Friday, February 10
Russia’s war against Ukraine
European Council President Charles Michel (L) and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (R) arrive for a European Union leaders summit at the European Council headquarters on Feb. 9, 2023, in Brussels, Belgium. (Photo by Thierry Monasse/Getty Images)
Zelensky arrives at European Parliament in Brussels, greeted by top EU leaders. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Charles Michel, who visited Kyiv for the historic Ukraine-EU Summit on Feb. 3, greeted Zelensky as he landed.
UK Defense Ministry: Both sides likely to avoid major offensives in March due to muddy conditions. The weather continues to play “a significant role” in the war, with the movement of vehicles expected to get more complicated as the temperature rises and the snow melts, the ministry said in its daily intelligence update on Feb. 9.
CNN: Iran modifies its drones supplied to Russia to inflict maximum damage on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. According to a new investigative report, cited by CNN, the unexploded warhead of an Iranian Shahed-131 drone discovered in Odesa Oblast was “hastily modified with poorly fitted layers of dozens of small metal fragments” that scatter over a large radius on impact.
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Reznikov: Over 600 officials of Armed Forces, Defense Ministry prosecuted after internal audits. Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov said on Feb. 9 that 621 officials working at Ukraine’s Armed Forces and Defense Ministry were prosecuted after internal audits in 2022. Reznikov didn’t specify for which violations the officials were held responsible.
President’s Office: Long-range weapons, fighter jets for Ukraine seems resolvable. The issue concerning fighter jets and longer-range weapons “seems like it can be solved,” Head of President’s Office Andriy Yermak said on Feb. 9 without going into further details.
Foreign Ministry: 5 Ukrainians could be trapped under the rubble in Turkey. Five Ukrainian citizens could still be trapped under the rubble in Turkey after deadly earthquakes occurred this week, Foreign Ministry spokesman Oleg Nikolenko said on Feb. 9.
Wagner Group claims to have stopped recruiting prisoners for war against Ukraine. Wagner Group head Evgenii Prigozhin’s claim comes nearly half a year after Wagner began recruiting prisoners in mid-2022, whom, according to their contract, are offered an official pardon if they serve six months on the battlefield.
ISW: Kremlin continues to prepare defense industrial base for a protracted war. Russia’s main military efforts are focused along the Svatove-Kreminna line as a part of the major offensive in Luhansk oblast, according to the assessment.
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Zelensky at European Parliament: Ukraine’s path to Europe is ‘our people’s way home’
In a historic visit to Brussels on Feb. 9, President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed the European Parliament as the first anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion approaches.
Photo: Didier Lebrun / Getty Images
Our readers’ questions about the war, answered
We asked the patrons of the Kyiv Independent to share the questions they have about the war. Here’s what they asked, and how we answered.
Photo: Getty Images
Ukraine war latest: Zelensky hints at ‘positive decisions’ on fighter jets as Russia intensifies assaults in Donbas
Key developments on Feb. 9.
Photo: Getty Images
Power Lines Bonus Ep. 11 — Rebuilding: From The Ground Up
So where do you begin when you have to rebuild a country destroyed by war? Who pays for it? And what should be the priorities: people’s homes, or hospitals, schools, and roads?
CIUS: Weapons procurement for Ukraine highlights problems in Canadian defense capabilities
The Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies (CIUS) surveyed has analyzed how the situation in Ukraine and Canada’s role in the war were portrayed in Canadian media during the first two weeks of 2023.
Photo: Getty Images
The human cost of Russia’s war
Mayor: 4 killed in explosion at former factory in Kyiv. Four people have been killed and five have been injured in an explosion at a former factory in Kyiv, Vitali Klitschko, the city mayor, reported on Feb. 9. The rescue operation is still underway, he added.
General Staff: Russia has lost 135,010 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24. Ukraine’s General Staff reported on Feb. 9 that Russia had also lost 3,255 tanks, 6,468 armored fighting vehicles, 5,121 vehicles and fuel tanks, 2,244 artillery systems, 463 multiple launch rocket systems, 232 air defense systems, 295 airplanes, 285 helicopters, 1,967 drones, and 18 boats.
International response
Zelensky: Several European countries ready to provide Ukraine with fighter jets. President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Feb. 9 that he is due to hold a series of bilateral meetings “where the topic of combat aviation will be given the necessary attention.“
Ukraine asks Netherlands for fighter jets. Dutch Defense Minister Kajsa Ollongren confirmed that Ukraine has submitted a request asking the Netherlands to supply F-16 fighter jets, reported NOS news organization. “And we have to look seriously at the consequences, it can’t just happen overnight. We have to be honest about that,” Ollongren said.
UK says there won’t be immediate transfer of combat aircraft to Ukraine. Defense Secretary Ben Wallace told the BBC on Feb. 9 that there won’t be an immediate transfer of fighter jets to Ukraine, but did not exclude the possibility of supplying them.
Official: Ukrainian troops arrive in Belgium for training on underwater drones. A group of Ukrainian soldiers has arrived in Belgium under the European Union’s training mission to master underwater drones, Belgian Defense Minister Ludivine Dedonder said on Feb. 9. These underwater systems, capable of finding various threats such as mines and spy equipment, have already been delivered to Ukraine, according to Dedonder.
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EU calls on Russia to stop ‘absurd’ claims of victimhood in war against Ukraine. “There is no doubt that this Russian aggression is illegal under international law,” the EU delegation said in a statement during an Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe meeting in Vienna, as quoted by Ukrinform on Feb. 9.
International Olympic Committee president criticizes Ukraine’s call to boycott the Games. In a letter to Ukraine’s National Olympic Committee, sent on Jan. 31, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) president, Thomas Bach, criticized Ukraine’s threat to boycott the Games, saying it would violate the Olympic charter.
Lithuania to provide Ukraine with 36 air defense systems. Lithuania will hand over to Ukraine 36 portable anti-aircraft systems that can effectively counter Iranian-made drones Russia is using to attack the country, Lithuanian Defense Minister Arvydas Anusauskas said on Feb. 9 at a joint press conference with his Ukrainian counterpart Oleksii Reznikov.
In other news
Bloomberg: TikTok identifies vast Russian disinformation network. TikTok Inc. revealed a Russian disinformation network disseminating propaganda about Moscow’s full-scale war against Ukraine, Bloomberg reported on Feb. 9. The network targeted over 100,000 European users over the summer of 2022.
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