Rumours of 'Ukrainian counteroffensive' in the south & Japan aligns with NATO to support Ukraine in surprise move

Day 1,447.


Today, amid growing rumours that Ukraine may be preparing a new
counteroffensive, we discuss how the Kremlin is attempting to
play down expectations and undermine confidence in the ongoing
peace talks. We then report on Japan’s move to join the PURL
initiative, examine a diplomatic row that has erupted at the
Winter Olympics, and sit down with Romania’s Foreign Minister,
Oana Țoiu, to hear how the war in Ukraine is being viewed from
Bucharest, on NATO and the EU’s eastern flank.


Contributors


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


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


With thanks to Oana Țoiu, Romanian Minister of Foreign Affairs.
@oana_toiu on X.


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


Zelensky backs athlete banned from wearing helmet bearing faces
of war victims (The Telegraph):


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


Russia bombs Ukrainian pet shelter (The Telegraph):


https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/02/06/russia-bombs-ukrainian-pet-shelter/ 


How to keep an elephant and a gorilla warm during Kyiv's coldest
winter of the full-scale war (Kyiv Independent):


https://kyivindependent.com/animals-some-first-how-kyiv-zoo-protects-life-through-the-darkest-winter-of-war/?mc_cid=9ff030f3ca&mc_eid=08d0680a95 


Kenya to confront Russia over 'unacceptable' use of its nationals
in combat (BBC):


https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c0k1jzvrykro?xtor=AL-71-


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