Monday, February 12

Russia’s war against Ukraine

Ukrainian servicemen of the 47th Mechanized Brigade prepare for combat not far away from Avdiivka, Donetsk Oblast on Feb. 11, 2024.. (Genya Savilov/AFP via Getty Images)

Zelensky appoints 4 new high-level military commanders. President Volodymyr Zelensky announced four high-level military appointments on his website on Feb. 11, including the commanders of the Ground Forces, Territorial Defense Forces, the Combined Forces, and the Airborne Assault Forces.

White House slams Trump for saying he’d let Russia attack NATO allies that don’t meet defense spending commitments. The White House called “outrageous” a claim by Donald Trump that he would encourage Russians to do “whatever the hell they want” to NATO allies who didn’t meet their defense spending commitments.

Zelensky: Ukraine has downed 359 Shahed drones in 2024. The president said that Ukraine is working to increase the effectiveness of the mobile firing groups and to provide even more regions of Ukraine with electronic warfare systems.

Media: Japan to pledge $106 million for Ukraine’s reconstruction. Japan will pledge $106 million to support Ukraine’s reconstruction effort, including demining and rebuilding infrastructure, Kyodo News reported, citing its unnamed sources, on Feb. 11.

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US Ambassador: ‘We need to support Ukraine to stop such horrific crimes’. U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink condemned Russia’s Feb. 10 attack on Kharkiv that killed seven people, writing that “this is why we need to support Ukraine, to stop such horrific crimes.”

Commander: Russia increasingly deploys armored groups to storm Avdiivka. To storm Donetsk Oblast’s Avdiivka, Russia is increasingly deploying armored groups alongside its assault infantry groups, Oleksandr Tarnavskyi, the commander of Ukraine’s Tavria group fighting on the southeastern front lines, reported on Feb. 11.

Danilov warns of worsening battlefield situation if West won’t increase weapons supply. National Security and Defense Council secretary said weapons supplies by Iran and North Korea changed the front-line situation.

Memorial: Ukrainian accused of espionage dies in Russian custody. Viktor Demchenko, a 71-year-old Ukrainian whom Russia accused of espionage and participation in a terrorist organization, has allegedly died in pretrial detention in Russia’s Rostov region, the Memorial human rights group reported on Feb. 11.

Opinions and insights

Ukraine war latest: Zelensky appoints 4 new high-level military commanders.

President Volodymyr Zelensky announced four high-level military appointments on Feb. 11, including the commanders of the Ground Forces, Territorial Defense Forces, the Combined Forces, and the Airborne Assault Forces.

Photo: Defense Ministry/Telegram

Human cost of war

Russian attack kills woman in Kharkiv Oblast. A woman was killed in the village of Vodiane, Kharkiv Oblast, as a result of Russian strikes on Feb. 10, emergency services reported on Feb. 11. Her body was found buried under rubble.

Russian attacks injure 2 in Kherson Oblast, hit medical facility in regional capital. Russian attacks across Kherson Oblast injured at least two people on Feb. 11, according to local governor Oleksandr Prokudin.

Russian drone attack hits infrastructure site in Mykolaiv, injures 1 person. As a result of Russia’s overnight drone attack on Feb. 11, an infrastructure site caught on fire in Mykolaiv, according to regional and military officials. A blast wave also damaged some residences, a gas pipe, and a private vehicle. At least one person was injured.

Governor: Teenager escapes Russian-occupied Kherson Oblast. A 16-year-old girl and her caretaker have escaped Russian-occupied Kherson Oblast to Ukrainian-controlled territory, Kherson Oblast Governor Oleksandr Prokudin reported on Feb. 11.

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Mistaken for spies: Ukraine’s bird watchers find comfort and destruction.

While some in Ukraine face the skies to watch for missiles and air defense, Vlad Hedzyuk lifts his binoculars looking for the flutter of wings. Hedzyuk, a biology student at Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, is a member of Ukraine’s small but dedicated bird-watching community.

Photo: Oleksandr Nastachenko’s personal archive

International response

CNN: Russia recruits 15,000 Nepalis to fight in Ukraine. Meanwhile, the Nepali government claims only about 200 of its citizens are fighting in Ukraine on the Russian side, with at least 13 having been killed in action and four captured as prisoners of war.

Former PM Alexander Stubb elected president of Finland. Former Finnish Prime Minister Alexander Stubb has won Finland’s presidential election on Feb. 11, finish narrowly ahead of former Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto, in a race that heavily focused on the country’s new role as a NATO neighbor of Russia.

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Borrell: ’We can’t impose sanctions on third countries that help Russia.’

Josep Borrell, the European Union’s top diplomat, held a two-day visit to Ukraine to meet with a variety of the country’s top officials in what has now become a regular tour of support.

Photo: Roman Pilipey/AFP via Getty Images

In other news

Russian military uses Starlink inside Ukraine, intelligence confirms. Russia has Starlink terminals and is increasingly using them on the front line in Ukraine, Ukrainian military intelligence confirmed on Feb. 11.

Drone with 22 kilograms of drugs brought down by border guards in Ukraine. Ukrainian border guards said on Feb. 11 that they had brought down a quadcopter carrying 22.5 kilograms of hashish with an estimated value of Hr 13 million ($346,000).

UK Defense Ministry: War in Ukraine likely contributing to doctor shortages in Russia. Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine is likely contributing to a shortage of doctors in Russia, the U.K. Defense Ministry reported on Feb. 11.

Minister: Ukraine aims to shift electronic warfare production to commercial markets. Ukraine aims to shift electronic warfare (EW) production to commercial markets, said Digital Transformation Minister Mykhailo Fedorov.

Mstyslav Chernov wins Directors Guild Award for ‘20 days in Mariupol.’ The “20 Days in Mariupol” documentary comprised 30 hours of footage shot in Mariupol before the crew left the besieged city.

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Today’s Ukraine Daily was brought to you by Igor Kossov, Teah Pelechaty, Daria Shulzhenko, Toma Istomina, Oleksiy Sorokin, Alexander Khrebet, Dmytro Basmat, and Abbey Fenbert.

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