Thursday, February 29

Russia’s war against Ukraine

View of the Soviet era exhumation site and graves of fallen Ukrainian soldiers at the Lychakiv Cemetery in Lviv on Feb. 28. To honor the memory of the recent Heroes of Ukraine, a Memorial Complex will be built on the territory of the Lychakiv Cemetery. (Pavlo Palamarchuk/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Southeast European leaders: Russia’s war ‘greatest threat to European security.’ The leaders of Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Romania, and Ukraine signed a joint declaration in support of Ukraine while denouncing Russian aggression during a summit in Tirana on Feb. 28.

Third Assault Brigade says it knocked out Russian forces storming Krasnohorivka. Soldiers of Ukraine’s Third Assault Brigade said on Feb. 28 that they drove out Russian troops from the city of Krasnohorivka in Donetsk Oblast.

Military: Russia uses ‘human wave’ attacks near Krynky in Kherson Oblast. Russian troops keep conducting “human wave” assault efforts without using armored vehicles in the village of Krynky in Kherson oblast, Nataliia Humeniuk, a spokesperson of Ukraine’s Southern Operational Command, said on Feb. 28 on national television.

Zelensky to discuss new ways of strengthening Ukraine’s defenses with Macron. President Volodymyr Zelensky said at the press conference in Tirana on Feb. 28 that he wants to discuss new ways of strengthening Ukraine’s defenses with French President Emmanuel Macron.

Turkey offers to again host Russia-Ukraine peace talks. Turkey is ready to again host peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in a video address to the Ukraine-Southeast Europe summit on Feb. 28, the Anadolu news agency reported.

Finance minister: Ukraine needs $3 billion per month in financial aid in 2024. “In 2023, Ukraine’s financial system was stable, and the economy recovered faster than expected. The balanced policy of the Government of Ukraine, together with the consistent support of international partners, played a decisive role in our achievements,” Finance Minister Serhii Marchenko said.

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FT: Leaked files reveal Russian military’s criteria for nuclear strike. Leaked Russian military documents outline Russia’s doctrine for tactical nuclear weapons use, including the minimum criteria for using tactical nuclear weapons, the Financial Times (FT) reported on Feb. 28.

Navalny’s widow at European Parliament: Sanctions don’t work on Putin, more innovative ways needed. Speaking at the parliament, Yulia Navalnaya accused Russian authorities of orchestrating Navalny’s death, which, in her words, showed that “Putin is capable of anything and that you cannot negotiate with him.

Parliament’s website reportedly hit by cyberattack. There are no further details on the reported cyberattack, including Verkhovna Rada’s assumptions about those involved in the hacking. At the time of publication, the link to the parliament’s Telegram was already working properly.

Kyiv denies talks on temporary closure of Ukraine-Poland border. Taras Kachka, Ukraine’s deputy economy minister who takes part in talks with Poland on the border blockade and trade disputes, said on Feb. 28 that the border’s closure was not mentioned during the talks.

Read our exclusives

Ukraine war latest: Russia attempts to push Ukrainian troops out of Krynky using ‘human waves’

Russian troops keep conducting “human wave” assaults without using armored vehicles in an attempt to retake Krynky, Nataliia Humeniuk, Southern Operational Command spokeswoman, said on Feb. 28.

Photo: Dmytro Smolienko / Ukrinform/Future Publishing via Getty Images

Human cost of war

Russian attack on Kharkiv Oblast train station kills 2, including child. The child’s mother was also reportedly injured. She is being provided medical care but is in serious condition, according to Deputy Head of the Presidential Office Oleksii Kuleba.

Russian shelling of Nikopol in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast kills woman. Russia launched an artillery strike against Nikopol in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast on Feb. 28, killing a 61-year-old woman, Governor Serhii Lysak said.

Russian air strike on Kupiansk kills 2, injures 5. A Russian air strike on the center of the city of Kupiansk in Kharkiv Oblast killed two people and injured at least one other, Governor Oleh Syniehubov reported on Feb. 28.

International response

EU Council gives final approval to 50 billion euros in financing for Ukraine. The EU Council on Feb. 28 approved 50 billion euros ($54 billion) in loans and grants for Kyiv, giving the final go-ahead for the four-year Ukraine Facility tool.

Belgium pledges $216 million to Czech ammunition initiative for Ukraine. Belgium will allocate 200 million euros ($216 million) to the Czech-led initiative to purchase artillery shells for Ukraine from outside the EU, Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said on Feb. 28.

Von der Leyen urges Europe to use windfall profits of frozen Russian assets to buy weapons for Ukraine. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen urged members of the European Parliament “to start a conversation about using the windfall profits of frozen Russian assets to jointly purchase military equipment for Ukraine.”

CNN: Pentagon considers tapping into remaining $4 billion in Ukraine defense aid fund. The Pentagon is considering tapping into the remaining funds in the presidential drawdown authority (PDA), even though it remains uncertain whether Congress approves funding to replenish these funds, CNN reported on Feb. 28, citing U.S. defense officials.

Congress reaches deal to avert government shutdown with no plans for Ukraine aid. U.S. congressional leaders announced on Feb. 28 a tentative agreement to avert a government shutdown, days before a looming deadline that threatened to disrupt federal operations.

McConnell’s exit signals shift in Republican support for Ukraine. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s impending departure from his leadership role in November signals a significant shift in Republican support for Ukraine. McConnell has played a pivotal role in securing military assistance and funding for Kyiv, Politico reports.

Opinions and insights

Opinion: Green recovery in Ukraine is a strategic imperative for the EU

“Supporting Ukraine’s transition to a green economy is a chance for the EU to foster innovation, green technology, and sustainable practices in a region critical to its strategic interests,“ write Heidi Hautala, Virginijus Sinkevicius, and Margot Wallström.

Photo: Anatolii Stepanov/AFP via Getty Images)

In other news

Russian media: Moscow to consider Transnistria’s ‘protection’ appeal. Russia’s Foreign Ministry said that Moscow would “consider with attention” the appeal of authorities from the Moscow-controlled Moldovan region of Transnistria for “protection,” the Russian state-controlled media RBC wrote on Feb. 28.

Kuleba: Albania to open embassy in Kyiv soon. Albania is planning to open its embassy in Kyiv “soon,” Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba wrote on social platform X on Feb. 28 after meeting his Albanian counterpart Igli Hasani in Tirana.

Media: Ex-chair of Ukrainian Railways charged in connection to embezzlement scheme. Former chair of Ukrainian Railways (Ukrzaliznytsia) Yevhen Kravtsov has been in charged in connection to an embezzlement case of Hr 11.4 million (around $300,000), Ukrainska Pravda and Forbes Ukraine reported on Feb. 28, citing their sources.

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Today’s Ukraine Daily was brought to you by Lili Bivings, Elsa Court, Kateryna Hodunova, Martin Fornusek, Kateryna Denisova, and Olena Goncharova.

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