Fighting
The war in Ukraine continues as it enters its 715th day. On Thursday, February 8, 2024, Russia fired missiles and drones at six regions of Ukraine, killing at least five people and injuring 50. The Ukrainian military managed to intercept 44 of the 64 drones and missiles launched by Russia. About 20,000 homes in Kyiv were left without power. Moscow claimed it was targeting Ukrainian weapons factories. A preliminary assessment concluded that two of the five missiles targeting Kharkiv were made in North Korea. Russia also reported intercepting two Ukrainian air attacks, destroying 12 rockets and drones over the southwestern region of Belgorod. The United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine documented 158 civilian deaths and 483 wounded last month, showing an increase in casualties compared to last year. The conflict has claimed more than 10,000 civilian lives and wounded nearly 20,000 others.
Politics and Diplomacy
The investigation into the 2022 explosions that damaged the Nord Stream gas pipelines transporting Russian gas to Germany was dropped by Sweden. An amended bill to lower the age of the military draft in Ukraine passed its first reading. Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis expressed hope for China’s involvement in Ukraine peace talks, while Russian courts jailed two Russians for treason over their support for Ukraine. The upper house of Russia’s parliament unanimously backed a bill allowing the authorities to confiscate assets from those convicted of spreading “deliberately false information” about the country’s military. The Ukrainian Olympic Committee asked the International Olympic Committee to investigate the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in the Paris Olympics following alleged breaches of neutrality. Russian President Vladimir Putin also granted an interview to right-wing US television host Tucker Carlson.
Weapons
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged Western allies to speed up and increase their delivery of artillery shells following Wednesday’s Russian attack. European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell met with Zelenskyy to discuss weapons deliveries and aid, emphasizing the EU’s commitment to support Ukraine. US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and NATO chief Jen Stoltenberg both expressed the United States’ commitment to deliver further military aid to Ukraine.