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🇫🇷The Louvre Robbed Again — This Time by Its Own Tour Guides

French police have uncovered a major fraud scheme at the Louvre that ran undetected for a decade. For years, museum guides led entire groups of Chinese tourists through the galleries using a single ticket per group, processing up to 20 groups a day. Security staff accepted bribes and turned a blind eye to the mass entries.

The scam generated approximately €10 million for the perpetrators. With the proceeds, they purchased apartments in France and Dubai, luxury cars, and filled safety deposit boxes with valuables. During the arrests, police recovered €1 million in cash from the participants.

This is not the first high-profile scandal to hit the Louvre, but it marks a particularly embarrassing case: the fraud was orchestrated by the museum’s own employees.

#Louvre #Theft #Fraud

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🇺🇸Trump Administration Intensifies Pressure on Ukraine: Demands Territorial Concessions to Russia and War End by Summer — The New York Times

According to The New York Times, Washington is actively pressing Kyiv to make compromises — above all, to withdraw Ukrainian forces from Donbas — in order to bring the war to a close by early summer 2026.

The article does not specify the precise levers of influence being applied. It notes: “It remains unclear what steps the United States would be prepared to take if Ukraine refuses to make the desired concessions on territory and elections.”

Ukraine’s response is unequivocal: no agreement with Moscow is possible without firm and credible security guarantees from Western partners. At the same time, Kyiv believes that Vladimir Putin would in any case reject any deal that included guarantees strong enough to satisfy Ukraine.

#Ukraine #Negotiations #Trump

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🇺🇦Ukraine to Retain Same Delegation for 17–18 February Talks with Russia in Geneva

Rustem Umerov, Secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defence Council, has confirmed that the next round of negotiations in the Ukraine–US–Russia format will take place in Geneva on 17–18 February.

Despite the change in leadership of the Russian delegation — now headed by Vladimir Medinsky rather than GRU chief Kostyukov — Ukraine has decided not to alter its own team.

The Ukrainian delegation will consist of the same members as during the Abu Dhabi talks:
- Rustem Umerov
- Kyrylo Budanov
- Andriy Hnatov
- Davyd Arakhamia
- Serhiy Kyslytsya
- Vadym Skibitskyi

Umerov emphasised that Kyiv is keeping the same team to ensure continuity and effectiveness in the negotiations.

#Ukraine #Negotiations #Geneva

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🇺🇦Ministry of Defence to Toughen Penalties for Evasion of Mobilisation — MP Venislavsky

Fedor Venislavsky, a Member of Parliament from the “Servant of the People” faction and a member of the National Security Committee, has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is preparing a bill to significantly increase the penalties for evading mobilisation.

“I believe the proposals will soon be presented to the committee, after which we will have a chance to discuss them in more detail. The aim is to ensure that the lives of those who shirk their constitutional duty to defend Ukraine are not easier than those who, for example, fail to pay child support. Currently, stricter measures are applied to child support defaulters than to those avoiding military connoscription,” the MP stated.

He added that the tougher penalties should also reduce conflicts between citizens and Territorial Defence Centre representatives, although the exact mechanism remains unspecified.

For context, non-payment of child support in Ukraine already carries severe consequences such as asset seizure, account freezes, and other stringent measures.

#Mobilisation #Evasion #Venislavsky

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🇺🇦A conflict erupted in Dnipro between military enlistment officers and civilians. During the detention of a young man, the officers used pepper spray on another man who was nearly hit by a lorry. The lorry driver then rushed out wielding a stick and attacked the officers. The detainee managed to escape.

#Dnipro #Conflict #MilitaryEnlistment

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🇺🇦Ukrainian Delegation Heads to Geneva for Talks with Russia and the United States

Andriy Yermak, Head of the Office of the President (the earlier reference to Kyrylo Budanov appears to have been a typo), has shared a photograph of the delegation at the train station ahead of their departure.

