Ukraine updates: Kyiv reports Russian barrage ahead of talks

DW News · Feb 26, 2026 · Collected from RSS

Full Article

LiveFebruary 26, 2026President Zelenskyy reported widespread overnight strikes as negotiators prepared for Swiss talks with the US. Meanwhile Kenya arrested a man suspected of tricking people into going to Russia to fight. DW has more. https://p.dw.com/p/59SJ6The negotiations are taking place in Geneva amid tight securityImage: Pierre Albouy/REUTERSSkip next section What you need to knowWhat you need to know Volodymyr Zelenskyy said drones and missiles targeted eight separate regions overnight The next round of US-brokered negotiations kick off in Geneva on Thursday Kenya arrests a man accused of tricking people to go to Russia with promises of skilled work, only to end up on the front lines in Ukraine Stay tuned for more updates on or connected to Russia's invasion of Ukraine on February 26, 2026. Skip next section Kenya arrest man accused of tricking people into fighting for RussiaFebruary 26, 2026Kenya arrest man accused of tricking people into fighting for RussiaPolice in Kenya have arresed a man on suspicion of human trafficking. It's part of an investigation of an alleged scheme to dupe Kenyans with promises of skilled work in Russia, only for them to end up fighting on the front lines in Ukraine. The man was arrested in the northern Kenyan town of Moyale, near the border with Ethiopia, charged with trafficking 25 Kenyans to Russia last year. Police spokesman Michael Muchiri said he was trying to flee after returning from Russia. The man had gone missing after families started protesting the disappearances and deaths of their relatives in the war in Ukraine. Russia accused of tricking foreigners into fightingTo view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Kenya's government last week said that more than 1,000 Kenyans were recruited to fight for Russia in Ukraine, and that at least 89 were still on the front lines, with 39 hospitalized and 28 missing in action. At least one person was confirmed dead, it said. Russia's Embassy in Nairobi denied the allegations, saying it never issued visas to anyone intending to travel to Russia to fight in Ukraine. However it also said, "The Russian Federation does not preclude citizens of foreign countries from voluntarily enlisting in the armed forces." Kenya's Foreign Minister Musalia Mudavadi told the Associated Press earlier this month that he would seek a trip to Russia to mount a "diplomatic approach to rein in any dubious entites that are taking advantage of anyone in this misadventure." He also said attempts were ongoing to secure the release of Kenyans in Ukrainian prisons "if indeed there are Kenyans who have found themselves on the wrong side of the law." https://p.dw.com/p/59SlaSkip next section Ukraine reports major bombardment on eve of Geneva talksFebruary 26, 2026Ukraine reports major bombardment on eve of Geneva talksThis shot shows a fire at an aparement block in Zaporizhzhia, the capital of the contested southern Ukrainian region with the same nameImage: State Emergency Service of Ukraine/AFPPresident Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday said that Russia launched an overnight barrage of some 420 drones and 39 missiles at Ukraine, ahead of talks between US and Ukrainian negotiators in Switzerland. Zelenskyy said the bombardment, which included 11 ballistic missiles, targeted both critical infrastructure and residential areas. He said that eight separate regions had reported damage. "Most missiles launched today were successfully intercepted thanks to our partners swiftly sending part of the air defense missiles agreed upon at the recent Ramstein meeting. Unfortunately, there were also hits," Zelenskyy said. Ukrainians hold firm as Russia's war enters its fifth yearTo view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Zelenskyy's comments come ahead of the latest round of talks in the US-led push to broker an end to the conflict. Famously a war that President Donald Trump once boasted he would end within "a day" of returning to the White House while on the campaign trail, the negotiating process has now dragged on for a year with few clear signs of progress. At least judging by the public comments of Russia and Ukraine from outside, the two sides' positions still appear to be very far removed. Rustem Umerov, the head of Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council, heads the Ukrainian delegation, while Trump's representatives Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are negotiating for the US. The divisions have been particularly evident during the past week amid the emotionally charged fourth anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion. But Zelenskyy also stressed on Thursday that in Kyiv's mind, the war was more than a decade old, having begun with Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea, to which he said "the world effectively turned a blind eye." https://p.dw.com/p/59SdBSkip next section Welcome to our coverageFebruary 26, 2026Welcome to our coverageMark Hallam | Jenipher Camino GonzalezHello and welcome to our updates on or pertaining to Russia's invasion of Ukraine on February 26, 2026. Further negotiations are expected later in the day in Geneva, as US negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner race from Iranian nuclear talks straight into continued efforts to broker an end to the four-year war in Switzerland. The negotiations do not come amid any obvious signs of progress, following a charged few days around the anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion in late February of 2022. https://p.dw.com/p/59Sc2Show more posts