Ukraine – 2/27/23 Sitrep
Compiled by: Robert Homans
February 27, 2023
Webinar Reminder
Celebration of the 1-Year Anniversary of Ukraine’s Predicted Demise
February 28, 2023 (1PM EST, 6PM in London, 8PM in Kyiv, and 10AM PST)
Russian President Putin and many Western pundits predicted with certainty that Ukraine would capitulate after no more 5 days of Russia’s most recent invasion of Ukraine. Instead of marking the 1-year anniversary of the start of Russia’s latest invasion, as many others are doing, we decided to mark the 1-year anniversary of the day of Ukraine’s expected capitulation.
We want to do what we can to honor the brave heroes of Ukraine, consisting not just of soldiers of Ukraine’s Armed Forces, but all Ukrainians, and all Ukraine’s partners, including countries supplying weapons, private groups and individuals who provide humanitarian assistance, who together proved President Putin and all the pundits wrong. Last but not least, all of you, our loyal readers.
Panelists will be the 2 authors of the emails that you’ve been getting almost daily since February 24, 2022. The Moderator will be Larysa Homans, executive coach, mentor, former member of the Faculty of Kyiv Mohilya Business School, experienced moderator and, in the interest of full disclosure, the wife of one of the authors. We will both make short introductory statements, the Moderator will then ask both of us questions, and then we will open the floor to questions.
The webinar will be conducted on Zoom. The Zoom link is here. The Zoom meeting ID and passcode is the same - 830 1184 0497, and the Zoom passcode: 449343. If you’re dialing in you may need these to join the meeting.
We greatly appreciate your loyalty and support. We look forward to your participation.
Slava Ukrainii!!!
Abstentions at the UN General Assembly Vote Condemning Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine
GZERO Media, part of the Eurasia Group, compiled a list of African countries that abstained in last week’s vote in the UN General Assembly, to condemn Russia for its invasion of Ukraine. The list shows the 2-way goods trade of each African country that abstained with both the Russian Federation and the United States. There are only 2 countries on the list where the 2-way goods trade is greater with Russia than with the U.S. – Sudan and Guinea.
Russia’s primary export to Sudan is wheat, whereas Sudan’s primary export to Russia is insect resins. For Guinea, Russia is a major importer of bauxite, primarily through Russia’s major aluminum producer, Rusal, that has operated in Guinea since the early 2000s, they own 3 bauxite mines and Rusal employs thousands of people. According to TFIG Global, every member of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has supported Ukraine, except Guinea.
According to GZERO Media’s analysis, 2 of Russia’s most strident supporters in Africa, South Africa and Ethiopia, the ratio of 2-way trade with the United States and Russia respectively 29.5/1 and 6.45/1, respectively. In other words, the two-way volume of trade between the United States and South Africa is over 29 times greater than South Africa’s 2 -way trade with Russia. Another country with a long history with Russia and, prior to that, the former Soviet Union, is Angola, where the volume of 2-way trade between Angola and the United States is 18/1. South Africa is currently hosting naval exercise involving both the Russian Federation and the Peoples Republic of China.
As I understand it, the basis for the support of African countries for Russia at the UN is the support provided by Russia and, before that the former Soviet Union, for their liberation efforts against their former colonial masters. However, there has been almost no recognition among African countries that are supporting Russia in the UN, that Russia, and before that the former Soviet Union and the Russian Empire, have been colonizers on a grand scale going back hundreds of years.
Based on GZERO Media’s analysis, Russia’s Africa supporters in the UN seem to be going against their economic interests, for the spurious reason that the Russian Federation is anti-colonialist. Instead, the facts are that the Russian Federation has a history of colonialism that is likely greater than Great Britain, France, or Portugal, and Russia’s colonial history includes successive subjugations of Ukraine, culmination with Russia’s attempted subjugation of Ukraine that we’re seeing today.
Perhaps I will be alive to see the time when these countries recognize the Russian Federation for what it really is.
News From the Battlefield
“Reporting From Ukraine” covers Ukraine’s withdrawal from towns north of Bakhmut. The withdrawal exposes the major supply roads into Bakhmut, leaving smaller tracks are being rendered more difficult to negotiate because of the recent rains.
