Rescuers work at the site of a residential building damaged by a Russian missile strike, Kharkiv, Ukraine, February 5, 2023 (Reuters)

Thursday’s Coverage: Zelenskiy’s London Triumph — But Will It Bring Fighter Jets?

Source: Institute for the Study of War

UPDATE 1501 GMT:

Switzerland has rejected a request from Spain for the re-export of Swiss-made anti-aircraft guns to Ukraine.

Spain asked in January to send two 35mm anti-aircraft guns to Kyiv.

Switzerland has previously vetoed requests from Denmark and Germany for the despatch of Swiss-made armored vehicles.

Switzerland’s War Materials Act prohibits the export of war materials to a destination country involved in an internal or international armed conflict.

UPDATE 1310 GMT:

The Ukraine Air Force says it shot down 61 of 71 Russian cruise missiles fired on the country on Friday.

The air force said Russia fired X-101, X-555, and Kalibr missiles from eight Tu-95MS strategic bombers, ships in the Caspian Sea, and land positions in the city of Volgodonsk in Russia.

Ukraine Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal posted on Telegram:

Russia cannot accept failures and therefore continues to terrorize the population. Another attempt to destroy the Ukrainian energy system and deprive Ukrainians of light, heat, and water.

UPDATE 1303 GMT:

Russia has announced a cut of 5% of its oil production.

The decrease of 500,000 barrels per day is about 0.5% of global output.

The Kremlin had pointed towards the move since the European Union and the G7 nations — the US, Canada, Japan, the UK, France, Germany, and Italy — imposed a $60 per barrel price cap on imports of Russian oil in early December.

The price of Brent crude oil rose by $2 per barrel, to $86.60, after the announcement.

UPDATE 1258 GMT:

Romania’s Defense Ministry has clarified its statement about the detection of a Russian cruise missile en route to Ukraine (see 1048 GMT).

The Ministry explained that the missile, launched from a Russian ship near occupied Crimea, did not overfly Romania. Instead, it crossed Moldovan airspace before hitting Ukraine, about 35 km (22 miles) northeast of Romania’s border.

UPDATE 1057 GMT:

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko says 10 missiles were shot down over the Ukrainian capital: “There is damage to electrical networks. There are no casualties. Energy workers are working to restore networks.”

UPDATE 1048 GMT:

Moldova has summoned the Russian Ambassador after one of Moscow’s missiles overflew Moldovan airspace en route to Ukraine.

The Moldovan Defense Ministry strongly condemned “the violation of the airspace” and called on Moscow to “stop military aggression against a neighboring country”.

Romania’s Defence Ministry says its surveillance systems detected what appeared to be a cruise missile launched from a Russian ship near Russian-occupied Crimea.

UPDATE 0925 GMT:

Kharkiv Governor Oleh Synyehubov says seven people have been injured, two seriously by the latest Russian strikes about 10:30 a.m.

UPDATE 0903 GMT:

The Ukraine Air Force says Russia has attacked cities and critical infrastructure facilities, with “up to 35 anti-aircraft guided missiles” on the Kharkiv region in the northeast and the Zaporizhzhia region in the south.

The Russians also launched six Kalibr missiles launched from the Black Sea and seven Iranian-made “kamikaze” drones from the Sea of Azov.

Five Kalibr missiles and five drones were downed, the Air Force said.

UPDATE 0842 GMT:

Kyiv Mayor Vitaly Klitschko, reports that “debris from a rocket damaged a car and the roof of a private house in the Holosiivskyi district”.

“The missile attack continues. Stay in shelters!” he urged.

In Mykolaiv in southern Ukraine, Governor Vitaliy Kim says a wave of attacks is incoming.

UPDATE 0812 GMT:

There are indications of the third nationwide wave of Russian missile strikes this year.

Explosions are reported in the Kremenchuk district in the Poltava region in central Ukraine, with the regional head saying air defense has been activated.

Ukraine State grid operator Ukrenergo says several high-voltage facilities across the country have been hit.

And MP Lesia Vasylenko tweets from Kyiv:

UPDATE 0756 GMT:

UK military intelligence assesses that Russian forces have made limited gains in the Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine after weeks of intensive assaults.

The analysts cite tactical gains north of Bakhmut. Further south, Russian units have advanced towards the western edge of the town of Vuhledar.

But they note, “Russian units have likely suffered particularly heavy casualties around Vuhledar as inexperienced units have been committed. Russian troops likely fled and abandoned at least 30 mostly intact armoured vehicles in a single incident after a failed assault.”

UPDATE 0738 GMT:

French President Emmanuel Macron has held back on any commitment of fighter jets to Ukraine, saying the priority is artillery.

At a summit of EU leaders in Brussels, Macron said early Friday:

I’m not ruling anything out…but [suply of fighter jets] doesn’t correspond to today’s requirements….It is essential the allies favour the most useful equipment [and] the fastest.

Macron cited Caesar artillery and the Mamba medium-range surface-to-air defence system supplied by France. However, his Government also has not yet committed to provision of Leclerc battle tanks, as a coalition proceeds with supply of German-made Leopards.

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy had met Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Paris on Wednesday. He told a news conference yesterday:

Europe will be with us until our victory. I’ve heard it from a number of European leaders…about the readiness to give us the necessary weapons and support, including the aircraft.

ORIGINAL ENTRY: Russia has fired missiles overnight on the Kharkiv region in the northwest and the Zaporizhzhia region in the south.

Kharkiv Governor Oleh Synyehubov reported:

At 4am, the enemy launched rocket attacks on the city of Kharkiv and the region with S-300 missiles. Critical and infrastructure facilities were targeted.

Fires broke out, which the rescuers managed to quickly put out. However, some areas of the city remain without electricity. Specialists are working to eliminate the consequences of the impact.

Fortunately, there were no casualties.

The Russians also attacked Kharkiv on Sunday, heavily damaging the National University and residential buildings.

Zaporizhzhia Acting Mayor Anatoliy Kurtiev said at least 17 missiles struck the city within an hour early Friday morning.

The attacks targeted energy infrastructure in the largest assault on Zaporizhzhia during the Russian invasion.

Air raid alerts are sounding across all of Ukraine.

“There is a big threat of the missile attack. I want to stress again: do not ignore the air alert sirens,” said Serhiy Popko, head of the military administration in Kyiv.

Presidential advisor Anton Gereschenko tweeted:

Since early October, Russia has carried out waves of strikes with missiles and Iranian-supplied attack drones across Ukraine, hitting infrastructure and other civilian sites.

However, amid reports of diminishing stocks of missiles and drones, there has been only one significant nationwide wave this year. The large majority of missiles and almost all drones have been downed by air defenses.

See also Ukraine War, Day 338: Another Failed Russian Missile Barrage