2/9/24-2/12/24 Ukrainian General Update LanguageLearner

2/9/24-2/12/24 Update, day 716-719 of Russian invasion.


Belarus/Western Border:

The wreckage of an RU Shahed-136 suicide drone was found in Moldova along the UA border. Its believed to have been shot down by UA AD and crashed in Moldova.

Due to US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin being hospitalized, the Ramstein-19 meeting will take place online rather then in person.

The Czech Republic ministry of foreign affairs proposed an indefinite ban on visas and resident for RU and Belarusian nationals.

Hungarian PM Viktor Orban stated that UA should become a buffer zone between RU and the EU, not joining the EU or NATO.


Kyiv/Central Ukraine:

RU carried out a large scale drone attack on Southern and Central Ukraine on Sunday the 11th, with 18 in Mykolaiv, 4 in Odesa, and 4 between Kherson and Vinnytsia oblast. 14 drones and a Kh-59 missile were intercepted out of 26.

Per UA parliamentarians, the mobilization law will likely be signed by the beginning of March following additional discussions, and come into force in April.

Former MoD official Oleksandr Liev was taken into custody surrounding the embezzlement investigation of 20 million USD for 100k artillery shells which were not produced last year. The money was recovered.

Per the Kyiv School of Economics, RU has caused $155 Billion USD worth of damage to UA infrastructure thus far.

UA reportedly has 200 drone factorys up and running across the country, and is planning on training 20,000 operators this year as part of a modernization and standardization program.

UA President Zelensky spoke with South African president Ramaphosa regarding the UA peace formula.

The German vice-president Goering-Echkardt arrived in Kyiv on a working visit.

Investigations have confirmed that RU fired a Zircon anti-ship ballistic missile towards Kyiv last week.

There is currently a blood shortage across most of Ukraine, for all groups.

The newly appointed Territorial defense force commander Igor Plahuta was reportedly in charge of some of the Berkut riot police who initially cleared the Maidan square during the Euromaidan movement, back in december of 2013. There are mixed feelings about the new Syrsky cabinet of defense leaders, with some being viewed as highly capable and others viewed as politically motivated appointees.

French president Macron postponed his trip to Kyiv for security concerns.

Currently there is no energy deficit in Ukraine, with 10 power plants in reserve.


Northeast Ukraine/Kharkiv city:

RU Shahed and S-300 strikes occured overnight in Kharkiv, damaging a number of villages around the city, predominantly civilian infrastructure and hotels.

RU targeted an oil reservoir near the Udy river in SW Kharkiv city. The damage leaked 3000 tons (20,500 barrels) into the river. Water samples are being monitored, and urgent remediation projects are being drawn up.

Additional damage from the fuel strike burned a family of 5 to death in their home, as well as 2 other people. 3 were children. A day of mourning was announced for Feb 11th.

UA FPV drone strikes targeted a RU excavator across the border in the Sumy region, as RU seeks to further entrench their side of the border. Another UA drone strike in RU hit a reported garage.


Kupyansk/East Kharkiv

RU continues to push unsuccessfully towards Synkivka, as battles occur predominantly in the forested area to the NW of the village.

RU additionally attempted an assault towards Tabaivka, along the main highway, and N of the village abandoned by UA forces last month.

RU shelled the village of  Vodyane N of Kupyansk along the border, destroying 2 buildings and damaging 7 more, killing 1 woman.



Kreminna/Lyman axis:

UA troops repelled an RU assault towards Terny today, NW of Kreimna. RU troops made slight gains in this area, and are now approximately 2.5 km away from the main highway in this valley region.

UA continues to hold RU troops back in the Serebryansk forest, where tight trees and artillery support over the few vehicle roads makes for very close infantry combat


Kramatorsk/Bakhmut:

RU advanced to the NE of Bakhmut near the industrial sector of Bilhorivka, apparently losing a number of tanks to UA drone strikes. UA MLRS strikes targeted supply lines 10km back from the front, and additionally destroyed a BUK SAM radar system near Popasna.

RU attempted 6 assaults paired with airstrikes out of Bakhmut, successfully advancing along the NW road into Bakhmut towards Chasiv Yar. The assaults here seem less organized, with some solitary APC + infantry appearing to attempt solo assaults.

2 locals tried to take apart UXO near Konstantynivka and were blown up, with 1 dead.


Avdiivka:

RU launched 14 assaults towards Avdiivka and 4 near Pervomaiske over the last day.

RU continues to push into NW Avdiivka, almost certainly contesting the main highway into the city and thus risking bisecting the city. RU gains are additionally noted to the NE and SE of the city, although RU forces are complaining about UA drone coverage of major routes and subsequent high casualties.

