Feb 3: E-Stories
Day709 USstrikes Kherson Zelensky CombatSit Dnipro BehindLine TurkBanks InRussia RUscientists Allies USAirStrikes Trump A&P UKDef ISW Halushka CentCom Noel Lund Davis KyivIndie NotesPoland Intermerium
Catching up…
EA Worldview’s Ukraine Up-date- hop over to Scott’s amazing hourly Ukraine up-date page. I’ll fill in with some bits and bobs.
At 4:00 p.m. (EST) Feb. 02, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces conducted airstrikes in Iraq and Syria against Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Quds Force and affiliated militia groups. U.S. military forces struck more than 85 targets, with numerous aircraft to include long-range bombers flown from United States. The airstrikes employed more than 125 precision munitions. The facilities that were struck included command and control operations centers, intelligence centers, rockets, and missiles, and unmanned aerial vehicle storages, and logistics and munition supply chain facilities of militia groups and their IRGC sponsors who facilitated attacks against U.S. and Coalition forces.
Stories we’re following…
President Zelensky’s evening address:
The main news today is something we have all been waiting for and working on for months on various levels: two more air defense systems have arrived in Ukraine.
Naturally, all details should not be made public. But these are the systems capable of intercepting everything. We will protect regions. There are not yet enough systems in place to fully protect Ukraine, but we are working on it every day.
Russia attacked with 24 shahed drones overnight. 11 were shot down and 7 didn’t reach their location. Likely due to jamming.
Governor: Russian air strike on Kherson injures 2, damages residential buildings. Russian forces launched an air strike on central Kherson, wounding two people and damaging residential buildings, Kherson Oblast Governor Oleksandr Prokudin reported on Feb. 2. The strikes in Kherson are brutal and the Russians are striking on a daily basis.
Olena Halushka: Kherson today after the russian airstrike. The town is enduring devastating terrorist attacks on a daily basis. Don't look away or forget--please! russian genocide hasn't stopped.
Official: Ukraine evacuates over 100 people from Russian-occupied outskirts of Avdiivka. Ukraine has evacuated over 100 civilians over the past week from the Russian-held outskirts of embattled Avdiivka in Donetsk Oblast, an official within the regional police told Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) on Feb. 2.
Orest Drymalovsky has been working as a journalist for nearly 10 years, sharing the latest news from TV screens. Today was his last broadcast since he’s joined the army. Ukrainians of all walks of life are doing their duty.
Top UN court rules Russia-Ukraine genocide case can go forward. The United Nations' International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled that it will hear a part of Ukraine's lawsuit against Russia over false allegations of genocide that Moscow used to justify its full-scale invasion, Reuters reported on Feb. 2.
NGO: 4 more Ukrainian children rescued from Russian occupation. Save Ukraine, a Ukrainian humanitarian NGO, reported on Feb. 2 that it rescued four more children from Russian-occupied parts of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia oblasts.
Combat Situation Update
Both private and Russian sources confirm Ukrainian advances in western Krynky, while also gaining further control over supply lines in the Dnipro and branches towards the left bank.
Military intelligence: Russian missile ship sunk off occupied Crimea. Ukraine's military intelligence said that the ship costs approximately $60-70 million.
Air Force: Ukraine damages 3 Russian aircraft in occupied Crimea. Ukrainian forces damaged at least three Russian military aircraft at the Belbek military airfield near Sevastopol in occupied Crimea, Ukrainian Air Force spokesperson Yurii Ihnat confirmed on Feb. 2.
Noel Report: A Russian general was killed during a strike on Belbek airfield. According to Russian public accounts, 10 Russian military personnel were liquidated, including the commander of the aviation squadron, Lieutenant General Alexander Tatarenko. It is reported that two missiles hit the command post of the 38th Fighter Aviation Regiment, and another missile attacked the airfield communications post.
Budanov hints at plan to increase strikes on Russian critical infrastructure. A "hypothetical" plan exists to increase the tempo of strikes in Russia, potentially including "all the major critical infrastructure facilities and military infrastructure facilities of the Russian Federation," said Kyrylo Budanov, chief of Ukraine's military intelligence.
Behind the Lines
Spain confirmed it is training the Ukrainian military on the Patriot air defense system in the training and coordination center in Toledo in Spain.
AfD’s rise in Germany set to disrupt Berlin’s lead in supporting Ukraine. One of Russia's top narratives is that it invaded Ukraine to "denazify" this multi-ethnic democracy led by a president with Jewish roots and holocaust survivors in his lineage. In fact, Russia's public obsession with "fighting Nazis" masks how its closest relations among European political parties are with those on the far right. One of these parties is Alternative for Germany (AfD), which has been mired in scandal after recent reports of its affiliations with Neo-Nazis.
Polish farmers to stage more protests at Ukrainian border, nationwide. Polish farmers’ Solidarity trade union announced a nationwide strike on Feb. 1 that will start with the blockading of all Polish border crossings with Ukraine.
Meanwhile in Russia
The Russian national guard, a force also known as Rosgvardia, is incorporating three former Wagner assault detachments into its first volunteer corps formation, according to the UK’s Ministry of Defence (MoD). The MoD said that Russian president Vladimir Putin had signed a law on the 25 December last year, authorising the Russian national guard to form its own volunteer formations. Rosgvardia is often referred to as Putin’s “private army”.
A large property in London's Kensington belonging to the Kremlin has been seized by former shareholders of the defunct Yukos in a $60 billion legal battle: the Kremlin did not pay the compensation awarded to a group of former Yukos shareholders.
