Above: As representatives of the world’s 20 biggest economies gathered in New Delhi for the G-20 summit this week, India is trying to downplay Russia’s war of aggression. India professes to be neutral on the war, avoiding criticism of the Kremlin and taking advantage of cheap Russian fuels brought about by sanctions. (Associated Press)
Above: Russia works with Serbian ultranationalists to agitate against Ukrainian sovereignty. Politico reported about Serbia’s location between a rock and a hard place. On the one hand, Serbia’s ultranationalist milieu has long aligned with Russian aggression. On the other, it professes a desire to join the European Union. A slim majority of Serbians admire Putin and reject EU membership. Serbian President Vučić has expressed frustration with open recruitment of Serbian mercenaries and with Moscow-organized anti-Ukraine rallies. Mr Vučić told Politico, “You’re going to get one sentence from me: Serbia will remain on its EU path. Okay, draw your own conclusions. But I think you understand me.”
Ukrainians explain why Borsch is haute Ukrainian cuisine. (View the video).
- A New York Times investigation into catastrophic Russian losses during recent attempt on Vuhledar, Donetsk, indicates that the Russian military remains unable to fix the challenges posed by severe personnel and equipment losses. Ukrainian troops outlined their tactics for luring Russian forces into kill zones, immobilizing Russian columns, channeling them into mine-laden road shoulders then destroying them with artillery – including HIMARS. Moscow lost at least 130 tanks and armored personnel carriers during the three-week Vuhledar offensive, forcing them depend on frontal infantry attacks.
- Belarusian President Lukashenka and Chinese President Jinping signed a package of agreements on March 1 that may help the Kremlin to evade sanctions by channeling Chinese goods through Belarus. ISW has assessed that Lukashenka likely hopes that closer relations with China will counterbalance Russian integration pressure.
- Russian officials claim that Russian defense manufacturers are increasing production amidst ongoing indications that the Russian defense industrial base is unable to meet Russia’s long-term economic and military goals. A shipbuilding executive claimed on February 27 that his factory plans to deliver Moscow’s order for a new nuclear submarine in 2027.
- Russian forces continue to arrest Ukrainian civilians in occupied territories to serve as bargaining chips in prisoner-of-war exchanges with Ukraine.Ukraine’s intelligence head Budanov reported that forty percent of Ukrainian PoWs are civilians, including women, students, the elderly, railway workers, and janitors. Russia captured 90 percent of all PoWs during the first days of the war and currently has more PoWs than Ukraine because of their arrests of civilians.
General Staff’s Daily Video Digest with English subtitles
Above: Ukraine has counted at least 130 tanks and armored personnel carriers destroyed in a three-week battle near the southern Ukrainian town of Vuhledar, Donetsk. (Warthog Defense)
Ukrainian General Staff of the Armed Forces estimated enemy losses since February 24, 2022 (with daily additions)
- Liquidated personnel, 150,605 (+715)
- Tanks, 3,397 (+2)
- Armored personnel vehicles, 6,658 (+20)
- Artillery systems/MLRS, 2,398/480 (+5/1)
- Anti-aircraft warfare systems, 247 (0)
- Aircraft/helicopters, 300/288 (0)
- UAV operational-tactical level, 2,058 (+3)
- Cruise missiles, 873 (0)
- Warships/boats, 18 (0)
- Vehicles and fuel tanks, 5,264 (+7)
- Special equipment, 230 (0)
Above: Overnight, the enemy sent missiles into an apartment building in Zaporizhzhya, causing civilian casualties. Last week, the enemy was sending 60-80 attacks per day, yesterday 170 attacks were reported. (Associated Press)
Above: Power station and rail damage in a Donetsk village. “On March 1, 2023, Putin suffered another major defeat. Despite the cold, darkness, and missile strikes, Ukraine persevered and defeated his winter terror. Furthermore, Europe has not ‘frozen’ despite Russian predictions and mockery. I thank our partners for standing with Ukraine,” Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Kuleba Tweeted on Wednesday.
Glory to Ukraine!
Day 372 of the full-scale russian military aggression has begun.
- The main efforts of the enemy are concentrated on conducting offensive actions on the Kupyansk, Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiivka and Shakhtars’k axes. Yesterday, our defenders repelled more than 170x enemy attacks on the indicated axes.
- In total, the russian occupiers launched 14x rocket attacks on civilian objects in Kharkiv, Poltava Oblast, and Donetsk There are wounded civilians, damaged apartment buildings and private houses. The invaders also carried out 21x airstrikes, including 2 Shahed-136 UAVs. Strike drones were shot down. The enemy launched 58x attacks from MLRS.
- The threat level of missile strikes by the russian occupiers is very high throughout the territory of Ukraine.
- During the day, the enemy shelled the settlements of Yeline and Baranivka of the Chernihiv Oblast; Rozhkovychi, Starykove, Hirky, Atynske, Stukalyvka, Budky, Volfyne, Turya, Grabovske in the Sumy Oblast and Chervona Zorya, Veterinarne, Strelecha, Krasne, Ternova, Okhrimivka, Potykhonove, Dvorichna, and Kindrashivka in the Kharkiv It used an unmanned aerial vehicle with a combat munition near Budarok, Kharkiv Oblast.
- Kupyansk and Lyman axes: the enemy carried out offensive actions in the areas of Kreminna and Bilogorivka settlements in the Luhansk Oblast and Spirne in Donetsk There was no success. They carried out artillery shelling of the vicinities of Masyutivka, Lyman Pershiy, Kupyansk, Kislivka of the Kharkiv Oblast; Kuzemivka, Makiivka, Kreminna, Bilogorivka, Dibrova in the Luhansk Oblast and Zvanivka in the Donetsk Oblast.