UA is reportedly deploying additional troops into Avdiivka to "retake lost positions", with rumors of the 3rd assault brigade being deployed. There are concerns on the UA side that any operation except securing the evacuation route out of the city could result in significant UA casualties a la the fall of Bakhmut and Soledar.

RU is contesting Pervomaiske to the SW of Avdiivka, along the main highway into Donetsk city. Per soldiers on the ground there, RU is exerting significant pressure but copious UA drone strikes are impeding RU movement SW of Avdiivka overall.


Donetsk/Luhansk occupied regions:

RU is continuing to heavily push Novomykhailivka S of Marinka, with significant airstrikes and RU advances. Reportedly 32 attacks took place in this region over the last 24 hours.

RU launched another assault to the E of Vuhledar, where they seized a treeline but were heavily struck by drones.

In the SE direction from Vuhledar to Avdiivka, UA reportedly destroyed 449 soldiers and 27 vehicles as well as 122 UAV's predominantly via EW.


Zaporizhia/Southern Axis:

RU is contesting new territory S of Robotyne in the former counteroffensive zone, supported with MLRS shelling and drone strikes on UA trenches.

RU shelled 22 villages 200 times. 72 UAV attacks were recorded across the line.

A man was arrested for murdering the deputy mayor of Nikopol last week, when his car was shot up and had a grenade thrown inside. The suspect allegedly had planned the crime for several months and was planning to strike other local officials.

RU forces continue to shell Nikopol from across the river in Enerhodar.

The former Housing department head of the ZSU was arrested on charges of embezzling $40,000 in Dnipro, by paying for work not completed.

UA forces destroyed RU equipment in occupied Tokmak in coordination with a resistance cell.


Kherson:

UA continues to hold in Krynky, as RU heavily bombards the shoreline with airstrikes and MLRS. Due to warmer weather (12c/54f) river travel is less impeded by ice, and UA casualty evacuations from the S bank are observed again. RU assaulted the bridgehead 2 times over the last day.

UA reportedly destroyed 70 soldiers, 4 artillery guns, 1 tank, and 12 vehicles over the last day here. RU losses in this attempt were approximately 70% of the company size force committed.

UA strikes continue across the river, targeting RU transport W of the Oleshky Sand Dunes park.

RU shelled a central Kherson hospital, heavily damaging the administrative wing when thankfully no staff were present.

Mykolaiv was hit by Shahed drones as part of the wide attack, with 10 homes being damaged.


Odessa/Black Sea/Crimea:

There were 4 UAV's targeting towards Odesa over the weekend.

UA has reportedly improved its naval drone program, with teases of "new technological leaps" being mentioned by cabinet ministers.

Russia:

While RU soldiers are shown to be using Starlink in UA, Elon Musk stated there are no direct sales to RU. It appears that RU is increasing its grey market/black market purchases of satellite internet, and using it inside UA.

RU has reportedly recruited 14-15,000 Nepalese citizens for mercenary work in UA. The primary motivation is salary ($2,000 USD/ mo), with the average salary being less then $8000 USD/year. The secondary motivation for the (mainly former Maoist rebels) is the RU passport, which has significantly expanded international access.

Nepalese passports only have visa free access to India, making them second worst compared to DPRK passports.

RU is having severe shortages in their medical staff, with a shortage of 26,500 physicians and 58,200 midlevel workers. Approximately 3000 health workers have been mobilized to the RU military. Poorer regions of RU are struggling the most as RU physicians blame overwork and low pay.


General:

Over the last day UA forces conducted 7 airstrikes and RU forces conducted 110 air strikes (including drones), and 95 MLRS strikes.

Yesterday Ukrainian forces eliminated:

790 x soldiers (Total 395,990) (down 14% on the day)
21x APC
10x Tank
0x Air defense
6x Artillery (0xMLRS)
7x vehicles
45x UAV

total estimated cost- $76.1 Million/day per last 30 days, $2.3 Billion USD over last 30 days.

Over the last week, UA intercepted 98/134 Shaheds and a Ka-52 helicopter, for a total of:

4620x soldiers
99x APC
41x Tank
3x Air defense
108x Artillery
139x vehicles
84 tactical x UAV
1x helicopter
33 cruise missiles

Overseas:

The EU approved a resolution enacting stronger restrictions on frozen RU assets in the EU banking system. UA welcomed this decision, stating it paves the way for use of said frozen assets by UA in the future.

Japan handed over 320/1800 projected infrastructure reinforcement cages, predominantly expected to be used for electrical infrastructure closer to the front line.

The EU is sending 115 million euros of aid to SE Europe, predominantly for humanitarian and refugee purposes.

In Syria at the Shayrat Military airfield, RU soldiers are reportedly training alongside syrian mercenaries under IRGC and Hezbollah instructors in the usage of Shahed-136 suicide and Ababil-3 long range recon drones. UA asserts that the Syrian mercenaries are to be used as drone operators in UA.