This week, Russia has intensified its assault on Avdiyivka. It also launched a massive missile strike at targets across Ukraine.
Ukraine worries about the prospects of western aid. Polish farmers extended Ukraine border blockade and staged protests near three more crossings. A survey published ahead of the Munich Security Conference found that Russia is globally perceived as less of a threat compared to 2022. The U.S. Senate passed a foreign aid bill with USD 60 billion to support Ukraine. It now has to pass the House.
NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg urged member states to send Ukraine ammunition from their own stocks and ramp up production.
The situation in Avdiyivka nears a critical phase. Yet Ukraine has military successes to report. Ukraine’s defense intelligence and armed forces have sunk Russia’s large landing ship Caesar Kunikov. A Moscow factory that manufactures MiG fighter jets was on fire.
Russia has lost more than 400,000 soldiers since invasion, according to Ukraine’s General Staff. Russia has lost around 400,300 troops since it began a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. This updated count includes 1,210 Russian casualties in the past day, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces said on Friday, February 16. In addition to military personnel, Russia has also lost more than 50,000 pieces of equipment. Russian losses in Ukraine have passed 300,000 on October 31, 2023, and grew by 100,000 in less than four months.