Zelensky ‘planning election and peace deal referendum’ & Winter Olympics threatens to disqualify Ukrainian athlete over 'remembrance helmet'

Day 1,448.


Today, we assess where things stand after mixed messaging has
left Kyiv, Moscow and Western capitals confused over whether
President Zelensky will use the fourth anniversary of
Russia’s  invasion to announce presidential elections or a
referendum on a possible peace deal. We report on Russia’s fury
over the reported Starlink switch-off, a communications crisis
compounded by the Kremlin’s tightening restrictions on Telegram,
and continue to follow the Olympic controversy surrounding
Ukraine’s so-called “Helmet of Memory”. Later, we hear the latest
analysis from our Russia-watcher.


Contributors


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


Adélie Pojzman-Pontay (Journalist and Producer). @adeliepjz on X.


James Kilner (Foreign Analyst). @jkjourno on X.


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Each week, Dom Nicholls and Francis Dearnley answer your
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CONTENT REFERENCED:


Zelensky plans presidential elections and peace deal referendum
(The Telegraph):


https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/02/11/zelensky-presidential-elections-peace-deal-referendum/ 


Ukrainian athletes defy IOC and double down in helmet protest
against Russia (The Telegraph):


https://www.telegraph.co.uk/winter-olympics/2026/02/09/ukrainian-athlete-vladyslav-heraskevych-anti-russian-helmet/


Behind the Guns: Western Tools, Russian Firepower (Front
Intelligence):


https://frontelligence.substack.com/p/behind-the-guns-western-tools-russian


Chris O Starlink thread on X:


https://x.com/ChrisO_wiki/status/2021280155713294590?s=20


Zelensky won't announce elections on war anniversary amid talks
of US-driven timeline, source says (Kyiv Independent):


https://kyivindependent.com/zelensky-wont-announce-elections-on-invasion-anniversary/


Zelenskyy planning elections in Ukraine and vote on peace deal
(Financial Times):


https://www.ft.com/content/50d3d86b-2d2a-4d06-845e-a4e089382cad


Elections in Ukraine — a guide for beginners (and US Presidents)
(Kyiv Independent):


https://kyivindependent.com/a-beginners-guide-to-elections-in-ukraine-also-suitable-for-us-presidents/


The Belarusian woman at the center of Epstein’s final days (Kyiv
Independent):


https://kyivindependent.com/the-belarusian-woman-at-the-center-of-epsteins-final-days/?mc_cid=a5562b6d52&mc_eid=4a5b852913


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