Overview
- Ukraine confirmed the release of 157 citizens—150 service members and seven civilians—in the first exchange of 2026, thanking the United States and the United Arab Emirates for assistance.
- More than half of the freed Ukrainians were captured during the defense of Mariupol, 139 had been held since 2022, and those returned ranged in age from 23 to 63 across multiple military branches.
- Officials said the three-hour Abu Dhabi talks produced a reciprocal 157-for-157 swap but left a stalemate over territory and security, with Russia seeking recognition of gains that Kyiv rejects.
- A large February 3 strike on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure used a record number of ballistic missiles, increased heating outages in Kyiv, and caused additional casualties across several regions.
- Ukrainian officials reported that deactivation of Russian-used Starlink terminals disrupted assault operations, while the Pentagon invited two Ukrainian drone makers to its $1.1 billion Drone Dominance Program with live testing set for February 18.