The wives of those mobilized announced that they would hold a rally near the Kremlin on the 500th day of mobilization
Representatives of the “Way Home” movement announced that they plan to hold an action dedicated to the 500th day since the announcement of mobilization in Russia.
The action will take place on February 3 in the Alexander Garden in Moscow at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. “We do not want a so-called rotation, but a decree on the completion of mobilization. We don’t need anyone else to recognize our misfortune and our misfortunes,” the statement says.
Julia Davis: Meanwhile in Russia: Vladimir Solovyov brainstormed about what else the Kremlin could do to harm the United States, like arming the Houthis and anyone else who is targeting US military bases and ships. He also suggested destroying Elon Musk's satellites.
Hungarian farmers decided to hold a protest on February 9 at the Zahony-Chop checkpoint on the border with Ukraine, Telex writes.
They are protesting against the European Commission’s proposal to extend duty-free import of Ukrainian agricultural crops for another year, said István Jakab, president of the Association of Hungarian Farmers’ Unions. According to him, in this case, Hungarian farmers have to compete with products whose production does not meet the requirements of the European Union.
Allied Support
The EU will provide half of the promised 1 million artillery shells to Ukraine by March, but EU's ammunition production capacity should hit 1.4 million in 2024 and 2 million in 2025. €500 million is available for countries scaling up production capacity.
Orban says he agreed to $54 billion EU funding package for Ukraine due to control mechanism, guarantees on Hungary's funds. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said he agreed to the 50 billion euro ($54 billion) EU funding package for Ukraine on Feb. 1 because there is a control mechanism in place and Hungary's funds "will not end up in Ukraine."
Media: Orban's request to review Ukraine aid annually rejected. The aid deal includes a provision for a yearly discussion on the package and the potential to review it in two years "if needed," but there is no explicit veto for Hungary or any other member state.
US Senate to vote on Ukraine aid package next week. After a months-long delay, the U.S. Senate is set to vote next week on a proposed Ukraine-Israel aid package, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced on Feb. 1.
The Bulgarian Ministry of Defense confirmed it has started the process of supplying 100 BTR-60s to Ukraine which was agreed on by the Bulgarian Parliament late 2023
Zelensky meets Canadian foreign minister in Kyiv.
"We discussed continued support for Ukraine, joint steps to implement the Peace Formula, the development of a system of security commitments for Ukraine, and the work of the International coalition for the return of Ukrainian children," President Volodymyr Zelensky said on the social media platform X.
The German Bundestag approved the state budget for the current year, which includes military aid for Ukraine in the amount of €7.6 billion. 388 voted for, 279 voted against it. There were no abstainers.
Romanian defense chief: Russia 'will not stop' with war in Ukraine, calls for better preparation amid potential conflict with NATO. In an interview with Europa Libera Romania on Feb. 1, Romanian Chief of Defense Gheorghita Vlad urged Romania and Europe to better prepare for a potential war with Russia, warning that Russia will continue its escalation if it is successful in Ukraine.
A group of 13 British MPs and 5 Peers signed a joint letter to Foreign Minister David Cameron calling for Russia to be added to the list of state sponsors of terrorism.
The letter cites Putin's barbarism and the destruction caused by the war, emphasizing that such a designation would demonstrate international leadership and contribute to transitioning from freezing to seizing Russian assets.
Lithuania delivered another batch of weapons to Ukraine as part of military aid. It included thousands of Carl Gustaf anti-tank grenade launcher ammunition and RISE-1 remote detonation systems.
Official White House Statement on U.S. Military Operation in the Middle East
President Biden on social media:
Today, at my direction, U.S. military forces struck targets in Iraq and Syria that the IRGC and affiliated militia use to attack U.S. forces.
We do not seek conflict in the Middle East or anywhere else in the world.
But to all those who seek to do us harm: We will respond.
John Kirby, the White House national security spokesperson, said US airstrikes struck three facilities in Iraq and four in Syria.
These responses began tonight. They’re not going to end tonight. So there will be additional responses. There will be additional action that we will take, all designed to put an end to these attacks and to take away capability by the IRGC (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corp).
CNN: The National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said the United States informed the Iraqi government of its plans. However, he said there had been no communications — backchannel or otherwise — with Iran following the attack that killed three Americans in Jordan last weekend.
The airstrikes took place over about 30 minutes on Friday, and three of the sites struck were in Iraq and four were in Syria, Lt Gen Douglas Sims, director of the Joint Staff, told reporters.
WSJ: Royal Jordanian Air Force is reported to have participated in tonight’s U.S-led airstrikes against the IRGC and Iranian-backed groups in Iraq and Syria.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor has said strikes in eastern Syria have resulted in the deaths of “at least 18 pro-Iran fighters”.
At least 26 important sites housing pro-Iranian groups including weapons depots have been destroyed in ongoing raids striking a large swath of eastern Syria, stretching more than 62 miles (100 kilometers) from the city of Deir ez-Zor to Albu Kamal, near the Iraqi border, the monitoring group told AFP.
NYT: A judge delayed Donald Trump’s federal election trial while an appeals court considers whether the former president is immune from the charges. The trial, on charges of plotting to overturn the 2020 election, had been set to begin March 4.
Senior US lawmakers have said they want Hungary to immediately approve Sweden's entry into NATO, suggesting Budapest risks permanently damaging its relations with Washington if it does not act.
Vladimir Solovyov's studio set up is something else. He's like a gangster wanna-be (though I don't for a second pretend he isn't a threat) talking to no one in particular. It's how I think Trump would run a show about himself.