At the same time, Ukraine has been able to push Russia out of areas south of Bakhmut, which “Reporting From Ukraine” believes would be a helpful factor in aiding Ukraine’s withdrawal if and when that will take place.
2/27/23 Sitrep
Russian Invasion of Ukraine 12:00 noon February 26 to 12:00 noon February 27, 2023
Abbreviations:
RMA = Regional Military Administration SBU = Security Service of Ukraine
RASHISTS = russian Facists/all russian invaders
INTERNATIONAL
February 27
08:07 Bloomberg: French authorities intend to impose restrictions on water use in the conditions of the "driest" winter in history, - said French Minister of Environmental Transformation Christophe Beschou
08:06 The United States, Poland and Germany can hold joint military exercises against the background of the Russian threat, says German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius on ARD.
February 26
23:17 The New York Times: Bulgaria returns to production of ammunition for the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
· After 35 years of inactivity, the company is launched in the city of Kostenets. The plant will produce 122-mm shells for Soviet systems in service with the Ukrainian army.
22:14: Spain will provide Ukraine with six repaired Leopard 2 A4 battle tanks.
· Tanks have already begun to be repaired. Also, 55 of our military will be trained on them.
· This was reported with reference to the Minister of Defense Margarita Robles by the publication Lavanguardia.
21:53: On February 23, during a meeting of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly in Vienna, the chairman of the Latvian Sejm Commission on Foreign Affairs, Richard Kohls, ended his speech with a well-known phrase about a Russian ship.
21:05 CNN: CIA Director William Burns says there is evidence that Russia offered assistance to Iran with a missile program in exchange for military assistance.
· According to Burns, there are now signs that Russia is offering to help the Iranians in their missile program and is at least considering providing fighter jets to Iran in exchange for military assistance in their invasion.
19:35 Reuters: The issue of providing Ukraine with possible security guarantees from NATO did not play a significant role at the recent meeting in Paris of Scholz, Macron and Zelensky.
· At the same time, the agency claims that in recent months there have been no progress in discussing the topic of possible security guarantees for Ukraine.
19:05 la Repubblica: On the morning of February 26, a boat carrying migrants from Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan crashed off the southern coast of Italy. Currently, 40 deaths are known, including children.
· Eyewitnesses say there could have been 250 people on the boat, and local authorities say the number of victims could reach 100. The Italian news agency AGI reported that among the dead was an infant several months old.
18:08 Le Journal du Dimanche: The French company Thales will deliver the GM 200 radar for the air defense system to Ukraine.
· This was told by the company's CEO Partis Kane.
· According to him, the French company will manufacture and deliver the GM200 radar to Ukraine in May this year.
15:19: Germany handed over 6 more BIBER bridgelayers and Zetros trucks to Ukraine
· This is stated in the new aid list published by the government.
15:03 Ennahar Online: Algerian President Abdelmajid Tebbun has announced that he intends to resume the work of his country's embassy in Ukraine.
· "Our embassy in Kyiv will reopen this week," the head of state said.
14:48: Two minibuses with Ukrainians collided in Poland. As a result of the accident, five passengers were hospitalized. Among them is a child, - said on the Facebook page of the ambulance station in Przemyshl.
· It is reported that the accident occurred today at about 4:00 am on the A4 highway near the village of Zablotze, Yaroslavl district, not far from the border checkpoint Korchov.
14:33 The Associated Press: In Turkey, police have opened cases against 612 people who may be involved in buildings that collapsed in earthquakes. Of these, 184 people are already under arrest.
· As a result of the earthquakes that occurred on February 6, 173 thousand buildings collapsed or were seriously damaged. Experts say that many destroyed buildings were erected using low-quality materials and technologies and often did not meet state standards.
12:51: A song by American country singer Brad Paisley, including a fragment of Volodymyr Zelenskyy's speech, became the most downloaded on Apple Music on release day - February 24
· The track, titled Same Here, includes a recording of a conversation between the musician, the ambassador of the United24 platform, with Zelensky, who proudly talks about Ukraine.
12:38 Czech President: It is worth considering Ukraine's accession to NATO immediately after the war.
