Ukraine-Russia war latest: Putin launches deadly missile and drone attacks on energy targets

One person has died and another eight rescued from rubble following attacks in Kyiv, authorities said

Boris Johnson says UK should send non-combat troops to Ukraine now

Russian drones and missiles targeted energy infrastructure in Ukraine's southern Odesa region overnight, causing significant fires, the country’s emergency service said.

It comes as one person has been killed and at least eight rescued from rubble after Russian president Vladimir Putin also unleashed deadly missile and drone attacks on Kyiv.

Buildings were damaged and fires erupted in five districts in the suburbs of Kyiv following the assault, Ukraine’s emergency service said on Sunday.

Ukraine's Air Force said Sunday that Russia's overnight barrage had included 297 drones and 50 missiles of various types, of which 274 drones and 33 missiles were shot down or neutralized. Of those remaining, 14 missiles and 23 drones struck 14 locations, it said. Three missiles were unaccounted for.

Also on Sunday, UK defence secretary John Healey expressed his hopes to be the first minister to deploy British troops to Ukraine in a bid to end the ongoing conflict.

Writing ahead of the four-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion he said “2026 must be the year this terrible war ends” in the Telegraph on Sunday.

“I want to be the defence secretary who deploys British troops to Ukraine – because this will mean that this war is finally over.”

Key Points

• UK will ‘make 2026 the year war ends’ says defence secretary
• Special report: The only place to hide from Putin’s killer drones is our underground school
• One killed, five injured as Russia targets energy sites across Ukraine
• Boris Johnson says UK should send non-combat troops to Ukraine now
• One dead, 24 injured in blasts in western Ukraine
• Ukraine accuses Hungary and Slovakia of ‘blackmail’ over power threat

[22 February 2026 12:00 · Nicole Wootton-Cane]

Ukraine frontline mapped: Kyiv counteroffensive regained territory before fruitless US peace talks

Ukraine headed into the third round of direct talks with Russia and US mediators this week following a string of symbolic victories on the frontlines.

Two days of talks concluded abruptly on Wednesday, following lengthy discussions over territory the day before. Kyiv hailed progress in talks, though acknowledged that the two sides were still opposed on key issues.

There has been little progress in the talks to date, with Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky recently sharing his frustration that his country is “too often” asked to make concessions - as Moscow sticks to its maximalist demands.

The Independent’s James C. Reynolds takes a look at how the battlefield lies:

[22 February 2026 11:31 · Nicole Wootton-Cane]

One detained after terrorist attack in Lviv, Zelensky says

One person has been detained after a “terrorist attack” in Lviv killed one and injured 25, according to Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky.

In a post on X he said “all necessary resources have been provided to the investigation”.

[22 February 2026 11:00 · Nicole Wootton-Cane]

Recap: Former UK PM Boris Johnson says UK should immediately send non-combat troops to Ukraine

Former prime minister Boris Johnson has called for troops from the UK and Europe to be deployed immediately to Ukraine.

Mr Johnson said non-combat forces should be stationed in peaceful regions to send a firm message to Russian president Vladimir Putin otherwise the Russian leader would “keep going” with the conflict.

Speaking ahead of the four-year anniversary of the invasion, the former politician told BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg that Ukraine’s allies had been “too slow” to respond.

The Independent’s Maira Butt reports:

[22 February 2026 10:30 · Nicole Wootton-Cane]

Watch: Boris Johnson's comments on Ukraine troops 'reckless and irresponsible,' says Geordie Greig

[22 February 2026 10:10 · Shahana Yasmin]

Ukraine accuses Hungary and Slovakia of ‘blackmail’ over power threat

Ukraine has accused Hungary and Slovakia of “ultimatums and blackmail” after both governments threatened to halt emergency electricity supplies unless Kyiv restores Russian oil transit across its territory.

Slovakia’s prime minister, Robert Fico, said he would ask the state grid operator to cut emergency exports within two days if flows were not resumed. Hungary’s Viktor Orbán issued a similar warning earlier this week.

The Ukrainian foreign ministry said in a statement that these actions were “provocative, irresponsible, and threaten the energy security of the entire region”.

Russian oil deliveries to both countries via the Druzhba pipeline have been disrupted since 27 January, after Kyiv said a Russian drone strike damaged pipeline infrastructure in western Ukraine.

Bratislava and Budapest blame Ukraine for the prolonged outage.

Hungary and Slovakia together account for roughly half of European emergency electricity exports to Ukraine, which has relied heavily on imports as Russian missile and drone attacks have repeatedly damaged its energy grid.

[22 February 2026 09:50 · Shahana Yasmin]

In pictures: Protests across Europe in solidarity with Ukraine

People attend a protest to mark the four-year anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, at the Old Town Square, in Prague, Czech Republic (REUTERS)

(REUTERS)

People carry banners at a protest near the United Nations office, on the day of U.S.-mediated peace talks between Russia and Ukraine in Geneva, Switzerland (REUTERS)

Demonstrators participate in a rally to mark the fourth anniversary of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. (REUTERS)

People take part in a march for Ukraine ahead of the fourth anniversary of Russia's invasion, in Paris (AFP via Getty Images)

[22 February 2026 09:30 · Shahana Yasmin]

Poland withdraws from treaty banning land mines amid Russia fears

[22 February 2026 09:15 · Shahana Yasmin]

President Trump is wrong. Ukraine can win this war

[22 February 2026 09:00 · Shahana Yasmin]

Russia fires 50 missiles and nearly 300 drones at Ukraine

Russia launched 50 missiles and 297 drones at Ukraine overnight, Kyiv’s air force said on Sunday, in one of the largest aerial assaults in recent weeks.

Air defence units shot down or otherwise neutralised 33 missiles and 274 drones, the air force said in a statement on Telegram.

The strikes formed part of a broader wave of attacks that Ukrainian officials said targeted energy infrastructure and residential areas across multiple regions, including Kyiv and Odesa.

At least one person was killed and five others injured in the Kyiv region.

Moscow has intensified long-range drone and missile barrages in recent months, frequently targeting Ukraine’s power grid and other critical infrastructure as the war approaches its fourth anniversary.

Emergency services personnel work to extinguish a fire following a Russian attack in Kyiv (AP)

[22 February 2026 08:45 · Shahana Yasmin]

Power outage hits Russian-held Zaporizhzhia after strike

Parts of Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia were left without electricity after what authorities described as a major Ukrainian attack on energy infrastructure.

Yevgeny Balitsky, the Russian-appointed governor of the occupied region, said a second outage occurred on Sunday morning after engineers had earlier restored power to roughly half the affected area.

“Socially significant facilities are connected to backup power sources. Generators are running, providing water and supporting critical infrastructure," Balitsky said on the Telegram messaging service.

Separately, in Russian-controlled Luhansk, a fuel reservoir caught fire following what local Moscow-installed officials described as a Ukrainian drone strike on an oil depot.

Russia’s defence ministry said its air defences shot down 86 Ukrainian drones overnight over Russian territory and the Crimean Peninsula.