A building burns after Russian strikes on Kharkiv city in northeast Ukraine, January 15, 2026

EA-Times Radio VideoCast: Russia Wobbles Over Its Invasion of Ukraine

Tuesday’s Coverage: Kyiv and France to Start Joint Weapons Production

UPDATE 1604 GMT:

The Russian economy is at its lowest point since October 2022.

The business climate indicator, calculated monthly by the Central Bank from a survey of around 15,000 enterprises, is 0.2 points in February. That is a fall from 1.5 points in January, 2.5 in December, and 3.2 on average for 2025.

In October 2022, business activity was -1.1 points after a “partial mobilization” of men fighting in Ukraine.

The official Russian agency Rosstat estimates only 1% GDP growth in 2025, compared to 4.9% in 2024 and 4.1% in 2023.

UPDATE 1546 GMT:

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky has commented on the latest Russian strikes.

He noted the murder of the family — father, two 1-year-old boys, and a 2-year-old girl — by a Russian strike near Kharkiv, adding that the mother is in hospital.

As long as Russia continues to kill people and destroy our infrastructure, there will not be sufficient public trust even in active diplomacy. And this is important for all of Ukraine’s partners – in the United States and Europe – to understand.

Zelensky told Bloomberg that the third set of Ukraine-Russia-US talks is expected next Tuesday or Wednesday. However, it is unclear if Moscow will agree to the discussions in the US, following the first two rounds in Abu Dhabi.

Zelensky said the talks will focus on the Kremlin’s demand for more Ukrainian territory, notably all of the Donetsk region in the east of the country.

He said “neither the Russians, nor us” are keen on the US idea of establishing a free economic zone in Donetsk and Russian-occupied Luhansk region.

“If it is our territory – and it is our territory – then the country whose territory it is should govern it,” he emphasized.

UPDATE 1001 GMT:

The four civilians murdered by Russia’s strike near Kharkiv city in northeast Ukraine are all family members.

UPDATE 0832 GMT:

Ukrainian and European officials say Ukraine has begun planning Presidential elections alongside a referendum on any deal to end Russia’s invasion.

They said Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky intends to announce the plan on February 24, the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion.

However, an official in Zelensky’s circle pushed back, “As long as there is no security, there will be no announcements.”

Zelensky has said of the Trump Administration, “They say that they want to do everything by June…so that the war ends. And they want a clear schedule.”

“The Ukrainians have this hard idea that it all needs to be bundled with Zelenskyy’s re-election,” said “one Western official familiar with the matter”.

Ukraine’s Consetitution prohibits elections under martial law. A vote also faces the challenges of millions of displaced Ukrainians and around 20% of the country under Russian occupation.

Ukrainian and Western officials said both the timetable and the US ultimatum are unlikely to hold, as they hinge on progress with Vladimir Putin towards an end of his invasion.

The officials noted that the Kremlin is still insisting on its control of all of the Donbas area — the Donetsk and Luhansk regions in eastern Ukraine — and of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. Russia could escalates its attacks on Ukraine’s critical infrastructure and its ground offensive.

But the announcement puts political pressure on the Kremlin with Ukraine’s reassurance to Donald Trump that it is pursuing a deal.

UPDATE 0817 GMT:

The toll has risen to three murdered by a Russian guided bomb strike on Sloviansk in the Donetsk region on Tuesday.

Another 18 people were wounded across the region.

UPDATE 0812 GMT:

Ukrainian drones set afire Russia’s Volgograd oil refinery overnight.

The refinery, operated by Russian oil giant Lukoil, was struck for the first time this year.

ORIGINAL ENTRY: At least four civilians, including three toddlers, have been murdered by a Russian strike near Kharkiv city in northeast Ukraine.

Governor Oleh Kiper said two 1-year-old boys and a 2-year-old girl were slain in the town of Bohodukhiv. A 34-year-old man alongside them was also killed.

A 35-year-old pregnant woman and a 74-year-old woman were injured.

Kharkiv city is less than 20 miles from the Russian border. It has held out from being overrun throughout Moscow’s 4-year invasion; however, the area is regularly targeted by missiles, drones, and artillery.

In Zaporizhzhia in southern Ukraine, Russian strikes left about 11,000 residents without electricity amid temperatures as low as -9C (15F).

In his nightly address to the nation, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky said the military is reorganizing air defense.

Many changes are happening right now in the work of air defense. In some regions, the way teams operate, interceptors, mobile fire units, the entire small air defence component is being practically rebuilt completely.

But this is only one element of defence that requires changes. Changes will happen.

He added that while assistance is needed from partners, on the frontline “people are indeed the key issue: their training and the actual replenishment of brigades”.