· "From the point of view of technical compatibility, Ukraine has already completed its homework, and the only remaining problem is the ongoing war," said Petr Pavel.
12:07 Reuters: European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Charles Michel plan to visit China in the first half of 2023.
· China's ambassador to the EU, Fu Kong, said preparations for the visit of EU leaders were already underway. "Very frequent high-level mutual visits" between the EU and China are expected to begin soon.
11:56 Associated Press: During talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz requested guarantees from India that it would support or at least not block Western efforts to isolate Russia because of its war against Ukraine.
· The Indian prime minister said India wants the war to be ended through dialogue and diplomacy. He added that his country is "ready to contribute to any peace initiative."
NATIONAL
February 27
11:41 Operational Command South: Russia launches a carrier of "Calibers" into the Black Sea. There is a high probability of hitting.
· The Russian ship grouping in the Black Sea has 6 ships, among which 1 submarine missile carrier was launched in the morning, equipped with 4 Kalibr-type missiles, the command said.
11:25 DW: The Ukrainian army will be ready to launch a counteroffensive in the spring, - a representative of the military intelligence of Ukraine Vadym Skibitsky said.
· He said that one of the strategic goals of the counteroffensive would be an attempt to "drive a wedge into the Russian front in the south - between Crimea and the Russian mainland."
10:39 Ukrenergo: There is no shortage of power in the power system and is not currently predicted.
· With the beginning of the working week and the increase in consumption in the Odesa region, there was an emergency shutdown of certain elements of the transmission system in the region. Repair crews are already working to repair damage and restore power supply.
10:23: You can now apply for marriage on the Diia portal, the Ministry of Digital Transformation said.
· Online, you can choose the place, time, format and hall where you plan to hold the ceremony, and the Civil Registry Office will send a response and details of the ceremony by e-mail. Newlyweds will need to come to the civil registry office only on the day of marriage.
07:47 General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine: The Russians are focusing their main efforts on conducting offensive operations in the Kupyansk, Liman, Bakhmut, Avdiivka and Shakhtarsky directions. Last day, the Armed Forces of Ukraine repulsed 81 attacks by Russian troops in these areas.
· In the area of Bakhmutivka, Donetsk region, in the period from February 22 to February 24, up to 30 bodies of dead and 65 wounded servicemen of Russian troops were delivered to medical institutions.
· Against the background of the combat successes of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, mass desertion is noted in the Russian troops, - the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
· Due to fears of de-occupation of Ukrainian territories, in the settlements of Oleshky and Skadovsk, the Russian so-called "authorities" are preparing to flee to the territory of the temporarily occupied Autonomous Republic of Crimea.
07:19: At night, from 23.00 to the morning, Russian troops used 14 Shahed UAVs on the territory of Ukraine. Previously, 11 of these drones were shot down by Ukrainian defenders - the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
· In the airspace around Kyiv, 9 UAVs were shot down. According to preliminary data, there were no casualties and hits to infrastructure facilities, says Serhii Popko, head of the KMVA.
00:10 Operational Command North reported the downing of one air target.
· 00:45: reports that Ukrainian defenders shot down a second UAV
· 01:06: A third drone was reported.
February 26
23:48: Russia loses 500 soldiers daily in the battles near Bakhmut, – Reznikov in an interview with La Repubblica
· "In fact, it is already underway (oncoming – ed.). We call it a "creeping offensive" because they follow a frantic tactic: they send waves of Wagnerians or former prisoners against us to win back a few meters of land. For example, in Bakhmut.
· Twenty of them attack our positions and we kill them. After a while, twenty more come, and twenty more, in a continuous cycle. Our general on the eastern front said that in a day the Russians had 500 killed and 900 wounded," he said.
22:54: Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismissed Eduard Moskalev, commander of the Joint Forces.
22:46 Operational Command South:The head told why the Russian Federation did not arrange a massive missile strike on February 24. There are several reasons, she said.
· the Russians monitored the readiness of the Armed Forces of Ukraine to counter the shelling. Having assessed their strength, the enemies realized that the attack would not be effective.
· As well as increasing social tension over promises of shelling is a classic intimidation of Russians. Having no success on the battlefield, they rejoice that they intimidate and keep Ukrainians in suspense.