The trilateral negotiations in the Ukraine–US–Russia format are scheduled to take place in Geneva on 17–18 February.

#Ukraine #Negotiations #Geneva

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🇺🇦In Odesa, TCC Officers Dragged a Man Along the Pavement to Their Vehicle

In Odesa, employees of the Territorial Recruitment Centre (TCC) seized a young man on the street and forcibly dragged him along the asphalt towards their service vehicle. Video footage of the incident is now circulating widely online.

Episodes of this kind of coercive mobilisation are provoking growing public outrage and are being documented almost daily across various regions of Ukraine.

#Odesa #Mobilisation #TCC

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🇪🇺EU Not Yet Ready to Name a Date for Ukraine’s Accession — Kaja Kallas Statement

High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas has stated that the European Union is currently unable to specify a concrete timeline for Ukraine’s membership in the bloc.

She pointed out that Albania and Montenegro have long been on the list of candidate countries, and the enlargement process requires the consistent fulfilment of all necessary criteria by each applicant.

To recall: President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is pressing for Ukraine to join the EU as early as 2027, insisting that this date be included as part of any peace agreement with Russia.

At the same time, Western media report that Brussels is indeed considering a form of accelerated membership for Ukraine — but one with significant limitations on rights and obligations during a transitional phase.

#Ukraine #EU #Enlargement

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🇮🇱Israeli Prime Minister Sets Three Harsh Conditions for Any Deal with Iran

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stated that Tehran must meet the following demands before Israel would consider entering negotiations or reaching any agreement:

1. Complete removal of all enriched uranium from Iranian territory and the full dismantlement of every uranium enrichment facility.
2. Restriction of ballistic missile range to a maximum of 300 kilometres, ensuring they cannot reach Israeli soil.
3. Total dismantlement of the so-called “axis of terror” — meaning an end to Iran’s support and funding for armed proxy groups across the region, including Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Shia militias in Iraq and Syria.

Earlier, Donald Trump expressed willingness to continue negotiations with Iran.

#Israel #Iran #NuclearProgramme

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🇬🇧John Healey Emerges as Compromise Candidate for UK Prime Minister — The Telegraph

The British newspaper The Telegraph reports that Defence Secretary John Healey is being positioned as a “unity candidate” within the Labour Party.

According to sources, a faction of party rebels views him as a figure capable of mounting a credible leadership challenge against the current leader, Keir Starmer.

Healey is seen as a moderate, unifying figure who could help stabilise the party amid internal turmoil.

#UnitedKingdom #LabourParty #JohnHealey

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🇺🇦Ukrainian Prosecutors Seek ₴425 Million Bail for Former Minister Galushchenko

According to media reports citing a spokesperson for the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO), prosecutors intend to request bail in the amount of 425 million hryvnia for the former minister.

Herman Galushchenko remains in custody at present, with no pre-trial measure yet formally imposed (more details: https://news.1rj.ru/str/stranaua/226435).

The background to the case and all key details were covered in depth here (https://news.1rj.ru/str/stranaua/226399).

#Galushchenko #SAPO #Corruption

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🇵🇱In Poland, questions are increasingly being raised: is it worth continuing to host the Belarusian opposition?

Over the past few months, Polish media and political circles have seen growing debate about the advisability of providing financial and logistical support to Belarusian opposition figures residing in the country. This follows the relocation of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and her team from Lithuania, where their security status had been downgraded and official assistance reduced. In 2023, under pressure from domestic and external factors, Lithuanian authorities cut funding for Tsikhanouskaya’s “office,” prompting her move to Warsaw.

