RH 2.17.26 | Russia: Geneva Talks, Zircon Strikes, Refinery Fires & Donetsk Showdown

👉 Subscribe to The Restricted Handling Podcast  https://www.restrictedhandling.com/  In this episode of The Restricted Handling Podcast, we break down the February 17, 2026 Geneva talks between Russia, Ukraine, and the US and why territory is still the fight inside the fight. Moscow is demanding full control of the remaining Ukrainian-held portions of Donetsk. Kyiv says that is a red line. President Trump wants a deal fast. Zelensky wants security guarantees first. The table is set, but nobody is blinking.  While diplomats talk in Switzerland, the war keeps moving.  Russia launched Zircon hypersonic cruise missiles, Iskander ballistic missiles, and waves of Shahed drones against Ukrainian infrastructure. Ukraine responded by striking deep inside Russia, targeting oil refineries in Krasnodar Territory and disrupting energy infrastructure in Belgorod and Bryansk. Russian wholesale gasoline prices jumped after refinery hits at Volgograd and Ukhta. That's not just battlefield activity. That's economic pressure.  We also cover Ukraine's recapture of roughly 201 square kilometers near Zaporizhzhia, reportedly the fastest gains since 2023. Russian forces continue grinding forward near Pokrovsk and Kupyansk, but the battlefield remains fluid. Add in reported Starlink disruptions, expanding Russian drone doctrine through the BARS-Sarmat center, and growing reliance on unmanned systems, and you get a war that is evolving in real time.  Outside the frontline, the hybrid fight is heating up. Western intelligence reporting suggests former Wagner recruiters are linked to sabotage recruitment efforts inside Europe. Arson. Vandalism. Plausible deniability. The gray zone is alive and well.  Energy politics are back in play too. Hungary and Slovakia are scrambling after Druzhba pipeline disruptions. Strategic reserves are being discussed. The EU remains divided on how hard to press Moscow.  Inside Ukraine, an anti-corruption bombshell hits as former Energy Minister German Galushchenko is detained in the Energoatom bribery case. In Russia, the State Duma moves forward on legislation expanding FSB authority to suspend communications services. Meanwhile, new findings on Alexei Navalny's death escalate tensions between Moscow and European governments.  If you want a fast, clear, no-nonsense breakdown of the Russia Ukraine war, US foreign policy, European security, energy warfare, drone strikes, and geopolitical power plays, this episode has you covered.  👉 Subscribe to The Restricted Handling Podcast  https://www.restrictedhandling.com/    Get the daily intelligence brief Ryan and Glenn read covering Russia, China, Iran, North Korea, the Middle East, geopolitics, sanctions, military and intel operations. Save a few hours of your time getting ahead of the news cycle at restrictedhandling.com.