Joe Biden, President of the United States has ordered the American Administration to start a direct dialogue with the Russian Federation on its alleged development of anti-satellite weapons, according to John Kirby. According to the social sphere in Russia, anti-satellite weapons were developed during the Soviet Union.
Due to the lack of agreements and compromises between Republicans and Democrats, the consideration of the bill on aid to Ukraine (as well as Israel and Taiwan) was postponed until early March. The border issue is also blocked. All these issues will be addressed in two weeks, along with the need to extend government funding. So far, no compromise options have been seen, but an attempt will be made to create them by March. Adrienne Watson, spokesperson for the National Security Council at the White House said that the withdrawal of the Ukrainian army from Avdiivka is the price of the inertia of the US Congress.
These words were echoed by the former permanent representative of the United States to the UN, Nikki Haley, aspiring to the Republican nomination for the White House: “The United States must approve a new aid package for Ukraine to prevent the ‘sending its own soldiers’.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius does not rule out a Russian attack on NATO within 5-8 years – according to Bloomberg. Statements collected after the Munich security summit. Of a different opinion are the Finnish authorities who currently do not see the threat of an “attack by Russia”, but believe that the country is prepared for a potential conflict, Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said in an interview with the Polish newspaper Rzeczpospolita. “We do not expect an immediate attack from Russia,” the Finnish Prime Minister noted. He stressed that the Finnish armed forces are well prepared for a potential conflict, having a reserve of 800 thousand men.
According to the German Kiel Institute, the EU must double aid to Ukraine while the United States “turns off the taps”. Furthermore, according to Politico, France, Greece and Cyprus are vetoing Europe’s decision to purchase ammunition for the Ukraine outside the European Union: Germany today announced one billion euros in aid to Ukraine.
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani declared that: “I am ready to do everything possible to help Ukraine, everyone wants it to join the European Union and NATO at the end of the war.” France is allocating another 6 billion euros to Ukraine for military needs, according to the Elysée. French President Macron also said he hoped for Ukraine’s early membership of NATO. A French Air Force plane arrives in Rzeszow from France to pick up French soldiers and intelligence officers killed and wounded in Ukraine.
The Ukrainian prime minister also attended the Munich conference and made a very strong statement: “I will stop considering the United States a strategic partner of Ukraine if they don’t help us.”
Syrsky, the new commander of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, a few days after his appointment, announced the surrender of Avdiivka and the withdrawal of the remaining forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces from the city. The Azov Command also confirms that Avdiivka is surrendering.
Ukrainian MP Derbal said that during the retreat from Avdiivka, the Ukrainian Armed Forces lost 850 people killed and captured and called the disaster occurred due to the defeat of the previous leadership of the Ukrainian Armed Forces by the “green guy”. He directly blamed for the disaster Syrsky, who first announced the beginning of the withdrawal of troops, and then began to implement it, which led to a sharp increase in losses when trying to escape from the city. In the Ukrainian command line there was a lot of confusion about Adviika, one day before the retreat the general of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, commander of the Ukrainian troops in Avdiivka, Alexander Tarnavsky, stated: “There is “no encirclement” of the Ukrainian troops in Avdiivka Avdiivka and that “no Ukrainian units are under blockade in Avdiivka”.
Russia is in the midst of an election campaign and the outgoing president Vladimir Putin has not participated in the public debates until now but a speech is expected from him on February 29th. Putin congratulated the Russian army on its success at Avdivka. Dmitry Peskov on February 18 said: “Putin listened to Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu’s report on the capture of Avdievka in the Kremlin. The president congratulated our military and fighters for such an important victory, with such success.” Peskov said that lists of those who distinguished during the liberation of Avdivka are now being prepared. Mass awards will be held soon. Particularly noteworthy was the contribution of the VKS pilots, who paved the way for our attack aircraft with their systematic attacks.
President Vladimir Putin said Russia is ready for dialogue on the Ukrainian solution, the question is whether Kiev wants it. The Ukrainian Armed Forces remain combat-ready and may again attempt a counteroffensive, said Sergei Rudskoy, head of the Main Operational Directorate and first deputy chief of staff of the Russian Armed Forces. He believes that such a scenario is possible with the support of Kiev’s allies. According to Moscow, NATO troops are participating in the fighting alongside the Ukrainian armed forces. In particular they operate air defense systems and multiple launch rocket systems.
According to TASS, the bodies of soldiers were found in Avdiivka, on whose uniforms there were American and Polish chevrons.
