Today is the second anniversary of the full invasion of Ukraine by Russian troops, and while Ukraine has on paper the support of the majority of the world, it simply isn’t enough. Over the past year, we have seen dribbles of weapons being donated to Ukraine, and a multitude of coalitions being set up to assist Ukraine, but recently, even Ukraine admitted the counter offensive last summer was a failure. NATO believed they have provided enough for the counter offensive but they were wrong.
We have also seen the level of corruption within Ukraine that led to the invasion, with government officials and judges being on the Kremlin payroll for a number of years. Many Ukrainians want an end to the war, but not at the cost of ceding territory to Russia. The mood however on the border towns is different for the elderly who want peace so that they can live out the rest of their years without fear of being bombed. That is a recent shift in the mood of people, yet if they lived in an occupied region, they might think differently.
Ukrainians don’t want to give up, but when soldiers run out of ammunition then what can they do? Even Russian mothers are hiding their sons as they don’t want them to go to war as they know they aren’t really fighting to defend the country. Ukrainians are doing their bit by assembling drones, and making uniforms, but in this era of advanced technology it is not enough. How can Ukraine win this war when they don’t have enough soldiers or weapons?
Zelenskyy posed the question, ‘Why is Russia allowed to continue the war?’ instead. Sanctions rarely work when a country such as Russia anticipates them and has set up systems to bypass them, and then there is the UN Security Council where Russia remains a permanent member who can veto any action.
There is little positive news when it comes to the war in Ukraine, as Putin openly declares that he seeks to oust those in power in Kyiv and to control Ukraine, or as he puts it to save Ukraine. Ukraine doesn’t want or need to be saved by him, but unless NATO finds a way to intervene, then Ukraine will continue to lose territory or even if they hold it, the towns or cities are destroyed and are packed with landmines.
Ukraine makes small gains when they are successful in destroying Russian military bases in Russia, where a year ago they were forbidden to use any donated weapons on Russian soil. That’s why funds were necessary so that Ukraine could purchase or manufacture their own weapons and use them where they deemed necessary. We also have the issue of war crimes that are mounting up into 6 figures if not more, and while documenting them is necessary it doesn’t help those who had died, and where the perpetrators will either have died in battle or will never be convicted if they remain in Russia. You can see why Ukrainian men don’t wish to fight when they know they have insufficient weapons to fight with, and where Russians are more likely to kill them than to take them as a prisoner of war.
There is also the financial cost of the war, and while the governments are seeking to use sanctioned Russian assets to pay for the rebuilding of Ukraine, the most important thing is to defeat Russia first otherwise there is little point of making plans to rebuild a country occupied by Russia.
Day 726 (19 Feb)
Images of bodies of soldiers from Avdiivka who surrendered and who were killed by Russians have been released leading to calls for an investigation by the ICRC and the UN into their deaths as a breach of the Geneva Convention. Some soldiers who were wounded were left behind, and an agreement was made for them to be evacuated by the Russians, but instead they were shot dead.
There have been criticisms of the withdrawal of troops from Avdiivka but it came when there was a change in leadership in the army. Some say the squabbling didn’t help and questioned why the retreat didn’t happen sooner. Perhaps they had hoped the US would pass their bill for further aid and weapons would arrive in time, but when it wasn’t passed the Ukrainian army should have realised they had insufficient weapons and adjusted their plans accordingly.
During the Japan-Ukraine conference in Tokyo, Japan will ease vis requirements for Ukrainian businessmen toad relatives of refugees.
Maxim Kuziminov, Russian pilot defected by flying his Mi-8 helicopter to Ukraine during ‘Synytsia’ a covert operation has been found dead in Spain. Foul play by the Russians is suspected as he was killed by a car bomb.
Ukraine is working with SpaceX to disable the Starlinks on the front line in the temperately occupied regions of Ukraine.
Day 727 (20 Feb)
Today was another anniversary of the Heavenly Hundred when protesters were fired upon in Kyiv and who died for seeking liberty and freedom.
The Coalition of Drones for the Ukrainian Defence Forces now has 8 member countries and is hoping to expand. The countries include the UK, Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania. Germany, the Netherlands, and Sweden, while talks with 30 other countries take place. Having access to drones will assist Ukraine while it waits for US funding and the F-16s to be delivered.
