Ukraine-Russia war latest: Kyiv’s forces make huge gains on battlefield ahead of Geneva peace talks

Ukrainian soldiers have been able to make dramatic battlefield gains in the war-hit country’s east after Russian troops lost access to Starlink satellite internet, a US-based think tank said.

Ukrainian forces managed to recapture 201 sq km (78 sq miles) from Russia between Wednesday and Sunday, equivalent to the Russian gains for the entire month of December, the ISW’s data showed.

This is the most land retaken by Kyiv’s forces in such a short period since a June 2023 counteroffensive. The territory secured by Ukraine is mostly to the east of Zaporizhzhia city, where Russian troops have made significant progress since mid-2025.

“These Ukrainian counterattacks are likely leveraging the recent block on Russian forces’ access to Starlink, which Russian milbloggers (military bloggers) have claimed is causing communications and command and control issues on the battlefield,” the ISW said.

Starlink internet terminals used by Russian troops in Ukraine were deactivated earlier this month, dealing what one official said was a big setback for Moscow that had disrupted assault operations.

Russian forces have made unauthorised use of thousands of satellite-based Starlink internet connections for secure communications since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Kyiv says.

The Russian delegation has arrived in Geneva for today's US-brokered peace talks on Ukraine, Russia’s news agency Interfax reported.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has said the talks in Geneva will deal with a "broader range of issues related to the territories and other issues connected to the demands that we have” but didn't elaborate on the issues.

Russian president Vladimir Putin's adviser Vladimir Medinsky, who headed Moscow's team of negotiators in the first direct peace talks with Ukraine in Istanbul in March 2022 and who has forcefully pushed Putin's war goals, is returning to lead Moscow's delegation.

Medinsky has written several history books that focus on exposing purported Western plots against Russia and denigrate Ukraine.

Igor Kostyukov, the head of Russian military intelligence, and deputy foreign minister Mikhail Galuzin, along with other officials, will also be in the delegation, Peskov said.

A fire has been reported at a Russian oil refinery in Krasnodar region, officials said this morning, shortly after it came under attack from Ukrainian drones.

Local authorities said the fire was reported from Ilsky refinery and a reservoir with oil products was damaged.

Just hours earlier, the Russian defence ministry said at least 24 drones were downed over the Krasnodar region.

Russian air defence systems have shot down at least 151 Ukrainian drones overnight, the country’s defence ministry said this morning.

The drones were downed over the Black Sea, Crimea and other bordering regions, the defence ministry said in its Telegram.

Russia typically reports only how many drones its air defences say they downed, not how many Ukraine launched, and rarely discloses the full extent of damage unless civilians are killed or civilian sites are hit.

The chances of a breakthrough among the Ukrainian and Russian officials coming to Geneva today for peace talks remain slim, with territory set to be the biggest point of contention.

Ukrainian negotiators have accused Vladimir Medinsky, an aide to president Vladimir Putin, of lecturing them about history as an excuse for Russia's invasion, and his involvement in the Russian delegation has further lowered expectations for any significant breakthrough in Geneva.

Military intelligence chief Igor Kostyukov will also take part in the talks while Putin's special envoy Kirill Dmitriev will be part of a separate working group on economic issues.

Volodymyr Zelensky said while he does hope the talks would prove “serious, substantive… but honestly sometimes it feels like the sides are talking about completely different things.”

Ukraine has already signalled that its goal of “a sustainable and lasting peace” remains unchanged.

As well as land, Russia and Ukraine also remain far apart on issues such as who should control the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and the possible role of Western troops in postwar Ukraine.

The high-stakes peace talks to end the war in Ukraine are set to begin in Geneva today. Here’s what we know about the officials heading there to participate in the talks.

Ukrainian General Kyrylo Budanov, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky's chief of staff, posted a photograph on Telegram showing himself standing next to a train with other members of the negotiating team, which is due to be led in Geneva by Rustem Umerov, Ukraine's national security and defence council chief.

Entering or leaving Ukraine entails a long overland journey, even for VIPs, as the country's airspace is closed because of the war.

Vladimir Putin's adviser Vladimir Medinsky, who headed Moscow's team of negotiators in the first direct peace talks with Ukraine in Istanbul in March 2022 and who has forcefully pushed Putin's war goals, is returning to lead Moscow's delegation.

Medinsky has written several history books that focus on exposing purported Western plots against Russia and denigrate Ukraine.

Igor Kostyukov, the head of Russian military intelligence, and deputy foreign minister Mikhail Galuzin, along with other officials, will also be in the delegation, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said.

Putin's envoy Kirill Dmitriev will also travel to Geneva for separate talks with the US on economic cooperation, according to Peskov.

Moscow and Kyiv are keen to offer future business opportunities to Washington.

It is not clear which American officials would be in Geneva. At recent talks in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, the Trump administration was represented by envoys Steve Witkoff and the president’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.

Volodymyr Zelensky has warned that Russia is planning a fresh round of attacks on Ukraine’s energy targets ahead of peace negotiations beginning on Tuesday.

Zelensky said new strikes would make it more difficult to reach an agreement.

In his nightly video address, the Ukrainian president said: “Intelligence reports show that Russia is preparing further massive strikes against energy infrastructure so it is necessary to ensure that all air defence systems are properly configured.

“Russia cannot resist the temptation of the final days of winter cold and wants to strike Ukrainians painfully,” he said. “Partners must understand this. First and foremost, this concerns the United States.”

The Ukrainian delegation has departed for Geneva where the third round of US-brokered peace talks will be held.