UKRAINE WAR BRIEF DAILY DRAFT
For: 2024-03-08
Slava Ukraini! Since June 2023 I have provided a daily draft for the Ukraine War Brief Podcast collecting news from over 40 sources daily much of which ends up in the script. I will make this Draft available here for those who wish to keep up with events on a daily basis.
INSIDE UKRAINE
ALONG THE CONTACT LINE
GSAFU Morning Report
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in its situation update at 06:00 on Mar. 8 stated that it was day 744 of the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation against Ukraine.
During the past day, 86 combat engagements took place. Over the past 24 hours, the enemy carried out 4 missile strikes, 74 air strikes, and 101 MLRS attacks across the positions of our troops and settlements. As a result of the Russian attacks, unfortunately, there are dead and wounded among the civilian population. Destruction and damage to residential buildings and other civilian infrastructure.
At the same time, Ukrainian soldiers continue to inflict losses in manpower and equipment on the occupying troops, exhausting the enemy along the entire front line.
During the day of Mar. 7, the Ukrainian Air Force struck 11 areas of enemy personnel concentration.
Ukrainian missile forces attacked 1 area of enemy personnel concentration , 2 air defence systems, 1 radio-electronic combat station and 1 enemy fuel warehouse.
Ukraine shoots down 33 of 37 Shaheds overnight
On the night of March 8, 2024, the enemy attacked south and east Ukraine using one S-300 anti-aircraft missile, two KH-59 cruise missiles and 37 Shahed type attack UAVs ( launched from the area of Balaklava (TOT Ukrainian Qirim). The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in its situation update at 06:00 on Mar. 8
As a result of combat, 33 Shaheds were destroyed over the Kirovograd, Odessa, Kherson, Mykolaiv and Kharkiv oblasts.
Air Force Commander - still no signs of Russian A-50 aircraft, reduced russian airstrikes
Lieutenant General Mykola Oleshchuk, Commander of the Air Force of Ukraine, said on Friday that after significant losses in aircraft, the Russians have significantly reduced the number of strikes with aerial guided bombs. In addition, Ukrainian defenders have not seen an A-50 long-range radar detection aircraft near the Ukrainian border for more than a week.
"Almost every day, anti-aircraft missile units of the Air Force hunt down Russian fighter jets. Just yesterday, we fired at enemy aircraft at a distance of over 150 kilometres. We are working today as well! We are checking the results of our combat work! Yes, the enemy continues to attack our positions with guided bombs, but they no longer dare to fly too close."
— Mykola Oleshchuk, Commander of the Ukrainian Air Force
"We have information that certain 'discussions' have already begun among Russian pilots about the decision of the military leadership to send them one way. Such discussions, and possibly sabotage, during the occupiers' missions will only increase when the Air Force receives more tools from its Western partners to protect our skies from enemy air attacks."
Grumpy Here — This jibes with our own recent statistical analysis that you may recall. I have updated the statistics for you:
Number of Russian airstrikes over the last 6 days: 436
Number of Russian airstrikes over the previous 6 days: 846
Airstrikes in general have decreased by approximately 50%. If as General Oleshchuk claims Russians are now launching glide bombs from extreme distance to avoid the very real possibility of being shot down, and factoring in the unreliability and inaccuracy of Russian glide bombs to begin with we can conclude that the effectiveness of these airstrikes have been reduced exponentially.
The Khortytsia operational-strategic group
(Responsible for the Kup’yans’k, Lyman, and Bakhmut axes, in the northeastern part of Ukraine. )
Kup’yans’k axis: The enemy carried out 2 assaults in the areas of the settlements of Synkivka (Kharkiv oblast) unsuccessfully trying to improve its tactical position.
Lyman axis: Ukrainian defenders repelled 13 attacks near Terny and Spirne (Donetsk oblast) and Bilhorivka (Luhansk oblast)
Bakhmut axis: Ukrainian forces repelled 6 attacks near Klishchiivka and Andriivka (Donetsk oblast)
The Tavria operational-strategic group
(Responsible for the Avdiivka, Novopavlivka, and Orikhiv axes, in the central-eastern and southeastern part of Ukraine.)
Avdiivka axis: Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 23 enemy attacks near Berdychi, Orlivka, Tonen’ke, Pervomais’ke and Nevel’s’ke (Donetsk oblast).
Novopavlivka axis: Ukrainian Defense Forces continue to hold back the occupiers in the vicinities of Krasnohorivka Heorhiivka, Pobjeda and Novomvahkilivka (Donetsk oblast). Troops repelled 27 attacks in that area.
Orikhiv axis: Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 2 attacks near Robotyne and west of Verbove (Zaporizhzhia oblast).
