**US to Release Russian Bitcoin Suspect in Exchange for Fogel**
The US is planning to release a Russian cybercrime boss, Alexander Vinnik, who was serving a prison sentence in the country. In exchange, Russia will return American teacher Marc Fogel.
Fogel, 63, has been detained in Russia since 2021 for possessing medical marijuana. He will be flown back to the US on February 11.
Vinnik is accused of laundering at least $4 billion in proceeds from ransomware attacks and other crimes through a cryptocurrency exchange called BTC-e. As part of his release deal, he must forfeit over $100 million to the US government.
**Ukraine War Developments**
US President Donald Trump praised Russian President Vladimir Putin for agreeing to the deal with Vinnik’s release. Trump also said that the move is a step towards brokering a peace deal in Ukraine.
In other news related to the war, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on February 12. Zelensky told The Economist that Ukraine will not give up on its NATO aspirations and will strengthen its military if denied an invitation to join the alliance.
Russia has been using a “shadow fleet” to transport oil and gas around Western sanctions and price caps. Ukraine’s Defense Minister Rustem Umerov met with US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for the first time during a meeting in Brussels on February 12.
**Recent Attacks**
A missile attack by Russia killed one person and injured four others, including a child, in Kyiv on February 12. The attack also damaged several buildings in an industrial zone.
In another incident, President Zelensky said that there was an attempt to assassinate him at the onset of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, resulting in people being killed inside the Presidential Office.
**NATO and Ukraine**
Ukraine is not giving up on its NATO aspirations despite Russia’s aggression. If denied an invitation to join the alliance, Zelensky said that Ukraine will strengthen its military by building a “NATO on its territory”.
US Defense Secretary Hegseth also emphasized that NATO must be a stronger, more lethal force in response to Russian aggression.
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