Destruction from Russian missile strikes on Zolochiv in the Kharkiv region in northeast Ukraine, February 6, 2024

Destruction from Russian missile strikes on Zolochiv in the Kharkiv region in northeast Ukraine, February 6, 2024

Tuesday’s Coverage: US Senate Presents $60 Billion Aid Bill for Kyiv

Map: Institute for the Study of War

UPDATE 0947 GMT:

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy says two people had been killed and more than 10 injured in Kyiv in Russia’s missile attack this morning.

One person was slain, with dozens of houses destroyed, in Mykolaiv in southern Ukraine. Two people were injured in Kharkiv in the northeast.

“There may be more people under the rubble,” Zelenskiy posted.

Commander-in-chief Gen. Valerii Zalushnyi said air defenses downed 29 of 64 missiles and 15 Iran-made drones launched by Russia.

UPDATE 0648 GMT:

One of China’s leading financial institutions, Chouzhou Commercial Bank, has halted operation with Russian importers, say businessmen, representatives of business associations, and financial consultants.

The sources said the Chinese bank began terminating contacts last week. “We’ve already had several deals fall through because of this,” complaid the owner of one of the companies.

Since the start of 2024, Chinese State-owned banks have tightened restrictions on working with Russian clients, to avoid US secondary sanctions over support of Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.

At least two large banks have begun checking Russian partners, severing relations with those who cooperate with the Russian military-industrial complex or help sanctioned persons.

In December, Chouzhou Commercial warned that it would stop making payments on goods prohibited from import into Russia by sanctions.

Other Chinese banks have closed the foreign currency accounts of Russian companies.

Chouzhou Commercial had become the main settlement center for Russian importers due to its lax attitude towards compliance and its convenient geographical location in Yiwu, one of the main logistics hubs for exports from China to Russia.

UPDATE 0621 GMT:

Russia is attacking with missiles and drones across Ukraine this morning.

After air defense sirens sounded in all regions about 6 a.m., the Kyiv, Mykolaiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Lviv, and Kharkiv oblasts were targeted.

Several explosions are reported above Kyiv, with Mayor Vitalii Klitschko urging residents to remain in shelters, and in Drohobych, located some 77 kilometers south of Lviv in western Ukraine.

UPDATE 0608 GMT:

Russian occupiers are
cutting staff at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant to dangerous levels, the head of the International Energy Agency has warned.

Grossi said the complex, Europe’s largest with six reactors, is “operating with a very, very small number” of personnel.

Ukraine Energy Minister German Galuschenko explained, “We’re talking about 400 people who are highly skilled and, most importantly, licensed. You can’t just take them away.”

Zaporizhzhia’s radioactive fuel is also reaching the end of its useful life and potentially needs safe removal and storage, said Grossi, who is visiting the complex on Wednesday.

He described the state of the plant as “very delicate”.

The Russians seized the plant in the initial days of their February 2022 invasion, turning it into a military base and attacking Ukrainian-held territory across the Dnipro River.

The occupiers have placed mines on the perimeter of the complex. Since the autumn, they have prevented IAEA inspectors from reaching areas in the plant, including the roof and reactor turbine halls.

UPDATE 0558 GMT:

Ukrainian military intelligence claims that Kyiv’s special forces are operating in Sudan, supporting the African country’s army against Russian Wagner mercenaries aligned with the rebel Rapid Support Forces.

Sources gave the Kyiv Post a short film in which a captured Russian fighter is being interrogated alongside two African men.

The Russian says he is from “PMC Wagner” and came into Sudan from the Central African Republic, where the mercenaries are based, “to overthrow the local government” with a force of about 100 fighters.

Earlier videos have shown drone strikes against RSF forces and a pale-skinned sniper described as Ukrainian on social media.

Sudan’s army have been fighting the RSF insurgency since spring 2023.

ORIGINAL ENTRY: Russia’s forces have killed a 2-month-old baby in the destruction of a hotel in northeast Ukraine.

The infant was slain and three people injured when the Russian struck Zolochiv, in the Kharkiv region in northeastern Ukraine, with S-300 missiles about 2:30 a.m. on Tuesday. The three-story hotel was levelled, and 30 buildings were damaged including cafes, a market, and pharmacies.

Four people were initially buried under rubble, but were rescued by emergency services.

Zolochiv is about 47 km (29 miles) north of Kharkiv, close to the Russian border.