The Odesa operational-strategic group
(Responsible for Kherson, Qırım, (also known as Crimea) and the Black Sea.)
Kherson axis: Ukrainian defenders continue to maintain their positions. Over the past day, the enemy carried out 3 unsuccessful assaults on the positions of the Ukrainian Defense Forces on the left bank of the Dnipro River.
TEMPORARILY OCCUPIED TERRITORIES
Nothing to report.
THE HOME FRONT
Former commander-in-chief Zaluzhnyi appointed as Ukrainian ambassador to UK
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy approved Valeriy Zaluzhnyi, as the next Ukrainian ambassador to the UK, Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry announced on Mar. 7 BBC reported.
Valeriy Zaluzhnyi, 50, a Ukrainian four-star general, served as the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine from 27 July 2021 until 8 February 2024. He is also concurrently a member of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council.
Ukraine has not had an ambassador to the UK since Mr Zelensky dismissed former envoy Vadym Prystaiko in July 2023 after he publicly criticised the president.
In announcing his appointment, Mr Zelensky claimed Gen Zaluzhnyi had told him diplomacy "is the direction he'd like to take".
There are still some formal approvals to be done, but the BBC understands Gen Zaluzhnyi has accepted his new role as UK ambassador. This means he will likely be based in the capital of a warm ally of Ukraine's, while representing its leader's agenda.
Three French companies to set up production in Ukraine
France plans to involve some of its arms manufacturers in the production of military equipment directly in Ukraine to help Kyiv in the war against Russia, French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu said on 8 March.
Three French companies will partner with Ukrainian companies, particularly in drones and land equipment. The companies will also manufacture spare parts and possibly ammunition, Lecornu said.
The first production facility reportedly is expected to begin production in the summer 2024.
RUSSIAN WORLD
Ukraine says Russia operates black market of prisoners of war
Russian forces are operating a black market of prisoners of war, Ukrainian authorities have told The Times.
According to the spokesman of Ukraine’s Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, Petro Yatsenko, Chechen paramilitary groups are actively buying up captured Ukrainians from other Russian military factions to exchange them for their own soldiers.
Chechen units are likely turning to the black market due to their current engagement in policing or logistical activities in the rear areas of Ukraine. In these areas, opportunities to capture Ukrainian POWs for potential exchanges where they could be swapped for Chechen fighters are limited.
While the Geneva Convention doesn’t explicitly prohibit the exchange of POWs, the practice is likely to violate the treaty, which broadly says that “no special agreement shall adversely affect the situation of prisoners of war.”
The exact number of Ukrainian and Russian soldiers captured during the war remains currently unknown. However, more than 4,000 Ukrainian soldiers are believed to be in captivity in Russia as prisoners of war.
A 2023 UN report found that many Ukrainian POWs in Russian captivity had been subjected to torture or were ill-treated to extract military information and intimidate or humiliate them. Forms of torture by Russian captors included beating, electrocution, or, in several cases, being shot or stabbed in the legs.
WORLD NEWS
Polish Sejm passes resolution imposing sanctions on agricultural products from Russia and Belarus
The Sejm (House of Representatives) of the Republic of Poland has adopted a resolution that will impose sanctions upon the import of Russian and Belarusian food and agricultural products into the European Union. Polskie radio reports.
441 members of parliament voted in favour, with two abstentions. The draft resolution was prepared by the Presidium of the Sejm.
The lower house of the Polish parliament calls upon the European Commission to impose sanctions on the import of Russian and Belarusian food and agricultural products into the European Union. In the resolution, the Polish Sejm points out that the import of agricultural products from Russia and the Republic of Belarus continues to bring significant revenues to the producers and traders in, and national budgets of, these countries.
Latvian PM compares Russia to dysfunctional alcoholic or drug addict
Latvian Prime Minister Evika Siliņa in a speech has compared Russia to an alcoholic whose behaviour cannot be predicted, and noted that neighbouring countries should be aware of this.
"We live next door to a neighbour who is, in a sense, like some sort of alcoholic or drug addict whose actions we cannot predict. We are strengthening ourselves so that our defence capabilities are unified across the Baltic States. And these improvements are already apparent now, and will become even more visible this year," Siliņa said.
She added that Latvia has a clear plan to fortify its borders with Russia and Belarus.
France to expand Ukrainian military training with air and naval programs
France plans to expand military support to Ukraine with specialised training initiatives that will include air and naval programs, according to the French Ministry of Defense.
