The war is now in its 722nd day, and the situation on Wednesday, February 14, 2024, is as follows:
Fighting
Russian drone and shelling attacks in eastern, central, and northern Ukraine resulted in the deaths of at least 10 people, including three at a market in Kharkiv. A missile and drone attack on the central city of Dnipro damaged a power plant, leading to school closures and a hospital evacuation. Ukraine’s Air Force claimed to have shot down 16 of the 23 drones used in the attack. UNESCO reported that Russia’s invasion has caused approximately $3.5 billion in damage to Ukraine’s heritage and cultural sites, resulting in the destruction of around 5,000.
Politics and diplomacy
Republican Speaker of the US House of Representatives Mike Johnson blocked war aid for Ukraine, defying President Joe Biden’s request to pass the bill. This decision was influenced by Johnson’s close ties to presidential candidate Donald Trump. Russia added Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas and two top officials to its wanted list, accusing them of destroying Soviet-era war memorials and showing hostility towards Russia. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken promised sustained efforts to free former Marine Paul Whelan and journalist Evan Gershkovich, both detained in Russia on spying charges. A Russian military appeal court overturned a fine to jail left-wing academic Boris Kagarlitsky for five years after he criticized Moscow’s war in Ukraine.
Weapons
Global defence spending increased by 9 percent to a record $2.2 trillion last year, according to the International Institute for Strategic Studies. Russia has lost approximately 3,000 main battle tanks during the fighting in Ukraine and is now refitting older tanks for use.