Ukraine: The Latest

Episode: Ukraine ‘on the offensive’ after Russian Starlink shutdown & fresh peace talks to start in Geneva ‘next week’
Date: February 13, 2026
Host: The Telegraph

Overview

This episode provides an in-depth analysis of Ukraine's military and diplomatic situation at a pivotal moment in the ongoing war. The team covers the latest updates from the Munich Security Conference, outcomes from the recent Ramstein defense summit, Russia's shifting foreign policy with Cuba, insights into resistance activity in occupied Ukrainian territories, and a cultural spotlight on a new play about life in Donbass under occupation. The episode offers both granular frontline details and broader geopolitical context, featuring contributions and interviews with correspondents, military analysts, and Ukrainian playwright Olga Braga.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Munich Security Conference & V. Zelensky’s Agenda

(02:00 – 12:30)

• President Zelensky attends the Munich Security Conference, meeting EU and NATO leaders to lobby for Ukraine's security and continued support.
• Zelensky’s message:
  “The most significant thing we can achieve together is ending the war with a dignified peace and creating reliable security guarantees for Ukraine and for all of Europe, so that no one in Europe is afraid of being left without protection.”
  — Dom Nichols quoting Zelensky, (02:18)
• Key European leaders in attendance; U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also expected.

Analysis

• The mood echoes Davos, focusing on a new era in geopolitics, with talk of the “end of the world order as we know it.”
• Calls for Europe to harness untapped military and economic power:
  “Russia’s GDP is about 2 trillion euros, that of the EU is almost 10 times as high. But still Europe is not as 10 times as strong as Russia today... Russia has to give up this terrible war against Ukraine. We have to do everything that is needed to bring them to the point where they see no further advantages for them to continue this terrible war.”
  — Friedrich Merz, paraphrased by Lily Shanaher, (11:00–12:00)

2. Military Update: Frontline Status & Ramstein Pledges

(02:51 – 10:17)

• At the February 12th Ukraine Defense Contact Group (Ramstein summit), $38bn in new military aid pledged for Ukraine.
  • Major funds allocated for drones, air defense (notably Patriot missiles), and replenishment of the Ukrainian Requirements List.
  • Germany: $1bn for drones, aid for air defense projects.
  • UK: £500m for air defense, continues annual military assistance of £3bn.
  • Estonia, Netherlands, Latvia among the first to hit the target of 0.25% of GDP to Ukraine.
  • Notable absences: France and Italy.

Frontline Situation

• Ukrainian forces launch local, opportunistic counterattacks, notably near the Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhia border—likely exploiting Russian difficulties after Starlink shutdown and Telegram blocks.
  “This is not some huge coordinated counteroffensive, we think it’s localized opportunistic retaking territory that Russia has not really held.”
  — Dom Nichols, (06:45)
• Kupiansk (Northeast) update: Ukrainian forces retain control; Russian troops resupplied by drone due to Ukrainian encirclement.
• Heavy Russian missile and drone strikes:
  • 154 drones, Iskander-M ballistic missile; casualties across Ukraine including several children.
  • Infrastructure damage especially severe in Odesa.
  • Russian casualties in January outpace new recruitments/mobilizations (30,000 lost vs. 22,000 recruited).

Information War

• Russian authorities move to block WhatsApp (Meta), after Telegram blocks, in effort to force use of Kremlin-controlled platforms:
  “Trying to isolate over 100 million users from private and secure communication is a backwards step and can only lead to less safety for people in Russia.”
  — Meta statement, relayed by Dom Nichols, (09:10)

3. Diplomatic Tensions: Russia Supplying Oil to Cuba

(14:00 – 18:13)

• As U.S. sanctions intensify, Cuba faces crippling fuel shortages — with schools, tourism, and hospitals shutting down for lack of energy.
• Russia poised to supply Cuba with oil for the first time in a year, described as “humanitarian aid.”
  “This is really next level...the last time Russia supplied crude oil to Cuba was February 2025.”
  — Lily Shanaher, (15:35)
• Discussion of possible Trump administration response, risking escalation if U.S. attempts to intercept Russian tankers.

