UKRAINE WAR BRIEF DAILY DRAFT
For: 2024-02-01
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 Feb. 01 stated that it was day 708 of the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation against Ukraine.
During the past day, 66 combat engagements took place. Over the past 24 hours, the enemy carried out 8 missile strikes, 94 air strikes, and 97 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.
The Khortytsia operational-strategic group is responsible for the Kup’yans’k, Lyman, and Bakhmut axes, in the northeastern part of Ukraine.
Kup’yans’k axis: Ukrainian defenders repelled 6 attacks of the enemy near the settlement Synkivka (Kharkiv oblast)
Lyman axis: Ukrainian defenders repelled 9 attacks near Terny, Yampolivka and Tors’ke (Donetsk oblast)
Bakhmut axis: Ukrainian forces repelled 6 attacks near Bohdanivka, Ivanivske, Klishchiivka and Andrviika (Donetsk oblast)
The Tavria operational-strategic group is responsible for the Avdiivka, Mar’inka, Shaktars’ke, and Zaporizhzhia axes, in the central-eastern and southeastern part of Ukraine.
Avdiivka axis: Ukrainian defenders continue to hold back the enemy who keeps trying to encircle Avdiivka. AFU soldiers are standing their ground and inflicting major losses on the invaders. Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 12 enemy attacks near Avdiivka, and 7 near Pervomais’ke and Nevel’s’ke (Donetsk oblast).
Mar’inka axis: Ukrainian Defense Forces continue to hold back the occupiers in the vicinities of Krasnohorivka, Heorhiivka, and Novomykhailivka (Donetsk oblast). Troops repelled 10 attacks in that area.
Shakhtarske axis: Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 1 attack south of Zolota-Nyva, (Donetsk oblast)
Zaporizhzhia axis: Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 6 attacks north of Pryyutne, west of Verbove and near Robotyne (Zaporizhzhia oblast).
The Odesa operational-strategic group is responsible for Kherson, Qırım, (also known as Crimea) and the Black Sea.
Kherson axis: Ukrainian defenders continue to expand the bridgehead. Despite significant losses, the enemy does not abandon its attempts to dislodge Ukrainian troops from their positions. Over the past day, the enemy carried 8 unsuccessful assaults on the positions of the Ukrainian Defense Forces.
Ukraine hits Belbeck airfield in occupied Qirim
Defense Express reported that the strike of the Ukrainian Air Force on Belbeck Airport in occupied Qirim was another episode of long-range high-precision strikes on the strategic objects of the Russian Federation.
The Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) on January 31, struck another successful blow at the enemy, attacking Belbeck airfield in the still occupied Qirim. This is not the first time that this airfield has been attacked, as it is the site of not only the 38th Russian Fighter Regiment with Su-30SM2 and Su-27 aircraft, but also other tactical aviation units.
According to a statement by the Commander of the Air Force of the AFU Mykola Oleshchuk the base was struck using long range Storm Shadow/SCALP cruise missiles launched from Ukrainian aircraft.
There are also several reports that a radar station and communications and centre were hit.
Nataliya Humeniuk, head of the Joint Coordination Press Center of the Southern Defense Forces of Ukraine stated on Feb. 1 that Russians acknowledged that five missiles hit the airfield and said that the Russians did not manage to disperse the aircraft prior to the strike.
OSINT investigation account Radio and Nukes reported that it was “55-80% likely” that the target of the Ukrainian strike was an air defense radar command post/network node.
Defense Express concludes that the most likely main target of the attack was not the aircraft but a rare and advanced Sky-M radar station.
Ukrainian Naval Drones Destroy Russian Missile Boat Off Crimea
Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence (HUR) has released video of what it says are Ukrainian sea drones blowing up a Russian missile boat overnight off the coast of occupied Crimea.
The dramatic footage shows several drones approaching the boat – Project 1241 Molniya Guided Missile Corvette – while coming under fire from the Russian vessel.
The drones appear to score at least one direct hit with footage from a following craft showing a large hole in the side of the Ivanovets which it then steers into and explodes.
Footage shot from a distance subsequently shows a massive explosion. HUR said the missile boat then “rolled to the stern and then sank.”
TEMPORARILY OCCUPIED TERRITORIES
Nothing to report.
THE HOME FRONT
Russia bombs another Ukrainian hospital
A Russian bomb struck a hospital in northeastern Ukraine on Wednesday Jan. 31, smashing windows and equipment and prompting the evacuation of dozens of patients,Reuters reported regional officials as having said.
Volodymyr Tymoshko, head of the Kharkiv regional branch of the national police, said one bomb scored a direct hit on the hospital at about 9:45 p.m. in the town of Velykyi Burluk, northeast of Kharkiv. A second bomb landed nearby.
