Victory Chronicles
-DAY 350

Above: Leopard-1 tanks ready for refurbishment in Germany. The Netherlands, Denmark and Germany agreed to jointly buy 100 Leopard-1 tanks from the German industrial sector. The older tanks will be refurbished and sent to Ukraine within months, a shorter timeline than the newer tanks promised by the West. (New York Times)

Chart: Results from a nationwide survey conducted in Ukraine from Dec 13-21 2022 by the Democratic Initiative Foundation.  The survey found that 93% of Ukrainians are certain of Ukrainian victory. 

Video: During President Joe Biden’s annual State of the Union address, Ukraine’s US Ambassador received a bi-partisan standing ovation in support of continued US assistance.

• The Russian defense minister held a press conference on the status of the war on February 7, ahead of a purported “new offensive” to be conducted under Kremlin demands that all of Donetsk and Luhansk be occupied in March. Many analysts believe that the rhetoric is much greater than potential improvements in aggressor operations over the short- to medium-term.  A few credible sources say that the “new offensive” has already started around Vuhledar, Adiivka and Bakhmut and that we won’t see significant escalation beyond current enemy efforts.
• Russian state-controlled energy company Gazprom has been given permission to establish its own private paramilitary security force.  The government of Ukraine believes the “Gazprom army” is part of the power struggle between the Kremlin and other private paramilitaries such as Wagner.
• Duma is forming a working group to establish punitive measures against people who support Ukraine, left Russia or discredit the Russian war on Ukraine to include confiscation of property and bans on internet content.

General Staff’s Daily Video Digest with English subtitles

Above: Social media is on fire with reports that Ukraine destroyed 25-30 enemy main battle tanks and armored vehicles during an attempted attack on Vuhledar.  (Indications & Warnings)

Ukrainian General Staff of the Armed Forces estimated enemy losses since February 24, 2022 (with daily additions)

• Liquidated personnel, 134,100 (+910)
• Tanks, 3,253 +8)
• Armored personnel vehicles, 6,458 (+15)
• Artillery systems/MLRS, 2,236/461 (+4/0)
• Anti-aircraft warfare systems, 228 (+1)
• Aircraft/helicopters, 295/285 (+1/1)
• UAV operational-tactical level, 1,961 (+3)
• Cruise missiles, 796 (0)
• Warships/boats, 18 (0)
• Vehicles and fuel tanks, 5,112 (+5)
• Special equipment, 211 (+3)

Above: (Top) Horlivka in 2004, (Bottom) Horlivka today. Temporarily-occupied Horlivka, Donetsk, was once a model planned soviet center of industry and education.  It was flattened in WWII, then rebuilt under Russo-soviet occupation with heavy russification such that half its post-war residents were Russian. Until 2014, a majority of residents supported pro-Russia politicians. (NEXTA)

Glory to Ukraine! The three hundred and fiftieth day of the Russian large-scale invasion has begun.

• Over the past day, units of the Defense Forces of Ukraine repelled the attacks of the occupiers in the areas of Novoselyvske, Chervonpopivka, Shipylivka and Bilogorivka of the Luhansk region and Verkhnyokamianske, Fedorivka, Orikhovo-Vasylivka, Dubovo-Vasylivka, Spirne, Vyimka, Bakhmut, Krasna Gora, Paraskoviivka, Ivanovske , Chasiv Yar, Kamianka, Vodyane, Pervomaiske, Krasnohorivka, Avdiyivka, Maryinka and Bogoyavlenka of the Donetsk
• During the day, the enemy launched 8 missile strikes, 5 of which hit the civilian infrastructure of the city of Kharkiv, and 21 air strikes. In addition, the enemy carried out 39 attacks from rocket salvo systems, in particular, on the civilian infrastructure of Mykolaiv region and Kherson Residential buildings were damaged.
• The threat of further Russian air and missile strikes on the entire territory of Ukraine remains high.
• The areas of Zarutske, Popivka and Sadky settlements of Sumy region and Veterinarne, Strelecha, Krasne, Hlyboke, Liptsi, Staritsa, Morokhovets, Zelene, Neskuchne, Gatyshche, Vovchansk, Budarky, Vilkhuvatka, Krasne Pershe, Novomlynsk and Kamianka in Kharkiv region were shelled. The occupiers deployed an unmanned aerial vehicle with a combat load in the Volfyny region of the Sumy region.
• Areas of more than 40 settlements were affected by fire in the Kupyansk and Lymansk Among them are Dvorichna, Hryanikyvka, Kucherivka, Kupyansk, Kurylivka, Kislivka, Kotlyarivka, Tabaivka, Berestovka, Krokhmalne, Vishneve, Chervonopivka and Kuzmyne of the Kharkiv region and Novoselivske, Stelmakhivka, Novoyehorivka, Makiivka, Ploschanka, Nevsky, Pishchane, Kreminna, Dibrova and Belogorivka in Luhansk Oblast. The enemy carried out airstrikes in the areas of Kotlyarivka, Krokhmalny, and Belogorivka.
• In the direction of Bakhmut, in particular, Spirne, Berestov, Bilogorivka, Rozdolivka, Zaliznianske, Paraskoviivka, Krasna Gora, Bakhmut, Ivanovske, Mykolaivka, Predtechine, Klishchiivka, Kurdyumivka, New York and Vesele of the Donetsk region came under fire. And in general – more than 30 settlements.
• On the Avdiivka and Novopavliv areas, Avdiivka, Vodyane, Maryinka, Pobieda, Novomykhailivka, Vugledar, Zolota Niva and Neskuchne of the Donetsk region came under tank, mortar and artillery shelling. Air strikes by the occupiers were recorded near Avdiyivka, Nevelsky and Maryinka.
• In the Zaporizhzhia region, more than 30 settlements, in particular, Novopil, Olgivske, Malynyvka, Gulyaipole, Zaliznychne, Mala Tokmachka, Orihiv, Novodanilivka, Novoandriivka, Shcherbaki, Mali Shcherbaki, and Steppove of the Zaporizhia region, were affected by fire. The enemy launched airstrikes near Olhivskyi and Gulyaipol.
• In the Kherson direction, 17 settlements were damaged by enemy fire. In particular, Mykhailivka, Havrylivka, Mylove, Zmiivka, Novoberislav, Kozatske, Lviv, Tyaginka, Ivanivka, Mykilske, Antonivka, Yantarne, Berehove, Veletenske and Kherson.

