{"id":200729,"date":"2026-02-17T15:10:10","date_gmt":"2026-02-17T15:10:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/ukraine-war-live-putin-launches-huge-attack-hours-before-peace-talks-the-independent\/"},"modified":"2026-02-17T15:10:10","modified_gmt":"2026-02-17T15:10:10","slug":"ukraine-war-live-putin-launches-huge-attack-hours-before-peace-talks-the-independent","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/ukraine-war-live-putin-launches-huge-attack-hours-before-peace-talks-the-independent\/","title":{"rendered":"Ukraine war live: Putin launches huge attack hours before peace talks – The Independent"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Ukrainian forces are assessed to have taken back over 78 sq miles in the last week as diplomats gathered for talks on land in Geneva
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Vladimir Putin blitzed Ukraine with more than 400 drones and missiles ahead of US-backed peace talks in Geneva<\/a> on Tuesday.
Russia launched 396 drones and 29 missiles overnight<\/a>, with 18 drones and four ballistic missiles striking targets across the country, according to the Ukrainian air force.
Russia\u2019s defence ministry claimed responsibility for a \u201cmassive strike\u201d against military-industrial and energy targets, with Ukraine\u2019s battered energy infrastructure increasingly under strain amid the coldest winter in nearly 20 years.
At least one person was killed in the overnight strikes and 25 were injured, according to local authorities in Ukraine. The victim was identified as a 68-year-old woman in Kyrykivka, in Sumy oblast.
Six other residents, including two children, were said to have been injured in drone attacks at the same time.
Heavy Russian strikes came ahead of a third round of talks with Ukraine in Switzerland<\/a>, expected to tackle the thorniest issue of the conflict – the fate of Ukrainian territory claimed by Russia.
Ukraine returns to talks with some momentum after recapturing 78 square miles of land<\/a> from Russia between Wednesday and Sunday, according to the US-based think tank, the Institute for the Study of War.
Two people were killed in a blast at a military facility in the town of Sertolovo in Russia’s Leningrad region, the Mash Telegram channel reported on Tuesday.
Governor Alexander Drozdenko said that the blast occurred in a military police building. He provided no additional details.
“I have instructed the security forces to assist the military in clearing the rubble and rescuing those injured in the collapse of the military police building on the territory of the military unit in Sertolovo,” Drozdenko said.
The Mash Telegram channel reported that four people may be under the rubble.
Trilateral talks between Russian, Ukrainian, and U.S. delegations on a possible settlement in Ukraine have started in Geneva, Russian state news agency RIA Novosti reported on Tuesday.
Ukraine\u2019s anti-corruption agency has accused a former energy minister of laundering millions of dollars<\/a>. German Galushchenko, who led the department from 2021 until 2025, was detained by border guards on Monday as he tried to leave the country on a train, officials said.
The arrest is the latest high-profile move under Operation Midas, a sweeping probe into allegations of graft <\/a>around state nuclear power company Energoatom that has rocked the government at a critical time for diplomacy.
Here\u2019s how the investigation continues to topple senior officials:
Ukraine has now claimed responsibility for the attack on an oil refinery in Russia\u2019s Krasnodar region (see 10:09 post).
The sanctioned Russian shadow fleet tanker GRINCH was allowed to leave France after paying a fine worth \u201cseveral million euros\u201d, foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot said on Tuesday.
“Circumventing European sanctions comes at a price. Russia will no longer be able to finance its war with impunity through a ghost fleet off our coasts,” Barrot said in a post on social media.
The ship was seized in the Mediterranean last month, and then diverted to anchor off the French port city of Marseille.
Russia has lost around 1,255,340 troops in Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale four years ago, Ukraine\u2019s military reported on Tuesday.
The figure reflects a rise of 890 assessed casualties over the past day.
Ukraine\u2019s foreign minister Andrii Sybiha said this morning that heavy strikes overnight ahead of talks in Geneva show \u201cthe extent to which Russia disregards peace efforts\u201d.
Sharing a map of extensive drone and missile strikes across Ukraine, he said: \u201cMoscow only understands the language of pressure. It will not take diplomacy seriously if it is not backed by strength.\u201d
\u201cNew sanctions packages are critical,\u201d he urged. \u201cBlocking shadow fleet. Maritime services ban. Entry ban for participants of Russian aggression. Only our unity and strength will bring an end to this war.\u201d
At least one person was killed and 25 were injured in the overnight attacks across Ukraine, local authorities are reporting.
The victim was identified in local media as a 68-year-old woman in Kyrykivka, in Sumy oblast.
Six other residents, including two children, were injured in drone attacks at the same time, authorities said.
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