Top Russian general who ‘orchestrated’ poisonings shot in Moscow & fears of new arms race as US-Russia nuclear weapons treaty expires

Day 1,443.

Today, after an apparent assassination attempt on a senior Russian general in Moscow, we examine the major Russian bombardments across Ukraine that followed the second day of peace talks in Abu Dhabi. Are the United States, Ukraine, and Russia any closer to a ceasefire? We then hear from an NGO delivering vital humanitarian supplies to Ukraine’s frontline cities, and speak to the head of a hospital in President Zelensky’s hometown.

Contributors

Francis Dearnley (Executive Editor for Audio). @FrancisDearnley on X.

Dominic Nicholls (Associate Editor of Defence). @DomNicholls on X.

With thanks to Brock Bierman of the NGO Ukraine Focus, and Vitality Gorba-linsky.

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Each week, Dom Nicholls and Francis Dearnley answer your questions, provide recommended reading, and give exclusive analysis and behind-the-scenes insights – plus maps of the frontlines and diagrams of weapons to complement our daily reporting. It’s free for everyone, including non-subscribers.

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Learn more about Ukraine Focus:

https://ukrainefocus.org/

Russian general who ‘orchestrated’ Skripal poisoning shot in Moscow (The Telegraph):

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/02/06/russian-general-vladimir-alekseyev-shot-moscow/

Macron wants Britain to pay up to £2bn to join Ukraine weapons scheme (The Telegraph):

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/02/05/macron-wants-uk-pay-up-to-2bn-eu-ukraine-weapons-scheme/

Mother of Kenyan forced to be a Russian suicide bomber ‘traumatised’ (The Telegraph):

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/02/05/mother-kenyan-tricked-human-bomb-trauma/

Nuclear pact relies on ‘handshake’ after US-Russia treaty expires (The Telegraph):

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/02/05/nuclear-pact-relies-handshake-us-russia-treaty-expires/

Revealed: Russia’s secret $2.5bn cash shipments to Iran (The Telegraph):

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/02/06/revealed-russias-secret-25bn-cash-shipments-to-iran/

Pentagon invites 2 Ukrainian drone makers to 'The Gauntlet' (Kyiv Independent):

https://kyivindependent.com/pentagon-invites-2-ukrainian-drone-makers-to-the-gauntlet-1-1-billion-in-contracts-at-stake/?mc_cid=1d62a63d34&mc_eid=08d0680a95

Russia destroyed 60% of Ukraine’s gas production—so where does Ukraine get gas now? (Euromaidan):

https://euromaidanpress.com/2026/02/05/russia-destroyed-ukraine-gas-production-what-replaced-it/

Italy foils 'Russian cyber-attacks' at Winter Games (BBC):

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/articles/cqj25wyjx1no

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