The New York Times (NYT) is now reporting that Alexander Vinnick, a criminal cyber-actor, who ran an illegal crypto money laundering operation will be released to Russia in exchange for Mark Fogel, the American released yesterday. However, an unnamed official has told the NYT that he is set to forfeit millions in assets as a part of the exchange.

During a meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG), U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has ruled out Ukraine joining NATO and spoke some hard truths. “We must start by recognizing that returning to Ukraine’s pre-2014 borders is an unrealistic objective…the United States does not believe that NATO membership for Ukraine is a realistic outcome of a negotiated settlement.”
The secretary also urged European nations, especially members of the UDCG, to commit an overwhelming share of aid to Ukraine, and to ‘level’ with their citizens on the threat facing European nations.

Additionally, at the Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG) meeting in Brussels, Belgium U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has said that any troops deployed to Ukraine will not be U.S. troops and they must be part of a “non-NATO [European] mission and they should not be covered under Article 5.”

The U.S. Senate has begun its confirmation vote for Tulsi Gabbard as Director of National Intelligence (DNI), with her expected to have secured the Republican votes needed to be confirmed.

U.S. President Donald J. Trump’s nominee for Director of National Intelligence, LTC Tulsi Gabbard, has now been confirmed by the U.S. Senate 52-48.

According to a release from U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), on February 10, the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF), in concert with CENTCOM forces, conducted a precision strike near Kirkuk, Iraq that killed two ISIS terrorists. Post-strike clearance activities found an explosive suicide belt, weapons components, and explosive material. The operation was part of the Defeat ISIS (D-ISIS) mission subordinate to the Coalition Joint Task Force - Operation Inherent Resolve (CTF-OIR).

U.S. President Donald J. Trump confirmed on the Truth Social app that he spoke, at length, with Russian President Vladimir Putin. President Trump also said that Putin has committed to peace negotiations. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Director of the CIA John Ratcliffe, National Security Advisor Micheal Waltz, and the White House’s special envoy Steve Witkoff will head the U.S. delegation to any future peace talks.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi spoke today with Abdullah II King of Jordan, to discuss and commit to “Unity” over the rebuilding of the Gaza Strip without the displacement of the Palestinian Population.

Interestingly, not included in President Trump’s Post is Lieutenant General Keith Kellogg, Trump’s Special Envoy for Ukraine and Russia, who is considered one of the main “Hardliners” against Russia and Putin within the Trump Administration.

Reports of a U.S. Navy EA-18G “Growler” Electronic-Warfare Aircraft having crashed in San Diego Bay, with both of the Naval Aviators said to have safely ejected prior to the Crash.

A U.S. Coast Guard MH-60T “Jayhawk” was circling over the Bay for a while, likely searching for the Wreckage of the Aircraft.

The White House has now confirmed that the Russian Crypto-Criminal Alexander Vinnik, who was arrested in Greece in 2017 accused of launching Billions through his Online Crypto Exchange, was released yesterday from Federal Prison and exchanged with Russia for American Schoolteacher Marc Fogel, who had been held in a Russian Prison since August 2021, after bringing less than an Ounce of Medical Marijuana into the Country.

In addition to earlier reports on the negotiations between Russian President Putin and U.S. President Donald J. Trump, after President Trump’s subsequent call with Ukrainian President Zelensky, Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio will lead a U.S. delegation to the Munich Security conference this Friday. They are expected to meet with Ukrainian decision-makers on the sidelines of the conference.

Soldiers and Security Forces are currently searching near the Gaza Border Communities of Sufa, Nir Yitzhak and Holit in Southern Israel, due to a possible “Security Incident” originating from the Gaza Strip.

According to Jeff Seldin of VOA News, the ISIS-Somalia decision-maker killed in the February 1 strike, carried out by U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), Ahmed Maeleninine, was tracked for at least 2 years.

Footage from a Security Camera, which managed to capture today’s Crash of a U.S. Navy EA-18G “Growler” Electronic-Warfare Aircraft into the San Diego Bay in Southern California, with both Naval Aviators managing to safely eject before being rescued by nearby Boats.

F-22 fighters (foreground) and T-38 trainer aircraft (background) of the 1st Fighter Wing conduct an elephant walk at Joint Base Langley-Eustis in Virginia. (DOD)

In a Statement made earlier today by the Israel Defense Force, the IDF stated that the Quds Force of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has been actively smuggling Cash to Hezbollah in Lebanon via Commercial Flights to Beirut International Airport. According to the IDF, the Money is being used by Hezbollah to rebuild its Military Power and Influence in Lebanon; with Israel in constant contact with the U.S-led Ceasefire Supervision Committee to foil these Cash Shipments, though Israel has threatened before to shoot down Aircraft or strike Beirut International Airport if it is found that Weapons and/or Cash is to be being transferred to Hezbollah by Iran.