Sweden will provide a new aid package with $682 million which will include portable air defence missile systems, a CB90- fast landing boat, grenades and grenade launches as well as medical equipment.
Alain Berset, the former Swiss president arrives in Kyiv as a candidate for the Council of Europe Secretary General. A key issue is to support Ukraine against Russian aggression.
Ecuador has decided not to transfer any old military equipment to Ukraine as per an earlier decision due to Russian threats to ban imports of bananas. This is because a quarter of exports got Russia and since the ban, Russia purchased bananas from India. Since the announcement, Russia lifted the ban, so Ecuador gave in to Russian blackmail and money talks more than liberty.
A Russian-US citizen has been arrested for treason because she donated $50 to an Ukraine non-profit that supports the Ukrainian army. The charge is based on allegedly funding the Ukrainian military. Ksenia Khavana, a 33 year old from Los Angeles could face up to 20 years in prison.
Day 728 (21 Feb)
Ukraine signs an agreement with the manufacturers of Taurus missiles for exploration and opportunities for development. As Germany has been reluctant to supply Taurus missiles, the next best thing is for the manufacturer to go directly to Ukraine to assist them.
Iran has been reported to have agreed to send 400 Zolfaghar surface to surface air missiles to Russia. Deliveries began in January and appear to come via the Caspian Sea and by air.
Danone (a French company), finally is planning on selling the Russian subsidiary to a Chechen businessman. The business was temporarily controlled by the Russian government in a response to EU sanctions.
In Nuremberg, courtroom N600 (where the Nazis were tried) hearings were held on Putins’s war crimes, especially those that involved deporting children out of Ukraine.
Day 729 (22 Feb)
North Korean missiles used in Ukraine have been found to have contained at least 290 foreign components, 75% linked to the US, 16% in Europe and 9% from Asia.
Germany has finally approved the transfer of Taurus missiles to Ukraine according to reports.
Zelenskyy has signed in a law that permits foreign citizens in Ukraine to serve voluntarily in the National Guard of Ukraine, as long as they are in Ukraine legally and have no criminal record
Lithuania is to close tow more border crossings with Belarus leaving only 2 out of 6 open.
The Czech Republic has a plan to acquire ammunition for Ukraine from third countries, and Canada has said it would contribute $30 million to fund this plan.
Italy looks set to be the next country to sign security agreements with Ukraine.
UK will provide 200 Brimstone anti-tank missiles that cost $126,000 each. These are laser guided and are very accurate against moving targets.
Day 730 (23 Feb)
The Danish PM, Mette Friedriksen arrived in Lviv for an official visit and became the fourth country to sign security guarantees with Ukraine. The agreement is for 10 years and included another aid package for Ukraine.
If we don’t stand together, Ukraine won’t stand and potentially Europe won’t either. (Mette Friedriksen)
In Berlin, western politicians attend a conference to discuss war crimes in Ukraine and how to assist Ukraine in investigating the crimes and how to prosecute the perpetrators.
A joint statement from the EU on the second anniversary of the war was blocked by Hungary, although no reason was given.
Ukraine has downed a Russian A-50 spy plane over the Sea of Azov. This is the second time as the first was downed in January.
A US delegation of Senators arrived to reassure Ukraine of American support.
Ukrainian MPs passed the first draft of law no. 11035 on the changes of military service. Conscripts whose service expired during martial law and beyond the set terms can be discharged to the reserve corp, therefore cannot be mobilised for another 12 months. The problem with this is that there aren’t enough soldiers to replace them.
Day 731 (24 Feb)
Leaders from several countries pay a visit to Ukraine. They include Trudeau for Canada, Meloni for Italy, Von der Leyden for the EU, and De Croo from Belgium, and Boris Johnson also travelled with the leaders overnight from Poland.
United 24 raises $7.8 million in a record 36 hours to purchase 35 sea drones.
The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission has released figures stating that 10,500 civilians have been killed in Ukraine since February 2022. These do not include those missing and where the bodies have not been identified or found.
Russian fuel has found its way into the EU through Turkish and Indian refineries, thus boosting Russian revenues by €1.1 billion through taxes.