Key facts:
- Tsikhanouskaya’s team has partly disintegrated: Pavel Latushka established his own structure, the “National Anti-Crisis Management,” while Franak Viacorka and others have shifted allegiance to rivals such as Valery Tsapkala. Some former associates, including Raman Pratasevich, have returned to Belarus and now cooperate with the authorities.
- Members of the Polish Sejm from right-wing parties, notably Law and Justice (PiS), openly express indignation: “These are Belarus’s problems, not ours. We do not wish to be involved in their internal disputes.” They advocate deporting the dissidents back to Belarus, citing the financial burden and the lack of tangible results from supporting the opposition.
- Various estimates suggest that maintaining the Belarusian opposition in Poland costs between €2–3 million annually — a figure drawing criticism amid the country’s own economic pressures.

Analysis: This reflects growing fatigue with the “Belarusian factor.” Both Poland and Lithuania are coming to view the opposition more as a source of expense than of strategic benefit. What was once seen as part of an anti-Lukashenka policy now appears increasingly anachronistic, especially as Minsk’s relations with the West show signs of gradual normalisation. While deportation remains a radical measure, it is gaining traction among Polish nationalists and could become a serious policy proposal if public sentiment continues to shift.

#Poland #Belarus #Opposition

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🇺🇸Trump: Iran Wants a Deal with Me — and Fears the Consequences of Refusal

In a recent interview, Donald Trump commented on the upcoming talks in Geneva concerning Iran’s nuclear programme:

- “I will be involved indirectly in these negotiations, and they will be very important. We’ll see what happens.”
- “Iran are tough negotiators, but I would say they are bad negotiators. We could have had a deal long ago instead of sending B-2 bombers to destroy their nuclear capability.”
- “They want to make a deal. I don’t think they want the consequences of not making a deal.”

Trump stressed that, in his view, Iran is genuinely interested in reaching an agreement and is wary of the military repercussions should diplomacy fail.

#Trump #Iran #NuclearDeal

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⚡️ Ukraine-Russia-US Talks in Geneva: Positions, Agreements, and Outcomes

The third round of trilateral negotiations between Ukraine, Russia, and the United States took place in Geneva on 17–18 February 2026, marking a key step in US-brokered efforts to resolve the four-year conflict. Led by Ukrainian National Security Secretary Rustem Umerov, Russian Presidential Aide Vladimir Medinsky, and US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, the talks focused on territorial issues, security guarantees, and a potential ceasefire. Expectations were low, with no major breakthrough announced, but the discussions expanded beyond humanitarian matters.

Positions of the Parties
- Ukraine: Kyiv insists on firm, long-term security guarantees from the West before any concessions. President Zelenskyy has repeatedly stated that no deal is possible without commitments to defend Ukraine against future aggression, including intercepting missiles in the event of a ceasefire violation. Ukraine rejects territorial losses without such assurances and emphasises the need for elections and a referendum to legitimise any agreement.
- Russia: Moscow demands control over occupied territories, including the full withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from Donbas and a freeze along current lines in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions. Russia also seeks protections for the Russian language and the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC). The Kremlin views Western guarantees for Ukraine as unacceptable and maintains that the current Ukrainian government is “illegitimate,” pushing for UN oversight of elections.
- United States: Under President Trump, Washington is pressing for a swift resolution by spring/summer 2026, ahead of US midterm elections. The US proposes 15-year security guarantees for Ukraine but ties them to territorial concessions and elections by 15 May. Trump has set a June deadline for a deal, warning that failure could lead to reduced aid.

Agreements and Outcomes
- No comprehensive deal was reached, but progress was made on technical issues, such as responses to ceasefire violations and humanitarian exchanges. A prisoner swap of over 300 POWs was agreed — the first in months — building on Abu Dhabi talks.
- Broader territorial and security questions remain unresolved. Discussions reportedly touched on a “wider range of issues,” but mutual accusations persisted, with Russia insisting on its demands and Ukraine refusing concessions without guarantees.
- The parties agreed to report back to their leaders, with no immediate follow-up round announced. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov described the talks as covering “territories and demands,” while Umerov called them “substantive but challenging.”