- Bakhmut axis: the enemy continues to advance and storms the city. Our defenders repelled attacks in the areas of Orikhovo-Vasylivka, Dubovo-Vasylivka, Bakhmut and Ivanivske settlements. Bondarne, Zaliznyanske, Orikhovo-Vasylivka, Dubovo-Vasylivka, Bakhmut, Ivanovske, Klishchiivka, Chasiv Yar and New York of the Donetsk Oblast came under enemy fire.
- Avdiivka and Shakhtars’k axes: the enemy carried out unsuccessful offensive actions on the settlements of Kam’ianka, Severna, Vodyane, Nevelske and Mar’yinka. The areas of Avdiivka, Lastochkine, Berdychi, Vodyane, Krasnohorivka, Mar’yinka, Georgiivka, Bogoyavlenka, Velyka Novosilka and Neskuchne in Donetsk Oblast were shelled.
- Zaporizhzhia and Kherson axes: the enemy is on the defensive. In some areas, the adversary is trying to create conditions to start an offensive. They carried out artillery shelling of more than 45x districts of populated areas. Among them are Mala Tokmachka and Novoandriivka of the Zaporizhzhia Oblast, as well as Dobra Nadiya, Nikopol’, Zmiivka, Kozatske, Novosilka, Inzhenerne, Bilozerka, Dniprovske and the city of Kherson.
Believe in the Armed Forces! Together we will win! Glory to Ukraine!
Above: Combat drills close to the Russian border in Kharkiv Oblast. (Associated Press)
“Russians are amassing troops across the border once more. Ballistic missiles hit the city more often, and Kharkiv is reinforcing its defense lines.” Voice of America talked to Kharkiv residents about their anxiety over a possible renewed enemy offensive on their city. (View the video)
- Russian forces are fortifying positions on the international border in Belgorod Russian forces deployed engineering equipment and are installing anti-tank mines in Novostroivka Vtoraya and Gorkovskii, Belgorod Oblast—approximately 47km northwest of Kharkiv City. The Ukrainian General Staff did not observe Russian forces forming offensive groups in the northern Kharkiv Oblast, indicating that Russian forces are not preparing for renewed offensive operations in the area.
- Russian forces continued offensive operations on the Kupyansk-Svatove-Kreminna line on March 1. Ukrainian forces repelled Russian assaults northwest of Kreminna against Makiivka, Nevske, and Chervonopopivka, and south of Kreminna in Bilohorivka, Shypylivka, and Fedorivka.
Above: Defenders of Bakhmut. (CNN)
Above: Civilian Bakhmut holdouts watch TV in an aid shelter. The decision of those who choose to stay in frontline population centers is the topic of passionate debate when evacuation opportunities are available. Their continued support and protection takes away military resources and risks the lives of aid workers that must supply them with the essentials for life. (CNN)
Above: War Mapper’s assessed situation around Bakhmut at midnight March 2. A deputy defense minister said on television Wednesday evening that Eastern Operational Commander Syrsky has ordered reinforcement toBakhmut, without specifying a quantity or mission, after a personal visit on Feb 25. Ukrainian officials are said to be closely monitoring the situation and are prepared to order a withdrawal if needed.
“A Ukrainian soldier next to a multiple rocket launcher getting ready to fire at Russian targets in the area of Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine.” (View the video)
- Russian forces conducted ground attacks around Bakhmut on March 1. Russian troops continue to advance in the Bakhmut direction and attacked Bakhmut itself; north of Bakhmut near Orikhovo-Vasylivka (10km northwest), Dubovo-Vasylivka (6km northwest), and Bohdanivka (8km northwest); west of Bakhmut near Ivanivske (5km west), Chasiv Yar (10km west), and Khromove (3km west); and southwest of Bakhmut near Bila Hora (15km southwest). Geolocated footage posted on March 1 confirms that Russian forces made advances on the southern outskirts of Bakhmut.
- Ukrainian officials continue to emphasize that Ukrainian troops have the option to conduct a controlled withdrawal from Bakhmut if they see fit. A Ukrainian Presidential Advisor stated on February 28 that Ukrainian forces can strategically pull back from positions in Bakhmut if needed, but that a Ukrainian withdrawal from Bakhmut would not mean that Russian forces would be able to quickly take Bakhmut.
- Russian forces continued ground attacks in the Avdiivka-Donetsk City area on March 1. Russian troops conducted unsuccessful offensive actions north of Donetsk City near Avdiivka and Kamianka; on the northwestern outskirts of Donetsk City near Vodyane, Pervomaiske, and Nevelske; and on the southwestern outskirts of Donetsk City near Marinka and Pobieda.
Above: The current Black Sea Grain initiative agreement expires on March 18. Russia says it won’t allow a new agreement until sanctions on banking, logistics and insurance access are eliminated. Turkiye says it will discuss it with Moscow’s representative at the G-20 meeting in New Delhi, India, this week. (Photo: Holos Ukrainy)
- Russian forces are forming secondary defensive lines in Kherson Oblast in case they need to quickly withdraw further to the rear.
- Kherson occupation officials announced that 70,000 residents of occupied Kherson Oblast who receive Russian passports by March 1 will be entitled to social payments including pension and social programs, family payments, and maternity capital for families with children born after 2007. They announced the goal of issuing 2,000-3,000 Russian passports per day in occupied Kherson Oblast in time for September Russian regional elections.
- The IAEA announced on February 10 that it delayed a planned rotation of personnel to the IAEA mission at the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant due to security concerns. The situation remains unstable and on February 28, detonations occurred near the ZNPP, briefly disconnecting a backup powerline and underscoring the ZNPP’s “fragile external power situation.” Russian and occupation authorities likely intend to use trapped IAEA personnel and/or a reduced IAEA presence at the plant to coerce international recognition of Russian ownership over the plant.