Monday, February 5

Russia’s war against Ukraine

Ukrainian soldiers firing with a self-propelled gun (SPG), in the direction of Bakhmut in Donetsk Oblast, where clashes between Russian and Ukrainian forces continue, on Feb. 4, 2024. (Diego Herrera Carcedo/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Rai News: Zelensky says leadership reset is necessary. Responding to a question about a rumored dismissal of Commander-in-Chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi, President Zelensky said he had a serious reset in mind that was not about a single person, but about the general direction of the country’s leadership.

US Senate unveils border deal that includes $60 billion in Ukraine aid. The bill totals $118.2 billion, with $60 billion allocated to support Ukraine’s security needs. The Senate is expected to hold a vote on the bill no later than Feb. 7.

Zelensky replaces Zaporizhzhia Oblast governor. President Volodymyr Zelensky appointed Ivan Fedorov as the new governor of Zaporizhzhia Oblast, the President’s Office announced on Feb. 4. Fedorov, the former mayor of the now-occupied city of Melitopol in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, will replace Yurii Malashko.

Zelensky visits front-line troops in Zaporizhzhia Oblast. President Volodymyr Zelensky visited Ukraine’s 65th Mechanized Brigade near the front-line town of Robotyne in Zaporizhzhia Oblast on Feb. 4.

Ukraine attacked Belgorod Oblast, Russian governor claims. Ukraine attacked Russia’s Belgorod Oblast twice on Feb. 4, Belgorod Oblast Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov claimed. No casualties were reported.

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Guardian: Russia ‘re-educates’ deported Ukrainian children. Veronika Vlasenko, a Ukrainian child who spent 14 months in the Russian school system after the full-scale invasion, said her teachers and fellow students told her she would never be allowed to return home.

Budanov: Ukraine sunk Russian missile corvette on Feb 1 with 6 naval drones. The Russian missile corvette Ukraine reported to have sunk off the coast of occupied Crimea on Feb. 1 was destroyed using six naval drones, Ukrainian military intelligence (HUR) chief Kyrylo Budanov said on Feb. 4.

Military: Russian sabotage group fought off near border in Sumy Oblast. Ukrainian soldiers opened fire on an armed group of ten people on the outskirts of the town Hlukhiv, close to the border with Russia, at 6.20 p.m. on Feb. 3. Mortar launches joined the Ukrainian side, firing at the enemy position.

Turkey and Russia to discuss ‘new mechanism’ for shipping Ukrainian grain. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said the nations will discuss “new methods” of shipping Ukrainian grain products following Moscow’s withdrawal from the Black Sea Grain Initiative in July 2023.

Diia public services app up and running again after Eurovision vote overwhelms servers. Diia, Ukraine’s state mobile application for government services, is up and running again after crashing overnight, Kyiv Independent reporters note on Feb. 4.

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Ukraine war latest: Reshuffling Ukrainian army leadership is up to Zelensky, Sullivan says

Responding to conflicting reports that President Volodymyr Zelensky is planning to dismiss his army chief, the United States government has told Ukraine it will not get involved in the country’s personnel decisions, U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said on Feb. 4.

Photo: President’s Office press service

Human cost of war

Ukrainian powerlifter Oleksandr Bilokon killed in action. A Ukrainian powerlifter-turned-soldier Oleksandr Bilokon, 32, was killed in action, Ukraine’s Greco-Roman Wrestling Federation President Vadym Kisil reported on Feb. 3.

Governor: Russian attack on Donetsk Oblast kills 1, injures 2. A Russian artillery strike on Toretsk, Donetsk Oblast, killed a civilian and injured two more on Feb. 4, Governor Vadym Filashkin reported.

General Staff: Russia has lost 388,750 troops in Ukraine. Russia has lost 388,750 troops in Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, the General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces reported on Feb. 4. This number includes 810 casualties Russian forces suffered just over the past day.

Video: Who pays for US weapons to Ukraine and why it’s worth it

International response

Canada-Ukraine security agreement could be finalized in weeks, Canadian FM says. “I’m here to push to get it to the finish line, I think we can conclude it in the coming weeks,” Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly said.

Reshuffling Ukrainian army leadership is up to Zelensky, Sullivan says. Responding to conflicting reports that President Volodymyr Zelensky is planning to dismiss his army chief, the United States government has told Ukraine it will not get involved in the country’s personnel decisions, U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said.

Poland to increase inspections of Ukrainian food products at border. “Excessive import of agricultural products from Ukraine that do not meet the production requirements applicable in the EU threatens the competitiveness of Polish agriculture,” Polish Agricultural Minister Czeslaw Siekierski said, as quoted by the Polish Agricultural Ministry.

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Today’s Ukraine Daily was brought to you by Dominic Culverwell, Francis Farrell, Teah Pelechaty, Alexander Khrebet, Andrea Januta, Oleksiy Sorokin, and Abbey Fenbert.

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