Trump's statement on rare earth elements, conquest of Kilimanjaro by soldiers on prosthetics: February 3 highlights
US President Donald Trump has announced his intention to conclude a deal under which Ukraine will supply the US with rare earth minerals in exchange for aid. Five Ukrainian soldiers, after injuries and amputations, conquered Kilimanjaro. Here are the key events for February 3.
Trump seeks to get Ukrainian rare earth elements
President Donald Trump announced his intention to negotiate a deal with Kyiv where Ukraine would supply the U.S. with rare earth minerals, crucial for electronics, in exchange for American aid.
Soldiers Ivan Bolotov and Anton Spitsyn died
Ukrainian Air Force pilot Captain Ivan Bolt, 24, was killed in action.
Commander of the 2nd Special Purpose Unit "Peaky Blinders" of the National Guard's "Omega" Special Operations Center, Anton Spitsyn, also died in combat. He had been fighting since the early days of the full-scale invasion.
Soldiers with prosthetic limbs conquered Kilimanjaro
Five Ukrainian soldiers, who had suffered injuries and amputations, successfully climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, reaching a height of 5,895 meters.
The climbers included Mykhailo Matviyiv, Oleksandr Mikhov, Vladyslav Shatylo, Roman Kolesnyk, and Olha Yehrova, who had sustained severe injuries.
Explosion in Moscow apartment building
An explosion occurred in the Alye Parusa residential complex in Moscow, killing Armen Sarkisyan, the founder of the Arbat special forces battalion, which is fighting against Ukraine as part of the Russian army. Among the injured was a former bodyguard of ex-President Viktor Yanukovych.
Suspect in the murder of a military recruitment center officer taken into custody
A court ordered the detention of a suspect in the murder of a military serviceman in Poltava Oblast. The suspect was taken into custody until April 1 without the possibility of bail. The man confessed to the crime.
Russians circulate photo of beheaded Ukrainian soldier
Russian media outlets circulated a photo of a Ukrainian soldier with his head severed. The soldier's identity has been preliminarily established, and law enforcement has been informed.
The Armed Forces of Ukraine are switching to a corps-based command system
Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrskyi, announced that the military command has begun implementing measures to transition to a corps-level command structure. The plan has been approved by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Other news
- Polish President Andrzej Duda stated that if Trump invites other countries to discuss the war in Ukraine, Poland should be included.
- The Kyiv City State Administration is investigating allegations of harassment against actors by the director of a theater.
- In Rivne, authorities detained two 19-year-olds who were planning a terrorist attack near the police headquarters.
- Trump's special envoy, Keith Kellogg, is expected to visit Ukraine in February.
- Ukrainian actor and lecturer Lev Somov and a colleague have been accused of abusing students.