STORY: President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Monday (February 16) that Ukrainian intelligence showed more Russian attacks on energy targets lay ahead and that such strikes made it more difficult to reach an agreement on ending the nearly four-year war.

Zelenskiy, speaking in his nightly video address on the eve of new talks with Russian and U.S. officials, also said Moscow's attacks were "evolving," involved a combination of weapons, and required special defences.

The Ukrainian president said he signed a decree to apply sanctions against ten Russian athletes who support Russia's aggression in Ukraine.

The sanctions package was formed upon a petition by Ukrainian skeleton racer and member of Ukraine’s Olympic Team Vladyslav Heraskevych.

Zelenskiy on Friday awarded Heraskevych a top state honor after he was was disqualified from the Winter Games for wearing a helmet commemorating athletes killed in the war with Russia.

Zelenskiy, speaking to Heraskevych on the sidelines of the annual Munich Security Conference said he had great respect for "all the Olympians who supported you and your position."

Heraskevych, 27, was disqualified at the Winter Games in Italy on Thursday when the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation jury ruled that the helmet's depiction of athletes killed since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022 breached rules on political neutrality.

Speaking before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) which dismissed his appeal on Friday, Heraskevych said his exclusion and rules imposed by the International Olympic Committee were "an instrument of propaganda for Russia. I still receive a lot of threats from the Russian side."

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

VIDEO SHOWS: UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKIY GIVING NIGHTLY ADDRESS

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT

SHOWS: KYIV, UKRAINE (FEBRUARY 16, 2026) (UKRAINIAN PRESIDENTIAL PRESS SERVICE - Access all)

1. (SOUNDBITE) (Ukrainian) UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT, VOLODYMYR ZELENSKIY, SAYING:

“Intelligence reports that Russia is preparing further massive strikes against energy infrastructure, so it is necessary to ensure that air defence systems are properly configured. Russian attacks are constantly, so to speak, evolving. Evil also evolves. Unfortunately. These are combined strikes that require special protection and appropriate support from partners. Any delay in providing missiles for air defence, any untimely delivery, contributes to increasing the damage from these attacks. Everything we discussed with partners in Munich must be implemented promptly. It is important that partners do not remain silent.”

2. WHITE FLASH

3. (SOUNDBITE) (Ukrainian) UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT, VOLODYMYR ZELENSKIY, SAYING:

“Everyone is now awaiting the continuation of trilateral meetings. Our delegation is already in Geneva and preparing for negotiations. Russia cannot resist the temptation of the final days of winter cold and wants to strike Ukrainians painfully. The more evil comes from Russia, the harder it will be to reach any agreements with them. Partners must understand this. First and foremost, this concerns the United States. Soon we will mark a year of Ukraine’s most active diplomacy. We agreed to all realistic proposals from America, starting with the proposal for an unconditional and long-term ceasefire. Russia rejects this, continues assaults at the front and strikes on our cities and energy infrastructure. We expect partners to act so that forcing the aggressor to peace truly works.”

4. WHITE FLASH

5. (SOUNDBITE) (Ukrainian) UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT, VOLODYMYR ZELENSKIY, SAYING:

“I want to thank all our friends who are already preparing new sanctions steps. We discussed this with Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha and sanctions commissioner Vladyslav Vlasiuk. We expect strong decisions from Europe, Britain, Canada, and other partners. The decisions have, in fact, already been prepared.

Today there are also new Ukrainian sanctions against Russian individuals who are trying to put sport at the service of war and rashism (Ruscism also Rashism and also called Russian fascism, is a neologism and a derogatory term which is used to describe the political ideology and policies of the Russian state under Vladimir Putin). The names of these individuals are known, and unfortunately they are known not for sporting achievements but for their completely unworthy actions. We will work to ensure that our sanctions are synchronised in other jurisdictions as well. I have also instructed that a clear list be prepared of individuals who are participating in Russia’s war against Ukraine, as well as those who serve Putin and his madness and definitely do not deserve to visit democratic countries. We will work with partners to ensure that every participant in Russian aggression and everyone who helped them cannot move freely around the world. We very much hope that partners will have enough political will to implement all of this. This is one element of Russia’s overall responsibility for this aggression and for everything they have done against the normal rules-based world order.”