Putin prepares secret rolling conscription & exclusive: the British microchip powering Russia’s missiles

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
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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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