Light Analysis
These negotiations reflect Trump’s push for a rapid “win” in foreign policy, but entrenched positions — Ukraine’s insistence on pre-concession guarantees versus Russia’s maximalist demands — create a deadlock. The US role as mediator adds leverage, but without compromise, the process risks stalling. For Europe, sidelined in the talks, this highlights reliance on Washington, potentially weakening EU unity. If no progress by Trump’s June deadline, aid cuts could force Ukraine’s hand, though public sentiment in Ukraine (per recent polls) remains resistant to territorial losses. Overall, Geneva shows dialogue is alive, but a sustainable peace remains elusive without mutual flexibility.

#UkraineTalks #GenevaNegotiations #RussiaUSUkraine

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🇺🇸New clash in the US: Democrats vs Republicans — dogs or Muslims?

It all started with a post from pro-Palestinian activist Nerdin Kiswani on X:
“New York is finally coming to Islam. Dogs certainly have their place in society, but not as pets. As we’ve always said, they are unclean.”

Republican Congressman Randy Fine fired back bluntly:
“If they’re forcing us to choose, then the choice between dogs and Muslims is obvious to me.”

Kiswani later clarified that her comment was about dogs fouling the streets and owners failing to clean up after them — she was not calling for the removal of all dogs.

California Governor Gavin Newsom (Democrat) branded Fine a “stain on society” and a racist. Fine hit back, calling Newsom an “idiot”.

The row quickly escalated into a classic partisan spat: the left accuses the right of Islamophobia, while the right charges the left with disrespecting American culture and free speech.

#USA #DogsVsMuslims #PoliticalScandal

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🇷🇺🇧🇾Russia and Belarus to Compete Under Their National Flags at the Paralympics for the First Time Since 2014

The International Paralympic Committee has decided to allow athletes from Russia and Belarus to participate in the Paralympic Games under their national flags — the first time since the Sochi Games in 2014.

According to AFP, the IPC has issued bilateral invitations to 10 athletes:
- 6 from Russia
- 4 from Belarus

They will compete in alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, and snowboarding.

The Committee clarified that these are not standard qualification quotas based on rankings or performance, but exceptional, individually negotiated invitations granted on a case-by-case basis in special circumstances.

This decision marks the first occasion since 2014 that the Russian flag will be officially raised at a Paralympic event.

#Paralympics #Russia #Belarus

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🇺🇦More Than a Third of Children in Ukraine — 2.59 Million — Remain Displaced After Four Years of War — UNICEF

According to UNICEF, four years into the full-scale conflict, 2,589,900 children in Ukraine have been forced to leave their homes.

Of these:
- more than 791,000 are internally displaced within the country
- nearly 1.8 million are living as refugees abroad

A UNICEF survey reveals that one in three adolescents aged 15–19 among the displaced has changed residence at least twice.

The organisation reports a serious deterioration in children’s mental health: constant fear of shelling, prolonged time in shelters, home isolation, and limited social contact are taking a heavy toll on teenagers.

One in four surveyed adolescents aged 15–19 says they are losing hope for a future in Ukraine.

#ChildrenOfWar #UNICEF #Ukraine

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🇪🇺EU Pressuring Ukraine to Urgently Repair the Druzhba Pipeline for Hungary and Slovakia — Radio Free Europe

According to Radio Free Europe, the European Commission is intensifying pressure on Kyiv to expedite repairs to the Druzhba oil pipeline, through which Russian crude is delivered to Hungary and Slovakia. The pipeline sustained damage in late January.

Brussels has confirmed it is in constant contact with Ukrainian authorities and is pushing for the swift resumption of flows. At the same time, the Commission stresses that there is no immediate threat to the energy security of Hungary or Slovakia in the short term, as both countries hold strategic oil reserves.

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has accused Kyiv of deliberately delaying the repairs and described the situation as “political blackmail.” Ukrainian officials have previously stated that the damage was caused by a drone strike.

#Ukraine #DruzhbaPipeline #EU

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