The second round of trilateral talks between the US, Russia, and Ukraine has begun in the United Arab Emirates. No official Russian statement has been made, but it is understood that the talks will focus on Ukraine’s accession to the European Union and its exclusion from NATO. The positions are currently very far apart.
US President Donald Trump has supported Russia over the February 2 attack on Ukrainian energy facilities in Darnitskaya, CHPP-4. “The pause lasted until Sunday. Putin kept his word.” The US has prepared new sanctions against Russia but has not yet implemented them, according to Bloomberg.
According to Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko, “Russia has attacked Ukrainian energy facilities 217 times since the beginning of the year.”
Ukraine’s public debt by 2025 has grown by 30% and exceeded 9 trillion hryvnia ($213.3 billion), according to the Ministry of Finance. The Ukrainian army, meanwhile, has completed one of its most significant reforms since the start of the war: it has switched to an army corps system. This was done to optimize the command and control of troops, which have grown significantly over the past four years. Previously, the army had repeatedly complained about “chaos in command,” which caused losses of men and territory. By the end of last year, 18 army corps had been created, operational-tactical units consisting of 5-7 brigades. Two of these were incorporated into the National Guard, the others into the Armed Forces. The army has generally welcomed the reform: the corps have permanent leadership and resources, and commanders know the capabilities of their brigades. At the same time, according to the army, many army corps are still scattered across different sectors of the front and do not fight with their full complement of brigades.
The Ukrainian armed forces have created a new command for unmanned air defense systems that will counter Russian attack drones, says Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Oleksandr Stanislavovyč Syrs’kyj. The command staff includes highly professional officers with combat experience who have submitted practical proposals for the development of a “small air defense.”
The Russian Foreign Ministry: ‘Berlin’s move towards nuclear weapons would be a clear violation of a number of international obligations’. And still on the subject of nuclear weapons: ‘The United States has not yet responded to the proposal to extend the New START restrictions,’ said Ushakov.
On February 4, Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. “It was about bilateral relations and an exchange of views on international affairs,” he said. Highlights of the Russian presidential spokesman’s briefing: The Russian delegation to the Abu Dhabi talks is a working group on security issues; Russia’s position is extremely clear: the Americans and Ukrainians know this. The door to a peaceful solution is open. Until the Kiev regime makes a decision, the SVO will continue; Russia has significant interests in the Arctic. Moscow is ready to engage in dialogue with other parties, including Brussels. However, confrontation in the Arctic region is unlikely to have a positive effect.
In a press release, Maria Zakarova reiterated: “The presence of coalition troops in Ukraine after the peace agreement is categorically unacceptable to Russia. These troops, she added, will be considered by Moscow as a legitimate military target.”
Vladimir Putin has appointed Sergei Bazhutov and Sergei Tabelsky as deputy prosecutors general of the Russian Federation.
And now a look at the front line, updated at 3:30 p.m. on February 4. In Belgorod, the serious consequences of a missile attack on an energy facility are being dealt with; the city is experiencing power and heating outages due to severe frost. In the Rostov region, a drone was destroyed over the Millerovsky district.
The Russian armed forces carried out attacks in the Odessa region and in the cities of Zaporizhzhia, Kharkiv, and Sumy. In Kyiv, the consequences of the previous night’s attacks on a thermal power plant were shown to the NATO Secretary General.
In the direction of Sumy, the Northern Forces Group continues offensive operations in the Sumy, Krasnopil’s’kyi, and Hlukhivs’kyi districts.
In the Belgorod region, four people were injured as a result of Ukrainian drone strikes. In the village of Zozuly, an Orlan fighter jet was damaged. Shebekino, Ziborovka, Nechayevka, Oktyabrsky, Bochkovka, Sankovo, Novostroyevka-Pervaya, Ilek-Penkovka, Borisovka, and Pyatnitskoye are under attack.
In the direction of Kharkiv, the Russian Northern Group of Forces is attacking south of Vovchansk and in the Khatne area. An attack near the village of Yurchenkove hit a US Hymars MLRS position, which, according to Russian social media sources, was bombing civilian targets in Belgorod.
Heavy fighting continues in Kupjans’k. Local sources report that the objective is to consolidate the outskirts of Kup’yans’k-Vuzlovyi.
West of Severs’k (towards Slov”jans’k), fighting is reported near Nykyforivka. Russian forces continue their offensive, penetrating enemy defenses.
In Kostyantynivka, fighting continues in the southeastern part of the built-up area, and clearance operations are underway north of the Kleban-Byk reservoir. Confirmation has arrived of the Russian Armed Forces’ success in Toretskoye (8 km from Druzhkovka). Maintaining the penetration of enemy defenses creates the conditions for encircling the agglomeration from the southwest.
West of Pokrovs’k, heavy fighting is reported for Hryshyne, as well as in the direction of Serhiivka.
On the Zaporizhzhia front, heavy fighting is taking place along the access roads to Mahdalynivka (northwest of Stepnohirs’k). The settlement is strategic for both armies.
From the Kherson Oblast, the Ukrainian armed forces reported a bombardment of the settlement of Nova Kachovka. The attack hit a multipurpose center and a supermarket. Three civilians were killed and several were wounded. Constant bombardments of villages on the front line continue.
Graziella Giangiulio
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