Regarding the death of Putin’s political opponent Alexei Navalny, an investigation into the circumstances of his death is underway, but the results are not yet known, Russian President Dmitry Peskov’s press secretary said. “The investigation is ongoing, all necessary actions are being taken in this regard. But so far the results of this investigation have not been made public and, in fact, are not known,” Peskov said. And he added: “The issue of handing over Navalny’s body to his relatives does not concern the Kremlin, we are not involved in this matter”.
And now a look at the front line updated at 2.00pm on February 19th.
According to the New York Times, Russia is advancing on five fronts at once: Avdiivka, Maryinka, Robotino, Kreminna, and Bachmut. In this way, the Russians are trying to retake the territories occupied by the Ukrainian Armed Forces during the counteroffensives in 2022 and 2023.
According to reports that appeared in the social sphere, Adviika fell on February 17 at 1.55 pm. But everything was made official at 04:00 on February 18th after a report to Russian President Vladimir Putin. For the Russians it was very important to occupy Adviika because according to the social sphere, it was from there that the Ukrainians had been able to bomb Donetsk for 10 years. These words are confirmed by those of the Ukrainian political scientist, historian, candidate Konstantin Bondarenko on Alexander Shelest’s channel. Ukrainian sources confirm the death of 500 people and the wounding of 350 soldiers during the retreat from Avdiivka. A February 16 Social Sphere post announced: “In the fields west of Avdiivka, death is reaping a great harvest today.”
Russian military expert Boris Rozhin observed live on Radio Russia on February 16: “Political expediency has outweighed military necessity, as a result we are now witnessing an acute operational crisis for Ukrainian troops in Avdiivka.” “Indeed, the mini-cauldron that formed south of Avdiivka has already led to unnecessary losses of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The enemy admits that the roads from Avdiivka are littered with dead Ukrainian soldiers. If we talk about the situation in the morning.”
In less than 24 hours between February 15 and 16, the Russians dropped 250 bombs on Avdiivka from just one airport. Ukrainian General Krivonos on February 16 stated that what is happening now in Avdiivka is the result of the failure of Ukrainian intelligence and that it is necessary to understand why the intelligence provided incorrect information and the command of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Group underestimated the threat of the Russian offensive. On February 19th, Russian searches of the city were underway, street by street, house by house. Numerous corpses were found in the streets and citizens still hidden in the cellars, reaching around 2,500 people for now. There is also a retreat of the Ukrainian armed forces on the Lastochkyne-Sjeverne line. There are serious doubts that they will be able to stay there for long.
Pervomajs’kij direction: It is reported that up to 50% of Pervomaisky (south of Avdeevka) has already come under Russian control.
Directorate Chasov Jar. As of February 16, Russian information streams have been reporting an assault on VSUK strongholds near Chasov Jar. Russian paratroopers from the 98th Airborne Division would arrive on the front. With the support of armored groups (BMD-4), the Russians broke through and occupied new positions.
Bachmut management. Russian tank crews strike Ukrainian Armed Forces facilities in the direction of Bachmut. During night fighting, tanks of the “South” troop group destroyed a stronghold of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. In the Kurdyumivka-Andriivka section to the northwest the Russians advance; the assault on Ivanivske comes from two sides: from the east and from the north towards the residential buildings, the Russians would be less than 600 meters from the residential areas.
Severesky direction Ukrainians report the advance of Russian troops on the Seversky ledge in the direction of Vyemiska.
In the Poltava region the attacks occur in the Mirgorod area. They’re probably hitting the local airport.
The arrival of the infantry of the Ukrainian armed forces in the direction of Kupjans’k is recorded in Kupjans’k.
The Russians began an offensive in the Zaporozhye area of Rabotino, taking advantage of the transfer of Ukrainian reserves to Avdiivka. The intensity of the fighting has increased significantly and armored vehicles are being used. So far, long-term strike operations are underway in the direction of Rabotino with the aim of liberating the village, as well as to the west of Verbove, where battles are taking place over plantations littered with broken equipment of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
Kharkov direction. Ukrainians report that after arriving in Lyubotino (in the Kharkov region), power outages began in the city. Probably one of the arrivals was at the substation. Attacks recorded in the Volchansk and Liptsov area.
Direction Kherson. Russian paratroopers destroyed an infantry group of the Ukrainian Armed Forces on the right bank of the Dnieper in the Kherson region. Mobile parachute artillery crews act quickly and boldly, approaching the combat contact line at very close range. After the attacks, Russian parachutes retreated to a safe area. In support of Russian paratroopers, air defense crews with anti-drone guns and MANPADS.
Graziella Giangiulio