Believe in the Armed Forces! Together we will win! Glory to Ukraine!

Above:  Kharkiv and the surrounding oblast this morning received incoming missiles fired from Belgorod, Russia. (Euromaidan Press)

• Russian forces conducted limited ground attacks near Svatove and Kreminna on February 7. Ukrainian forces repelled a Russian ground attack near Novoselivske (13km northwest of Svatove) and near Kreminna and Dibrova (5km southwest of Kreminna).
• Proxy Donetsk People’s Republic leadership claimed that enemy forces are advancing on Siversk as part of a new initiative to reoccupy Lyman.
• The Luhansk Oblast Military Administration stated on February 7 that occupation authorities in Luhansk Oblast predicate pensions and teaching positions on renunciation of Ukrainian citizenship. Occupation authorities near Kremmina allow teachers who have not renounced Ukrainian citizenship to continue working but reduces their salaries by 30 percent.
• Ukrainian partisans committed arson against a Rovenky-Antratsyt railway connection control station near Yasinovsky, Luhansk Oblast.

Above: A gas pipeline just east of temporarily-occupied Donetsk city has been burning for hours. This map from Bloomberg shows the Russian-fed Ukrainian natural gas pipeline system, a USSR legacy.  Transit through Ukraine remains the only route for Russian gas to central and western Europe after the closure of Nord Stream. “In January, Gazprom’s European exports fell to levels not seen since the days of the USSR. This is not due to Gazprom withholding gas, however, but rather due to buyers opting for cheaper spot gas over Gazprom’s contracted prices,” according to analysts who spoke with Reuters.

Video: “News from hell begins”.  Burning pipeline in Makiivka.

Пекельні новини починаються…🔥🔥🔥#Макіївка #UkraineRussianWar pic.twitter.com/HILwSoGlmh

— Північний🍉Українець (@WarSvitla) February 7, 2023

• Russian forces continued ground attacks around Bakhmut on February 7. Ukrainian troops repelled Russian attacks on Bakhmut itself; northeast of Bakhmut near Verkhokamyanske (30km northeast) and Vesele (17km northeast); north of Bakhmut near Zaliznyanske (6km north), Krasna Hora (4km north), and Paraskoviivka (5km north); and west of Bakhmut near Ivanivske (5km west). Geolocated footage published on February 6 confirms Russian tactical advances north of Bakhmut near Blahodatne (7km north of Bakhmut) and Krasna Hora.
• Russian forces did not conduct any confirmed ground attacks in the Avdiivka–Donetsk City area or in western Donetsk Oblast on February 7.
• Ukrainian troops conducted limited counterattacks near Vuhledar (30km southwest of Donetsk City) on the evening of February 6. Footage and imagery posted to social media shows the aftermath of Ukrainian strikes on Russian positions near Vuhledar, and a Ukrainian reserve officer claimed that Russian forces lost up to 30 armored vehicles during the counterattacks.
• Russian forces continue to shell the east (left) bank of the Dnipro River to force Ukrainian civilians living there to relocate deeper into occupied areas out of fear that Ukrainians who remain may transmit information about Russian troop movements to Ukrainian forces.

Above:  No rest for first responders in Kherson.  (NPR)

• Russian forces did not make confirmed territorial gains on the southern axis on February 7.
• Russians are completing the construction of structures at the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant to protect nuclear waste storage from shelling. Ukrainian employees who refused to sign contracts with Rosenergoatom are banned from working at the plant.
• Occupation authorities in Melitopol, Zaporizhia, threaten to dismiss state employees without Russian citizenship and require all employees with Russian citizenship to renounce their Ukrainian citizenship in writing.

⚡️ Ukrainian Dmytro Kotovskyi won the World Cup in ski acrobatics.

21-year-old athlete brilliantly performed the most difficult jump in history — triple somersault with five twists — also known as “the Hurricane.” pic.twitter.com/bgio6QdJJO

— FLASH (@Flash_news_ua) February 8, 2023