2/20/24-2/21/24 Ukrainian General Update LanguageLearner

2/20/24-2/121/24 Update, day 728-729 of Russian invasion.


Belarus/Western Border:

Zelensky offered to meet with the Polish President at the border to resolve the ongoing farmers blockade, noting the rise in pro-RU slogans, and false statements about UA grain being exported into poland itself. Less then 5% of UA grain is currently exported for sale in Poland.

Per UA, the Polish blockade is costing the Polish economy. Ukraine has raised the issue of imposing a ban on selling Russian agricultural products in the European Union's territory, as

Polish farmers relaxed blockades of passenger cars, and approximately 2500 trucks are waiting to enter UA.

A recruiting officer in Transcarpathia was beaten up by unknown parties. No complaint had been filed to the police.


Kyiv/ Central Ukraine:

Zelensky proposed to dramatically raise the salary of soldiers who have been fighting for over 2 years, from approximately $3000/month to $5200/month.

More than 1,300 amendments were submitted to the law on mobilization. It will take time to process the proposals in the committee, so consideration of the draft law by the parliament is unlikely to take place this week.

The UA General staff had a small shakeup, with new commanders under Syrsky formally introduced and the commander of the airborne troops removed.

The majority of Ukrainians remain optimistic about the course of the war and believe in Ukraine's victory. As of the beginning of February 2024, 89% of Ukrainians generally believed in victory, with 60% of them fully convinced of this. In May 2022, 95% believed in victory and 80% of them were fully convinced of this.

"If you ask in whose favor the situation on the battlefield is now developing, then 24% believe that it is in favor of Ukraine, 15% - in favor of Russia. At the same time, almost half of Ukrainians (47%) believe that it is not developing in favor of either side "

32% of those surveyed stated they don't expect UA to finish the war with its 1991 borders intact.

South Korea handed over 10 more ambulances to Ukraine, with 70 expected to be delivered by end of March.

UA is reportedly testing drones with AI assisted guidance, in partnership with UK.

Per the UA Air force commander, UA currently fields more aircraft then it did before the invasion began.

There are currently rumors about UA having F-16 active in country.

UA is continuing to discuss potential mobilization of former prisoners who have completed their sentence.

Former President of Switzerland and candidate for the position of Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Alain Berse, arrived in Kyiv


Sumy/Chernihiv/Kharkiv city region:

RU continues to shell the Sumy border region, mainly with mortars and drone dropped grenades. A family of 5 were killed by a Lancet drone, across 3 generations.

RU targeted E Ukraine with 19 Shahed drones and 6 missiles. 13/19 drones and 1/6 missiles were intercepted. Reportedly some of the remaining drones were interdicted by EW systems.

On the night of the 20th, all 23 Shaheds targeted across UA were intercepted.

As of February 2024, RU has deployed 48 Iskander missile launchers along the Ukrainian border


Kupyansk/ E Kharkiv:

There is no noted change of RU advancements towards Kupyansk via Synkivka, as UA drone activity continues to impede the main forest road. There are approximately 4 assaults a day.


Kreminna/Lyman:

RU assaults towards Terny continue to be rebuffed, with UA strikes further E along the main field roads impeding RU progress. 8 Assaults were recorded over the day.


Kramatorsk/Bakhmut:

Ru continues heavy drone strikes against UA troops near Klischiivka, as they attempt to push towards Chasiv Yar and Ivanivske. RU artillery remains active against Chasiv Yar. 2 assaults were recorded.

RU shelled Kramatorsk, killing at least 1 person and wounding 8 more.


Avdiivka:

RU forces have continued efforts to advances towards Lastochyne, but appear to be unsuccessful under UA artillery fire. Its believed that RU troops will be rotated from here to other axes, which will take at least a week.

13 assaults were recorded in the Avdiivka direction.


Donetsk/Luhansk/Occupied areas:

RU appears to be advancing along the Marinka axis, pushing towards Konstantinyvka and Novomykhailivka to the SW. UA losses here have been primarily due to lack of manpower and equipment, with some NATO tanks seen abandoned. 20 assaults were recorded in the SW Marinka region over the past day.

The major concern is that losing this region would allow for deep RU penetration into a region with next to no emplaced defenses, and potential for significant losses.

RU has resumed chemical grenade attacks in the south, with 4 CS grenades recorded in the last day.


Zaporizhia/Southern Axis:

RU forces continue efforts to advance S of Robotyne, as UA forces retook contested territory from earlier this week. RU forces have been observed using increasingly dated armored equipment on this axis. 7 Assaults were recorded.

RU is noted to be utilizing ATVs in addition to better protected vehicles to move troops.

A UA series of drone strikes targeted an RU vehicle storage hub S of the eastern counteroffensive zone near Staromaiorske, demonstrating both lack of UA artillery to deal with the targets and RU comfort with moving vehicles ever closer to the frontline.

RU fired 516 barrages on 17 settlements in Zaporizhia. 108 drone attacks were recorded over the past day.



Kherson:

RU claimed to have captured Krynky, but UA forces remain. Drone footage showed the after effect of 2 RU soldiers hoisting a flag on the SE side of the town, then immediately sprinting back into the treeline. 1 assault was recorded.

On the left bank of the Kherson region, UA destroyed 15 guns, 16 Apcs, a tank and eliminated 98 Russian soldiers in a day. Most of these came from targeting stockpiles.


An RU training ground in southern Oleshky Sands national park was struck multiple times by UA MLRS, killing or wounding several dozen soldiers on drone footage. This comes after another RU training site which was standing around waiting for a commander to arrive was hit by MLRS in the East.


Odessa/Black Sea/Crimea:

UA is planning an additional route for seaborne trade through the Danube, to increase exports to pre-war levels even with a land blockade with Poland.

Russia:

Per the BBC Russian language service, RU has lost 216 pilots thus far. Each requires at least 6 years of training and more then $3 million dollars to train. 62 pilots were lost in UA in 2023, and 13 more in Russia during the Wagner mutiny.



General:

Over the last day UA forces conducted 10 airstrikes and RU forces 56 air strikes (including drones) and 125 MLRS strikes.

Yesterday Ukrainian forces eliminated:
1130x troops (406,080 in total)
70x APC
13x Tanks
3x Air defense
57x Artillery (4x MLRS)
1x Aircraft
56x vehicles
39 x UAV

These costs amount to some $128 million USD, or $2.6 billion over the last 30 days.


Overseas:

The Swedish government has announced the 15th and largest security aid package for Ukraine, worth SEK 7.1 billion (about US$680 million)

The EU agreed on a 13th sanctions package against RU, with the details to be published over the next few days.

3 of Chinas 4 largest banks, the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC), China Construction Bank (CCB) and Bank of China will stop working with sanctioned banks and companies in RU. This is primarily due to fear of secondary sanctions.

Lithuania and Slovakia extended temporary protection for Ukrainians for another year and Slovakia made concessions regarding Lithuanian language competency.

The first four Ukrainian pilots plan to complete training on F-16 fighters by the summer per the AZ National guard.
The European Union allocated 83 million euros in humanitarian aid to support civilians affected by the war.

Canada is ready to support the Czech initiative to deliver tens of thousands of artillery shells to Ukraine urgently, allegedly discussing allocating up to $22 million USD.

Canadian Defence Minister Bill Blair has said that Canada is continuing to look into the possibility of sending CRV7 rockets which were slated for disposal to Ukraine.