2/27/24-2/28/24 Ukrainian General Update LanguageLearner

2/23/24-2/26/24 Update, day 730-733 of Russian invasion.


Belarus/Western Border:

Negotiations are reportedly ongoing regarding a visit by Hungarian PM Viktor Orban to Ukraine. There are ongoing consultations about the rights of hungarian national minorities in W ukraine, as a reported RU disinfo campaign has led to locals receiving messages from purported UA nationalists demanding they leave Ukraine.

Two UA investigative journalists were detained by Polish police when filming a story about the import of RU and Belarusian products to Poland, at the border. Memory cars were taken, and some footage deleted. Polish police response has been variable, ranging from initial denials to claims of UA targeting railway infrastructure for surveillance.

Ukraine and Poland are discussing temporarily ceasing trade by closing the border for import/export, specifically regarding Polish farming goods markets.

About 2,100 trucks have been waiting in queues at the border with Poland. UA truckers are preparing to enact a similar protest on polish imports.

Polish farmers plan to block a checkpoint on the border with Lithuania on Friday. They will stop and check all vehicles that could be transporting Ukrainian grain. 2/3 of Poles surveyed stated that the EU decision to open the market to UA agricultural products has harmed Polish farmers.


Moldova transferred 75 tons ($250k USD) of humanitarian aid to UA. This primarily consisted of medical equipment and generators.

UA confirmed that RU drones flying out of Transnistria entered from the Odesa direction and were not launched from the pro-RU enclave. It also flew over Moldova briefly.

Transnistrian leaders filed a formal request for RU to assist with "protection", specifically drawing reference to Moldovan economic pressures.


Kyiv/Central Ukraine:

RU fired 13 Shahed drones, 5 cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles overnight. 2 cruise missiles and 11 shaheds were intercepted.

Deliberations on the mobilization bill continue, with a small # of UA representatives filing several hundred duplicate amendments to raise the total # of amendments to approximately 4200. This appears to be a delaying or protest tactic moreso than anything else.

The ZSU has clarified that Russia's losses in the war against Ukraine amounted to 412,400 both killed and wounded as of 27 February 2024. This comes after UA claimed 180,000 RU soldiers have been explicitly killed thus far.



Northeast Ukraine/Kharkiv city:

2 UA policemen were killed and 4 wounded as RU shelled Sumy oblast.

Kupyansk/East Kharkiv

There has been no observed changes on the Synkivka direction, with RU assaults yielding no results. Some 20 assaults were recorded over the past day.

RU has reportedly increased its assault attempts towards Kupyansk following replenishing troops in the region.


Kreminna/Lyman axis:

There has been no observed changes on the Lyman direction, with RU assaults yielding no results.

6 RU assaults were observed over the last 24 hours.


Kramatorsk/Bakhmut:

RU apparently took considerable mechanized losses near Bilohorivka to the E of Siversk, towards lysychansk. A number of RU armored losses were visualized here.

RU continues to heavily shell Ivanivske with artillery as they attempt to push into the village, having taken the elevated terrain to the E.

RU airstrikes continue towards Chasiv Yar along the main roads. 9 RU assaults were launched in the last 24 hours.


Avdiivka:

RU forces continue to press W of Avdiivka, as UA troops appear to have withdrawn from Orlivka and Tonenke. It is likely that given the lack of prepared defenses in this region, UA will have to withdraw to natural terrain features further W.

UA reportedly withdrew from Siverne and Stepove, to the NW of Avdiivka. RU bridging equipment has been seen in this area. This is apparently due to impedance from water features near Orlivka.

Two RU SU-34 were reportedly shot down in the E today.

The 110th Brigade which defended Avdiivka has been rotated out for the first time in 2 years.


Donetsk/Luhansk occupied regions:

UA forces reportedly moved back into Krasnohorivka, repelling a large RU counterattack which lost a considerable # of BMP-1 APC's. This is N of Marinka, as RU continues efforts to push out from the ruined city.

RU continues to focus heavily on the Novomykhailivka region, launching 25 assaults over the past day.