19:15: Volodymyr Zelenskyy: Today there are new decisions of our state on sanctions against those who are involved or helping Russia to wage war and destroy lives and people.
· "He signed three decrees for the implementation of the NSDC decisions. Against those Russians who are involved in the abduction of Ukrainian children. Against those representatives of the Russian sphere of sports who are trying to put sport in the service of aggression. And against those who help keep mercenary structures in Russia for war against Ukraine and all free people."
18:20: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine: During the day, the enemy launched 11 air strikes and carried out 17 attacks from the MLRS on the civilian infrastructure of the city of Kherson and along the entire front line in the Donetsk region.
· The level of threat of Russia's missile strikes remains high throughout Ukraine.
· In the area of Horlivka, Donetsk region, on February 23, an on-site examination was conducted without official registration over about 200 bodies of dead mercenaries of the so-called PMC "Wagner".
· the Russians were liquidated in the period from February 20 to February 22 in the Bakhmut direction. At the end of the examination, the bodies of the invaders were taken out by trucks in the direction of the Novoshakhtinsk Russian Federation.
· In the period from February 22 to February 24, up to 30 bodies of dead servicemen of the Russian troops, who were drafted from the temporarily occupied territories of the Donetsk region and the Russian Federation, were delivered to the local morgue of the city hospital No. 2 in Gorlovka.
· During the day, the aviation of the Defense Forces of Ukraine inflicted 4 strikes on areas of concentration of Russian personnel and military equipment.
17:24: Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur arrives in Kyiv. This was announced by Minister of Defense of Ukraine Oleksiy Reznikov on his Facebook page.
· Pevkur handed over to Ukraine a package of assistance for the Special Operations Forces, which includes assault rifles, pistols, unmanned aerial vehicles, thermal imagers, generators and chargers, as well as clothing.
17:07: Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud.
· "This is the first official visit of the Foreign Minister of the Kingdom in Ukraine since the establishment of diplomatic relations.
· I count on the fact that it will give a new impetus to further intensify our mutually beneficial dialogue," the President of Ukraine said.
16:53: Oleksii Reznikov said that the Russians were following crazy tactics, they were sending waves of "Wagnerians" or former prisoners against Ukrainian troops to win back several meters of land.
· "For example, in Bakhmut. Twenty of them attack our positions and we kill them. After a while, twenty more come, and twenty more, in a continuous cycle. Our general on the eastern front said that in a day the Russians had 500 killed and 900 wounded," he added.
16:38: The Armed Forces have not yet received Patriot air defense systems, says Minister of Defense of Ukraine Oleksiy Reznikov in an interview with La Repubblica.
· He also said that several European countries - in particular France, Germany and Sweden - plan to increase the production of ammunition needed by Ukraine.
16:23: The NSDC answered why Ukrainians were not warned about a full-scale war
· The Ukrainian authorities had several dates for the beginning of a full-scale war. Therefore, no one could predict when Russia would go on the offensive and in what directions.
· According to NSDC Secretary Oleksiy Danilov, first they talked about the attack in November, then in December, then they called it on January 15. There were many of these dates.
16:08: A fake document allegedly appeared on the network about preparations for Ukraine's attack on Transnistria
· According to the Information Security Center, the document is fake for several reasons:
o ⁃ It does not comply with the standard execution of applications of the military command of Ukraine.
o ⁃ The wording used in the document does not correspond to Ukrainian business communication.
o ⁃ There are errors in the document.
13:23: There will be no reconciliation with Russia even in a hundred years, says Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal.
· The Prime Minister also rejected any compromises on the territorial integrity of Ukraine because the only compromise is the complete withdrawal of Russian troops from our country within the borders of 1991.
· "Reconciliation, cooperation - no, not in the next hundred years. russia must first change, be democratized, demilitarized and denuclearized," Shmyhal stressed.
13:12 Prime Minister: "Today there is no systemic corruption in Ukraine. Isolated manifestations of corruption - I emphasize the word "single" - are not tolerated, they are immediately fought."
