Ukrainian forces have scored dramatic battlefield victories in the east of the warring country after Kremlin forces lost access to Starlink satellite internet, the Independent reports.
Terminals used by Russian troops in Ukraine were deactivated earlier this month. Kiev claims that Russian forces have been using thousands of Starlink satellite internet connections for secure communications since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
In the period from Wednesday to Sunday last week, Kiev managed to regain 201 sq km of territory, which is equivalent to Russia's conquests in the entire month of December, according to data from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). This is the largest territory recaptured by Kiev forces in such a short period since the June 2023 counteroffensive that thwarted weeks of Russian advances east of the city of Zaporizhia.
This comes ahead of the final round of peace talks today between representatives of Russia and Ukraine, which are being held with the mediation of the United States. The Russian delegation has already arrived in Geneva for the upcoming talks.
Moscow has announced that the talks will focus on territory, demanding that Ukraine cede the remaining 20 percent of the eastern Donetsk region, which Moscow has failed to capture by force. Kiev, however, refuses.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday that the Geneva talks would cover "a wider range of topics related to territories and other issues related to the demands we have", but did not provide details.
Russian President Vladimir Putin's adviser, Vladimir Medinsky, who led Moscow's team of negotiators in the first direct peace talks with Ukraine in Istanbul in March 2022 and who has been a strong proponent of Putin's military goals, is leading Russia's current delegation.
Medinsky is the author of several history books that focus on exposing alleged Western plots against Russia and vilifying Ukraine. Igor Kostyukov, the head of Russian military intelligence, and Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin are also part of the delegation.
Earlier, US President Donald Trump tried to pressure Kiev to reach an agreement with Russia. "It's easy... Ukraine better sit down at the negotiating table, quickly," he told reporters aboard Air Force One en route to Washington.