Mothership drones and SIM card risks

Day 1,456.

Today, as President Volodymyr Zelensky describes the latest Ukraine-Russia peace talks in Geneva as “difficult”, we ask whether the negotiations between Kyiv, Moscow and Washington made any tangible difference – and whether the Kremlin still has room to delay meaningful concessions. We hear from a former special envoy to Ukraine, and report on an exclusive Telegraph investigation revealing how British-manufactured microelectronics have ended up inside Russian missiles used to kill civilians in Ukraine. And we speak to the founder of a new volunteer air defence unit recruiting members from Ukraine’s expatriate community to help defend against ongoing Russian drone and missile attacks.

Contributors

Dominic Nicholls (Associate Editor of Defence). @DomNicholls on X.

Francis Dearnley (Executive Editor for Audio). @FrancisDearnley on X.

Rozina Sabur (National Security Editor). @RozinaSaburon X.

With thanks to John Richardson and former US Ambassador Kurt Volker.

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Each week, Dom Nicholls and Francis Dearnley answer your questions, provide recommended reading, and give exclusive analysis and behind-the-scenes insights – plus maps of the frontlines and diagrams of weapons to complement our daily reporting. It’s free for everyone, including non-subscribers.

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CONTENT REFERENCED:

International Air Defence Reserves – Point of Contact: John Richardson. Written messages of enquiry only (no links) on Signal to +380 639 598839. 

The British designed Microchip that is Powering Putin’s Missiles (The Telegraph):

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/02/18/british-designed-microchip-putin-russia-ukraine-missiles/

Starmer ‘not being honest’ on defence spending, say ex-military chiefs (The Telegraph):

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2026/02/18/starmer-not-honest-defence-spending-say-ex-military-chiefs/ 

Could Witkoff be ousted from Ukraine talks? (Kyiv Independent):

https://kyivindependent.com/could-witkoff-be-ousted-from-ukraine-talks/ 

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The Telegraph has launched translated versions of Ukraine: The Latest in Ukrainian and Russian, making its reporting accessible to audiences on both sides of the battle lines and across the wider region, including Central Asia and the Caucasus. Just search Україна: Останні Новини (Ukr) and Украина: Последние Новости (Ru) on your on your preferred podcast app to find them. Listen here: https://linktr.ee/ukrainethelatest

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