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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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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