Tymoshko said 38 people were evacuated from the facility, all but five of them patients and two confined to hospital beds.
Regional Governor Oleh Synehubov, writing on Telegram, said quick action by hospital staff in response to air raid alerts ensured a smooth evacuation. Patients were sent to other facilities or switched to outpatient treatment.
Emergency teams conducted cleanup operations well into the night and four people were treated for slight injuries at the site.
Azov Commander: Over 900 Mariupol defenders remain in Russian captivity
On Jan.31 Ukrainian Colonel Denys Prokopenko (callsign Redis), commander of the Azov Regiment, revealed that over 900 Azov fighters remain in Russian captivity.
“Over 900 Azov fighters, who honourably defended Mariupol and for 86 days prevented the enemy from timely redeploying forces and resources to advance towards Zaporizhzhia, remain in Russian captivity,” Prokopenko wrote.
During the 50th exchange of prisoners, which took place on 31 January, 207 Ukrainian defenders were released from Russian captivity, including 95 Armed Forces members, 56 National Guardsmen, 26 border guards, 29 Territorial Defence fighters, and one National Police representative.
Azov commander expressed his joy for those who gained freedom and wished them a swift recovery. However, he voiced his sorrow that the names of his fellow fighters from the Azov regiment, who defended Mariupol, were again missing from the exchange lists.
THE RUSSIAN WORLD
Shoigu claims Russo-Chinese “best period in their history”
The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) in its Jan. 31 Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment stated that Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu claimed that Russian-Chinese relations are at their “best period in their history” in a January 31 call with Chinese Defense Minister Admiral Dong Jun. Shoigu claimed that Russian-Chinese military cooperation is steadily developing and that the Russian and Chinese militaries regularly conduct operational and combat training exercises.
Shoigu claimed that Russian and Chinese defence and security cooperation has helped “reduce the potential for conflict.” Shoigu and Dong emphasised a desire to increase Russian-Chinese strategic cooperation, and Dong reported that China provided unspecified “support” to Russia in the war in Ukraine despite continued US and European pressure. Dong also stated that the US and Europe will not be able to interfere with ”normal Russian-Chinese cooperation.”
Dong’s statement is a more overt rhetorical expression of Chinese support for Russia than statements from previous meetings between senior Russian and Chinese officials. Dong’s rhetorical support for Russia is likely primarily posturing against the West.
Russian Security Council Deputy Chairperson Dmitry Medvedev recently made inflammatory comments about Japan likely in an effort to demonstrate Russia’s support of China’s opposition to the US alliance system in the Indo-Pacific. ISW continues to assess that China is unwilling to establish the no-limits bilateral partnership with Russia that Russia desires.
NEWS WORLDWIDE
EU reaches agreement for supplying Ukraine with funds through the Ukraine Peace Facility.
The European Union has reached an agreement that will enable Ukraine to receive funds within the framework of the Ukraine Peace Facility for €50 billion, adopted at the summit on Feb. 1, providing a number of standard conditions are met.
"A precondition for the support for Ukraine under the Facility shall be that Ukraine continues to uphold and respect effective democratic mechanisms, including a multi-party parliamentary system, and the rule of law, and to guarantee respect for human rights, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities."
The leaders also stressed that the European Commission and Ukraine must take all the appropriate measures to protect the financial interests of the Union, in particular regarding the prevention, detection and correction of fraud, corruption, conflicts of interests and irregularities. The EU has stated that Ukraine is making significant progress in all these areas.
Orban satisfied with summit's decision on €50 billion: Hungarian money will not go to Ukraine
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán considers his mission at the EU summit accomplished, claiming that his requirements in the context of providing Ukraine with macro-financial assistance worth €50 billion have been fulfilled.
Mission accomplished. Hungary’s funds will not end up in Ukraine, and we have a control mechanism at the end of the first and second year. Our position on the war in Ukraine remains unchanged: we need a ceasefire and peace talks," Orbán wrote.
MILITARY & TECH
Germany has allocated a new package of assistance to Ukraine
The German government has announced the transfer of a new aid package to Ukraine. It includes dozens of armoured personnel carriers, ATVs and missiles for air defence systems.
Here is a full list:
24 armored personnel carriers;
4 crawler ATVs Bandvagn 206 (BV206);
missiles for air defense systems IRIS-T;
1,040 shells caliber 155 mm;
3 tanks for demining WISENT 1;
1 BIBER bridgehead with spare parts;
14 special devices for demining tanks;
1 marine demining system;
1 Satcom video surveillance system;
4 cars for the border service;
450 anti-slip chains;
194 thousand individual food rations.
(due to security concerns, the German Federal Government abstains from providing details on transportation modalities and dates until after handover)
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