Cuban Domestic Impact

• President Miguel Díaz-Canel leverages crisis for patriotic mobilization:
  • “The Cuban government has actually enacted a state of war, which it basically relies on...There's been a bunch of videos of civilians being trained up to use artillery and grenades..."
    — Lily Shanaher, (18:13)
  • Government averse to U.S. pressure, concerned about potential migration crisis if regime change is attempted:
    “Experts say when people are so desperate, they're less likely to start revolutions... especially where dissent is rapidly and strongly crushed.”
    — Lily Shanaher, (20:19)

4. Resistance Activities in Occupied Ukraine

(23:41 – 28:54)

• Interview with Ilya Repin, resistance researcher, covering January 28–February 12.
  • At least 16 resistance operations confirmed, mainly in Kherson & Zaporizhzhia regions.
  • Targets: rail and logistics, communications, fuel depots.
  • Tactics include mining roads, disabling Russian comms, and targeting fuel transport.
  • Notable operation: explosion in a café in Enerhodar wounding members of Chechen “Akhmat” special forces.
  • Resistance focusing on hampering Russian logistics rather than direct open battle.

Notable Quote

“Damaging this equipment can reduce local coordination and can weaken defenses against drones.”  
— *Ilya Repin, (26:07)*

• Telegram blocks and info crackdown affecting resistance communication and outside reporting.

5. Culture: Life in Donbass on Stage

(29:01 – 46:24)

• Interview with Olga Braga, playwright of Donbass, a new play in London about a Ukrainian family living under Russian occupation.
  • Explores daily life, identity, and moral dilemmas under occupation.
  • Balances dark themes with humor and the “mundanity” of living through war.
  • Characters reflect Ukraine’s ethnic diversity and generational rifts over the meaning of loyalty and identity.
  • Play uses a mix of realism and expressionism to evoke the feeling of war.
  • Testimonies inspire empathy and – for Ukrainian viewers – catharsis:
    “He said, maybe there was a reason I came in contact with this play...because it maybe makes me understand my dad a little bit more.”
    — Olga Braga, (41:48)
  • The power of storytelling (and theater) as a source of resilience and collective processing of trauma.

6. Key Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On European support and unity:
  “Still Europe is not as 10 times as strong as Russia...We have to bring them [Russia] to the point where they see no further advantages for them to continue this terrible war.”
  — Friedrich Merz, paraphrased, (11:00–12:00)
• President Zelensky on peace:
  “He would rather accept no deal than pressure his country into a bad one...He wants a dignified, lasting peace and, of course, security guarantees.”
  — Lily Shanaher, (13:45)
• On Cuba’s predicament:
  “This is really next level...there are reports of 24 hour blackouts with the energy grid basically all but shutting.”
  — Lily Shanaher, (18:13)
• On resistance in occupied regions:
  “Fuel is a critical resource for military operation...when the fuel transport is disrupted by the partisan, it affects the mobility.”
  — Ilya Repin, (27:07)
• The us-versus-them mentality in both war and art:
  “That shows us, to answer your question, how important storytelling is to overcome trauma, but also to say things that no other medium can let us say.”
  — Olga Braga, (45:00)

7. Looking Forward: Geneva Peace Talks Next Week

(46:46 – 49:14)

• Next round of Ukraine–Russia peace talks set for Tuesday and Wednesday in Geneva.
  • Ukrainian delegation includes high-profile defense and intelligence officials.
  • Russian delegation led by Vladimir Medinsky, known for hardline stance.

Observations

• The resumption of Medinsky’s role may suggest “potential hardening” of Russia’s negotiation position.

8. Final Update: Ukrainian Children Returned

(49:14 – 50:28)

• Melania Trump (as First Lady) announces the return of abducted Ukrainian children from Russia—lauded as a small but important win. “Today marks the third reunification since I’ve been working strategically with both nations. I have no doubt more progress will come.”
  — Lily Shanaher quoting Melania Trump, (49:40)
• Noted confusion over Trump’s claim that “Russian children” were also returned, with no evidence from Ukrainian sources.

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Segment | Timestamps | |--------------------------------------- |----------------| | Munich Security Conference | 02:00–14:00 | | Military / Ramstein Aid | 02:51–10:17 | | Russia’s Oil to Cuba | 14:00–21:46 | | Resistance in Occupied Territories | 23:41–28:54 | | Culture: “Donbass” play with O. Braga | 29:01–46:24 | | Geneva Peace Talks Preview | 46:46–49:14 | | Children Returned / Humanitarian news | 49:14–50:28 |

Conclusion

This episode weaves together frontline updates, diplomacy, civil resistance, and cultural insight, painting a vivid picture of Ukraine’s current reality—as it seeks a “dignified peace,” copes with ongoing violence and information warfare, and relies on international support. Notable moments include candid assessments of European resolve, the sobering situation in Cuba, effective Ukrainian resistance, and the poignant power of artistic reflection amid war.

For listeners seeking both the latest news and the human stories behind the headlines, this episode delivers essential context, memorable analysis, and emotional resonance.