Photo : Russia’s Investigative Committee
Photo : Russia’s Investigative Committee
War in Ukraine: Day 708
By Padmashree Anandhan
War on the Ground
On 01 February, Ukraine’s interior ministry reported on missile attack near Kupiansk, one of the frontline areas under Russia’s control. Four people were injured and a medical facility was damaged according to the report. On the same Russia’s defence ministry claimed on shooting down 11 drones of Ukraine in Belgorod and Kursk areas near the border.
On 01 February, Kyrylo Budanov, Chief of Ukraine’s GUR military intelligence unit highlighted Ukrainian forces plan to increase attacks on Russia’s infrastructure sites. In a statement he said: “Hypothetically, there is a plan according to which all this is happening. I think that this plan may include all major critical and military infrastructure in Russia.” Apart from this he also called on the US to send A-10 fighter jets to improve Ukraine’s offensive capabilities.
The Moscow View
Claims by Russia
On 01 February, Russia’s Foreign Ministry issued a statement on Russia and China government holding a joint meeting in Beijing to asses the biological security concerns. This was aimed to address the threats from bioweapons, especially those developed by the US military. According to the statement, under the Biological and Toxic Weapons Convention (BTWC) treaty format the coordination and interaction was held to take check on biological activities of the US.
On 01 February, RT reported on Russia’s Investigative Committee statement on identification of all the passengers from the Il-76 aircraft. According to the Committee, more than 670 “body fragments” were recovered from the crash site and the genetic material were collected to identify the victims. Following this, it confirmed that it belonged to the 65 prisoners of war including Russian crew members. It also released a video covering the crash site and gathering of evidences.
The West View
Reponses from the US and Europe
On 01 February, in its intelligence report, the UK Ministry of Defence highlighted Russia’s move in combining former Wagner troops into its national guard. After the fall of the Wagner group leader, Rosgvardia has become the latest private army of Vladimir Putin, Russia’s President and has been reportedly recruiting volunteers on contractual basis to serve in Ukraine (six-month) and Africa (nine-month). This was viewed as Russia’s ability to impose control and command on the Wagner group.
On 01 February, ERR News reported on increase in the medicine trade between Russia and Estonia by 600 times, especially in exporting of blood transfusion equipment. According to the report, the medical equipment was the most exported goods with a value of EUR 57.5 million in 2023 between the two countries. This was due to the demand from Russia’s hospitals, laboratories, blood banks related to Russia’s Ministry of Health to help injured Russian soldiers. The same was confirmed by Estonian Tax and Customs Board on exports crossing 5.6 metric tonnes in 2021, whereas this increased to 3,400 metric tonnes in 2023.
References
“All victims of Ukrainian POW plane crash identified – investigators,” RT, 01 February 2024
“Russia and China unite over US bioweapons threat,” RT, 01 February 2024
“War in Ukraine boosts Estonian-Russian medicine trade 600-fold,” ERR News, 01 February 2024
Amy Sedghi and Warren Murray, “Russia-Ukraine war live: former Wagner units join Russian national guard known as Putin’s ‘private army’ – as it happened,” The Guardian, 01 February 2024