Official conscription will begin in RU occupied zones of UA starting March 1st, following Putin announcing that the occupied territories are formally included in the southern military district of RU.



Zaporizhia/Southern Axis:

RU forces launched another attack towards Robotyne but were repelled. There appears to be an increase in antiquated RU equipment being used here, such as BMP-1. 6 Assaults were recorded over the past day.

UA forces continue assault activities to the SE, attempting to retake territory lost to RU last week. The situation there remains cloudy, with UA visualized trench storming in one area and apparently abandoning tanks in another.

In Kryvi Rih, families of fallen UA soldiers are forced to pay for burial services out of pocket to a local monopoly funeral service. This is despite the fact that the ZSU traditionally pays for funeral services.

Additional executions of UA POW's were recorded in the South. There is speculation that this is the result of an internal RU policy, rather then individually motivated acts. There has been a noted increase in POW executions since late 2023. At least 45 POW executions are being investigated.

RU fired 260 barrages at 11 settlements in the S.

RU is bringing in additional security forces to manage and enforce the RU elections in the occupied territories, with 10,000 rosgvardia soldiers deployed.


Kherson:

RU appears to have advanced in the NE part of Krynky, taking over a post office area. RU rocket artillery continues to target the river pathways used for resupply. 2 Assaults were recorded over the past day.

A UA SOF naval landing on the Kherson peninsula went bad, resulting in a squad being killed. RU claimed massive unseen UA losses, and UA claimed the soldiers were killed during extraction following a mission completion.

Its unclear what the goal was on the westernmost spit of land, but UA HIMARs strikes on the nearby Tendrivska Kos lighthouse (the only landmark on the beachy terrain) were observed some time previously.


RU strikes hit a cargo ship in the Kherson during an attack yesterday, killing one civilian and injuring two more


Odessa/Black Sea/Crimea:

RU attacked Odesa with Shaheds overnight. 10/10 were intercepted.

During a Russian drone attack on the industrial zone of Odesa on the night of 27-28 February, wreckage from a downed drone fell onto an electrical transformer at a critical infrastructure facility, causing a fire.

The Southern Defenсe Forces of Ukraine reported that Russian guided missile cruisers have not left their bases in the Black Sea in over a week


Russia:

Several of Russia's poorest regions have shown an abnormal increase of funds in bank accounts, with experts explaining that this is due to payments for participation in the war against Ukraine.
With an average increase of 6 to 9% in the previous five years, Altai Krai showed an increase of 18.95% in 2023, with 33.26% in Buryatia, and a record 57.57% in Tuva.

Russian opposition leader Navalny to be buried on 1 March at Moscow's Borisovo Cemetery. Protests and repression is anticipated.


General:

Over the last day UA forces conducted 9 airstrikes and RU forces conducted 92 air strikes (including drones), and 110 MLRS strikes.

Yesterday Ukrainian forces eliminated:

1060 x soldiers (Total 412,610) [7 day avg 933]
14x APC
14x Tank
2x Air defense
20x Artillery (0xMLRS)
26x vehicles
26x UAV

estimated cost: 36 million USD

total estimated cost- $84.8 Million/day per last 30 days, $2.5 Billion USD over last 30 days.


Overseas:

Zelensky met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman in Saudi arabia, discussing bilateral cooperation.

US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen urged the G7 to utilize RU frozen assets for UA benefits.

French president Macron stated that western partners were creating a coalition to supply UA with medium and long range missiles, and spoke of developing the FR industrial base.

The US Department of Defense is weighing whether to tap into "the last remaining source of funding it has", the unspent PDA funds worth approx $4 billion USD.

The Netherlands will allocate 100 million euros for the purchase of ammunition for Ukraine by the Czech initiative. Belgium will donate an additional 200 million euros to the same initiative.

South Korean Defence Minister Shin Won-sik has said that North Korea's munitions factories are working at full capacity to supply weapons to Russia, having sent at least 6700 containers, with likely several millions

On 28 February, the Council of the European Union has approved a medium-term budget review until 2027, including the establishment of the Ukraine Facility mechanism, a four-year assistance plan worth €50 billion.