· The Prime Minister added that the reaction of the authorities and law enforcement officers is the prompt detention and removal of suspects in abuses. This indicates a change in Ukraine's approach to the fight against corruption.
13:00: Volodymyr Zelenskyy: "9 years ago, Russian aggression began with Crimea. By returning Crimea, we will restore peace.”
· This is our land. Our people. Our history. We will return Ukrainian flag to every corner of Ukraine.
Mordor - russia
February 27
11:56: Russian media have distributed a fake "document" that should confirm that the alleged Zelenskyy regime is in full swing preparing for an invasion of Transnistria, the Information Security Center.
08:39 Reuters: The Taliban and Russia are forming a $1 billion trade union. It will also be joined by Iran and Pakistan. Russian power engineers have already presented their project in Kabul, acting Commerce Minister Haji Nuriddin Azizi said.
· The Taliban-led Afghan administration has set up a consortium of companies from Russia, Iran and Pakistan. They will develop an investment plan and together develop energy, infrastructure and resource extraction in the Afghan provinces.
February 26
20:43 Russian Media: Deported orphans from Ukraine are forced to undergo "military-patriotic training" and taught to "love Russia".
· Ukrainian orphans are taken out of the occupied territories under television cameras, Russian citizenship is granted to them and transferred to families throughout the country. And those who have not yet been able to be placed in care are replenishing children's homes and boarding schools.
· There they are forced to listen to briefings of the Russian Defense Ministry, make trench candles to Russian terrorists on the front line, are taught to handle a Kalashnikov assault rifle, and also write letters to the front of Russian militants.
20:17: BYPOL head Alexander Azarov confirmed that Belarusian guerrillas claimed responsibility for the explosions at the Machulishchi airfield.
20:00: An DRLO A-50 aircraft was blown up in Machulishchi, the BYPOL organization said.
· According to BYPOL, the front and center parts of the aircraft, avionics and radar antenna were damaged.
· "The damage is serious, the plane will definitely not fly anywhere. The incident occurred while working near the plane of snow removal equipment. Belarusian partisans are consistent in expelling fascists from their land," the initiative writes.
17:03 Social Networks: Explosions were heard in the Nizhnegorsky district of the temporarily occupied Crimea.
15:51: BYPOL reported explosions at the Machulishchi military airfield in Belarus.
· It is located 12 km from Minsk. They heard two explosions, as a result of which a Russian military transport aircraft was damaged, as well as snow removal equipment.
· Currently, in the area of the airfield, according to local residents, there is a large number of military and traffic police crews.
13:46: Exercises of the Rf/BR Armed Forces in Belarus have been extended until at least March 6, - Monitoring Group "Belaruski Gayun"
· This is evidenced by the schedule of exercises at the Belarusian training grounds.
12:18 Forbes: Russia spent $115 billion on the war with Ukraine. This is a third of all revenues of the Russian budget for 2021.
· During the year, almost 40-70% of land military equipment was destroyed. Forbes estimated the cost of destroyed and captured Russian equipment at $25 billion.
KHARKIV
February 26
15:36 Mayor of Kharkiv Igor Terekhov: To date, 150 thousand residents of Kharkiv have been left without housing because of hostilities. More than 5 thousand houses were destroyed in the city.
· According to Terekhov, over the past year, 136 houses were rebuilt, 66 of them were with very serious injuries.
12:30 Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor's Office: An 82-year-old pensioner was wounded in yesterday's Russian shelling of Kupyansk.
· Residential buildings and outbuildings were damaged. Also, damage after the shelling was recorded in the village of Pervomayneve.
DONETSK
February 27
11:13 Social Networks: Explosions are heard in Kramatorsk, Donetsk region.
11:02 Donetsk RMA: Myrnohrad suffered two missile strikes. According to preliminary data, it passed without casualties.
· Vuhledar, Novoukrainka and Bogoyavlenka were under fire. In Kurakhivska TG, 1 person was wounded. In Ostroye, a house and a shop were damaged, another 1 house was damaged in Kurakhivka.
· At night, shelling of the Mariinsky and Ocheretynska communities was recorded. There were isolated arrivals in Avdiivka during the night, and 2 massive shelling in the morning.
· 1 person was injured and 3 houses in Konstantinovka were damaged, another 1 house was damaged in Predtechin.
