TOPSHOT – Lidiya Malyovana, 76, reacts at her house destroyed by a rocket overnight as the sounds of … [+]
Dispatches from Ukraine. Day 339.
As Russia’s attack on Ukraine continues and the war rages on, reliable sources of information are critical. Forbes gathers information and provides updates on the situation.
Donetsk region. Russian forces shelled Kostiantynivka this morning. According to Governor Pavlo Kyrylenko, the attack on a residential quarter killed three civilians and injured 14 more, with damage as well to four apartment buildings, a hotel, garages and cars. Rescue workers and law enforcement officers were still helping people at the scene at the time of the report.
Dnipropetrovsk region. Russian forces have shelled the Nikopol and Synelnykove districts in the Dnipropetrovsk region.
Sumy Region. On Saturday afternoon, the Russian army launched another attack on Sumy region.
Over the last 24 hours, Ukrainian aviation forces have attacked eight Russian troop concentrations, arms depots and military equipment zones, the Ukrainian General Staff states in its daily briefing. In addition, Ukrainian troops shot down one Russian Su-25 jet, one Mi-8 helicopter and two ‘Supercam’ UAVs. Ukrainian rockets and artillery also hit two Russian command posts, two air defense points and five troop areas.
Oleksiy Danilov, Secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council, told Freedom Radio today that Russia is preparing to launch a new offensive by Defender of the Fatherland Day on February 23, an important holiday for Russian leaders who grew up in the former Soviet Union. The primary targets of the expected offensive, Danilov believes, will be the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, where Russian troops have been scouting Ukrainian defenses in the direction of Zaporizhia. There also has been a build-up of Russian troops in the area.
In the estimate of Ukraine’s national police, more than 400 bodies remain unidentified just in the recently recaptured Kharkiv region. Kharkiv police experts have identified 199 people whose bodies were found in mass graves and on the streets. According to police, all these were either tortured or shot to death. Despite poor weather conditions, police specialists are continuing the difficult work of identifying civilians killed by Russia.
Spanish defense minister Margarita Robles has pledged to provide Ukraine Leopard 2A4 tanks ‘by spring’ – once they undergo fine-tuning check-ups, RTVE reports. As the tanks undergo repairs,Ukrainian tank crews, at Germany’s request, will train with German and Spanish instructors.
Among those killed in a January 27 attack on a synagogue in Jerusalem was a Ukrainian woman, the Ukrainian Embassy in Israel has confirmed. A 21-year-old Arab resident of East Jerusalem fired at people waiting for evening prayers, killing seven and wounding 10 more. The Embassy expressed its deep concern and shock following the horrific attack in Jerusalem and offered its condolences to the families of the deceased. “Terror and violence against civilians, including children, are unacceptable…. [W]e pray for the full recovery of the wounded.”
By Daria Dzysiuk, Alan Sack