trump in August mentioned he had ordered two US nuclear submarines to maneuver nearer to Russia in response to what he known as “extremely provocative” feedback from Medvedev concerning the threat of struggle after what seemed to be an ultimatum from Trump.

“We nonetheless haven’t discovered them,” Medvedev mentioned of the U.S. submarines.

After Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Medvedev has repeatedly hurled invective at Kyiv and Western powers whereas warning of the dangers of an escalation of the struggle in the direction of a nuclear “apocalypse”.

Medvedev mentioned Russia would “quickly” win navy victory within the Ukraine struggle however the important thing factor was to stop any additional battle, including: “I would love this to occur as quickly as attainable.”

President Vladimir Putin stays the ultimate voice on Russian coverage, although Medvedev, an arch-hawk who has repeatedly goaded Trump on social media, provides a way of hardliners’ pondering inside the Russian elite, in line with overseas diplomats.

“Trump needs to go down in historical past as a peacemaker – and he’s actually making an attempt,” Medvedev mentioned.

“He’s actually making an attempt to try this. And that’s the reason contacts with Individuals have grow to be far more productive.”

Medvedev mentioned the important thing to understanding Trump was his enterprise background, quipping that there was no such factor as a former businessman – a play on an outdated Russian joke that there is no such thing as a such factor as a former KGB agent.

Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of Russia’s Safety Council, praised US President Donald Trump as an efficient chief who was searching for peace.

However, he added, Moscow had seen no hint of nuclear submarines Trump mentioned he moved to Russian shores.

Trump, who has mentioned he needs to be remembered as a “peacemaker” president, has repeatedly mentioned {that a} peace deal to finish the Ukraine struggle is shut, and a brand new spherical of U.-Russian-Ukrainian talks is scheduled for this week in Abu Dhabi.

Requested if Trump was optimistic or unfavourable for Russia and about unproven hypothesis that Trump was some type of Russian agent, Medvedev mentioned the American individuals had chosen Trump and that Moscow revered that call.

“He’s an emotional particular person, however then again, the chaos that’s generally referred to, which is created by his actions, will not be fully true,” he mentioned.

“It’s apparent that behind this lies a very acutely aware and competent line.”