In total, France has trained nearly 10,000 Ukrainian soldiers since the onset of the Russian full-scale invasion, with 8,800 trained in 2023 alone. Currently, the training is focused on three sectors: training related to tactics, implementation, and maintenance of the various French-donated weapons; demining, armoured reconnaissance, and other high-value skills training; urban and trench warfare training.
“We have opened the door to train [Ukrainian] fighter pilots with several other European countries,” the Ministry cited French President Emmanuel Macron.
Pavel: Required funds collected for 800,000 artillery shells for Ukraine
Artillery shells for Ukraine are set to be delivered in the coming weeks, Czech President Petr Pavel confirmed.
The required funds have been collected to purchase 800,000 artillery shells for Ukraine from countries outside the European Union, Czech President Petr Pavel announced on 7 March, as reported by Ceske Noviny.
The initiative comes as a response to the EU’s failure to meet its pledge of providing Ukraine with 1 million rounds of artillery by this month while Russia continues to produce more ammunition and receive support from North Korea.
Speaking to journalists during his visit to the Central Bohemian Region, Pavel stated that the aid, initiated by the Czech Republic, has garnered the support of an additional 18 countries. The munitions are expected to be delivered to Ukraine in the coming weeks.
US House Democrats probe SpaceX over Russia’s alleged use of Starlink in Ukraine
US House Democrats have launched an investigation into Elon Musk’s SpaceX, focusing on whether the company has implemented sufficient safeguards to prevent Russia from utilizing its Starlink satellite internet service in the ongoing war against Ukraine, The Washington Post reported.
Representatives Jamie Raskin and Robert Garcia expressed concerns in a letter sent to SpaceX and obtained by WP, demanding information on any complaints regarding the potential illegal acquisition of Starlink terminals, including in the Russian-occupied territory of Ukraine.
The investigation was prompted by allegations from Ukrainian intelligence officials that Russian forces have deployed Starlink terminals in the occupied territory of Ukraine, potentially violating US sanctions. The lawmakers highlighted the significance of Starlink service to Ukraine’s military, noting that it has been the backbone of digital communications on the battlefield since Russia’s invasion two years ago.
Swiss lawmakers back using Russian assets for Ukraine reparations
Swiss lawmakers have narrowly backed moves towards allowing the use of frozen Russian state assets to fund war reparations in Ukraine, AFP reports.
The issue has been hotly debated in Switzerland, where discretion in the key banking industry and the country’s tradition of neutrality are highly valued.
The upper house of parliament voted by 21-19 in favor of a series of government-backed motions, with three abstentions. These motions pave the way for the government to work on establishing an international legal basis for using frozen aggressor-state assets to pay for reparations in attacked countries.
According to AFP, more than $8 billion in Russian central bank reserves and assets are currently held in Switzerland. Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis told parliament, “Russia has seriously violated international law. It must therefore repair the damage caused.”
During the debate, concerns were raised about whether Switzerland’s image on neutrality might be harmed, and whether the country was doing enough in the face of war in Europe. However, Cassis maintained that Switzerland had no reason to “blush” when talking about Ukraine on the international stage, whether it was on the financial, diplomatic, or humanitarian front.
MILITARY & TECH
Russia deploys Iranian drones to preempt ship attacks
The UK Ministry of Defence in their Mar. 8 Intelligence Briefing stated that Russia utilises Iranian drones, specifically the Mohajer-6, over the Black Sea and the territory of Ukraine.
Mohajer-6 drones were observed over the Black Sea and the city of Kremenchuk. The Mohajer-6 is a UAV used for reconnaissance, surveillance, and target acquisition, and can also drop guided bombs.
The MOD noted that Russia's continued use of these systems in its occupied Qirim may indicate that Russian occupying forces are attempting to identify threats to Russian ports and vessels following recent successes by Ukraine.
There is a realistic possibility its mission also includes supporting Russian targeting processes for the southwest Ukrainian coastline, the review reads.
Canada to join Drone Coalition for Ukraine
Bill Blair, Minister of National Defence of Canada, released a statement committing Canada to joining the international Drone Coalition led by Latvia and the United Kingdom during a visit by his Latvian counterpart, Andris Sprūds.
To further develop Ukraine’s drone capabilities, Minister Blair committed to Canada joining the Ukraine Defense Contact Group’s Drone Capability Coalition, co-led by Latvia and the United Kingdom. As a member of the Capability Coalition, Canada will continue to look for ways to boost Ukraine’s drone capabilities.
To date, Canada has stepped up significantly to contribute to Ukraine’s drone capabilities by donating over 100 made-in-Canada, specialised drone cameras to Ukraine from L3 Wescam. Building on these drone camera donations, Minister Blair announced an additional donation of over 800 drones from Teledyne FLIR last month in Waterloo, Ontario.
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