· In Bakhmut, 9 high-rise buildings and kindergartens were damaged during the day. 6 houses were damaged in Vasyukivka. Shelling of Siversk and the outskirts of the community was recorded.
ZAPORIZHIA
February 27
07:08 Zaporizhia RMA: The Russians again used S-300 missiles against peaceful Zaporizhia.
· In addition, one of the launched Russian shells probably fell into the water.
01:09 Social Networks: Explosions are heard in Zaporizhia.
DNIPRO
February 27
08:54 Dnipro RMA: In the past night, the Russians shot twice in the Nikopol district.
· Heavy artillery fire hit Nikopol and Myrivska community. People have healed. 8
00:19 Social Networks: Explosions are heard in Nikopol, Dnipropetrovsk region.
KHERSON
February 27
11:40 Social Networks: Explosions are heard again in Kherson.
11:23 Social Networks: New explosions are heard in Kherson.
09:51 Kherson RMA: Russians attacked peaceful settlements of Kherson region 97 times. They were fired from MLRS, mortars, artillery, tanks, UAVs and infantry fighting vehicles.
· Kherson itself was attacked by the Russian army 21 times. Russian shelling cut short the lives of 1 person, another 2 people were injured.
09:18 Social Networks: Another explosion is heard in the Kherson region.
08:29 Social Networks: Explosions are heard again in Kherson.
08:00 Social Networks: Strong explosions are heard in Kherson.
February 26
22:47 Social Networks: Explosions are heard again in Kherson.
18:38 Social Networks: Explosions are heard again in Kherson.
16:54 Social Networks: In the temporarily occupied Nova Kakhovka, Kherson region, explosions are heard
15:34 Social Networks: Another explosions are heard in Kherson
14:44 Social Networks: New explosions are heard in Kherson
13:11 Social Networks: Explosions are heard again in Kherson.
MYKOLAIV
February 27
11:20 Social Networks: In Ochakiv, Mykolaiv region, the sounds of explosions are heard,
ODESA
February 27
09:16: "Due to the lack of electricity limits, the operation of electric public transport is temporarily suspended," Odesmiskelektrotrans said in a statement.
· Meanwhile, local Telegram channels report that electricity and water have disappeared in many areas of the city.
· In Odesa region, there was an emergency shutdown of the high-voltage line, — the city hall.
KYIV
February 27
03:46 Social Networks: Explosions are heard in the Kyiv region.
00:55 Kyiv City Military Administration: There are enemy objects in the airspace of Kyiv. Previously, shock UAVs. Works air defense
00:09 Kyiv RMA: Air defense operates in the Kyiv region
February 26
23:29 Social Networks: The sound of an explosion is heard in the Kyiv region.
23:55: The Kyiv RMA confirmed that enemy air targets were found over the territory of the region.
KHMELNITSKY
February 27
10:48: As a result of the night shelling of Khmelnytsky, another SES employee died in the hospital*
· "Doctors failed to save the life of another Hero - a rescuer," - the head of the OVA Sergey Gamaliy.
07:28 Mayor of the city: It is known about 1 dead and 4 wounded as a result of another massive terrorist attack on the Khmelnytsky community of UAVs.
· Several buildings were damaged. Firefighting continues.
03:32: The head of the Khmelnytsky OVA Serhiy Gamaliy reported the third explosion in Khmelnytskyi.
02:37: A second explosion sounded in Khmelnytskyi, the head of the OVA Gamaliy said.
02:21: The head of the Khmelnytsky OVA Serhiy Gamaliy said that an explosion sounded in Khmelnytskyi.
02:02 Social Networks: The sound of an explosion is heard in Khmelnytskyi.
ZHYTOMIR
February 27
00:21 Social Networks: Explosions are heard in the Zhytomyr region. Previously, air defense works.
Comparing Soviet invasion of Afghanistan to Russian invasion of Ukraine using Wikipedia and Ukraine Ministry of Defense Daily Bulletins. Soviet and Russian military losses not including captured equipment.
SOURCES
https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/
https://euromaidanpress.com/
https://cutt.ly/Blyskavka
www.ubn.news