Live blog: Ukraine army chief Valery Zaluzhny removed from post

Thursday, February 8, 2024

1726 GMT — After days of speculation that change was coming, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that he was thankful for the service of the outgoing Gen. Valery Zaluzhny — a military leader popular with troops and the general public.

"Today we had a frank discussion about what needs to change in the army. Urgent changes," Zelenskyy said in a statement on social media.

"I have offered General Zaluzhny to continue to be part of the team of the Ukrainian state. I would be grateful for his consent," Zelenskyy wrote.

Oleksandr Syrsky, who commanded Ukraine's lightning Autumn 2022 counter-offensive in the northeastern Kharkiv region, will take Zaluzhny's place, Zelenskyy said.

"The tasks of 2022 are different from those of 2024. Therefore, everyone must change and adapt to the new realities as well. In order to win together," Zaluzhny said after his long-rumoured dismissal was announced.

More updates 👇

1807 GMT — US Senate votes to begin work on precarious Ukraine aid package

The US Senate voted to move forward on a sweeping package of aid for Ukraine and Israel after a larger deal that included stringent immigration curbs was shot down by Republicans.

Even if it advances from the Senate, the fallback bill -- which includes around $60 billion for Kiev as it battles a two-year military offensive by Russia -- faces an uphill climb to President Joe Biden's desk as it lacks support among the Republicans who run the House of Representatives.

1805 GMT — Russia says 100 POWs returned in swap with Ukraine

Russia has said it had secured the release of 100 of its prisoners of war in the latest swap since Moscow accused Kiev of downing a plane carrying captured Ukrainian soldiers.

"On 8 February, as a result of negotiations, 100 Russian servicemen who were in mortal danger in captivity were returned from territory controlled by the Kiev regime," Russia's defence ministry said in a statement, which added that Moscow had handed over 100 Ukrainian servicemen in return.

Russia said its men will be brought to Moscow for rehabilitation in military medical centres.

1612 GMT — EU lawmakers worry about Russia 'influence agents' among them

EU lawmakers expressed worries Thursday about Russian "interference" in European democracy, including by using "influence agents" among them and encouraging right wing parties to undermine support for Ukraine.

In a vote carried 433 to 56, the European Parliament adopted a nonbinding text condemning "continuous efforts by Russia to undermine European democracy through various forms of interference and disinformation".

1353 GMT — Polish PM: US Republicans should be ashamed for not backing Ukraine aid

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said that Republican senators in the United States should be ashamed for blocking a $60 billion aid package for Ukraine, saying former US President Ronald Reagan would be "turning in his grave".

"Dear Republican Senators of America. Ronald Reagan, who helped millions of us to win back our freedom and independence, must be turning in his grave today," Tusk wrote on social media platform X.

"Shame on you."

1346 GMT — UN panel demands Russia halt 'forcible transfer' of Ukrainian children

Russia must end the forcible transfer of children from Ukraine and provide information about those already taken and ensure they are returned home, a UN committee said.

The United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child, a panel of 18 independent experts, pressed Russia on the deportation allegations during a regular review of its record last month.

Committee vice chair Bragi Gudbrandsson told reporters the experts had concluded there was "evidence of forced transfer of children from Ukraine to Russia".

Ukraine says that 20,000 children have been forced to Russia since the war erupted in February 2022.

1057 GMT — Scholz calls for more aid to Ukraine ahead of talks with Biden

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz urged the European Union and the United States to step up efforts to supply aid to war-torn Ukraine, ahead of a visit to Washington for talks with President Joe Biden.

"We must find a way to all do more together," Scholz said in Berlin, adding that what had been promised by Europe and the United States to Kiev in its fight against Moscow was "still not enough".

Scholz's visit to key ally the United States comes as a $60 billion aid package for Kiev pushed by Biden has become held up in the Senate amid Republican chaos. EU leaders last week agreed to 50 billion euros ($54 billion) of aid for Ukraine, overcoming months of opposition from Hungarian leader Viktor Orban.

The German leader has voiced hope this could help Biden in his efforts to push through the package in Washington.

1003 GMT — Avdiivka, Ukraine faces heavy Russian assault, mayor reports

Large numbers of Russian forces are storming the frontline Ukrainian town of Avdiivka, escalating a months-long effort to capture the industrial hub. "Unfortunately, the enemy is pressing from all directions. There is not a single part of our city that is more or less calm," Mayor Vitaly Barabash told state media.

"They are storming with very large forces," he added. The capture of Avdiivka would provide a much-needed victory for Russia, in the run-up to the second anniversary of its fully-fledged offensive and its March presidential election.


It would also mark the first significant change along the frontline in months, despite fierce and costly fighting that has stretched the resources of both sides. Yet analysts suggest that the town, which lies in a Ukrainian-controlled pocket, holds little strategic value for either military.

1001 GMT — Russian anti-war politician barred from presidential election by election commission

Russia's election commission blocked anti-war politician Boris Nadezhdin from running in next month's presidential election, the candidate said in a post on social media.

"The CEC (Central Election Commission) refused to register my candidacy for the post of president of the Russian Federation," Nadezhdin said, adding that he would appeal against the decision at Russia's supreme court. "I do not agree with the commission's decision... Participating in the 2024 presidential election is the most important political decision of my life. I will not pull back from my intentions. I will appeal against the CEC's decision at the Supreme Court," he said on Telegram.

At a hearing in Moscow, election officials said they found flaws with more than 9,000 of the 105,000 signatures Nadezhdin submitted from people backing his candidacy—above the permitted five-percent error rate. Only three other candidates now are registered to stand in next month's election.

President Vladimir Putin is set to secure another six-year term in the March 15-17 contest.

0848 GMT — Poland's Tusk slams US republicans for blocking Ukraine aid bill

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has severely scolded US Republican senators after they voted to block a bill on financial support for Ukraine.

“Dear Republican Senators of America. Ronald Reagan, who helped millions of us to win back our freedom and independence, must be turning in his grave today. Shame on you," Tusk wrote Thursday on X, referring to the late US president, a Republican icon who vocally supported Poland’s Solidarity movement in the 1980s.

On Wednesday, Republican senators voted to block a bill on $95 billion in financial assistance to Ukraine and Israel. The legislation included $60 billion in wartime aid to Ukraine and $14 billion for Israel.

The $60 billion in Ukraine aid has been stalled in Congress for several months due to opposition from conservatives, who call it a waste and have pressed for an exit strategy from the war.

0144 GMT — Ukraine aid in limbo as Senate Republicans block border deal

Democrats in the US Senate are due to make a fresh attempt to restore funding to Ukraine after a first vote on a multi-billion-dollar aid package failed amid Republican chaos.

Republicans blocked the $118 billion package after coming under pressure from former president and presumptive 2024 nominee Donald Trump to leave the country's border crisis for him to campaign on as an election issue.

That led to an hours-long standoff in the upper chamber of Congress, resolved only when party leaders elected to schedule a new vote that puts immigration on the back burner and calls for $95 billion in aid, mostly for Ukraine and Israel.

Democratic Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said the Senate would reconvene at noon on Thursday "to give our Republican colleagues the night to figure themselves out" — but the showdown had angered his rank-and-file.

0216 GMT — IAEA delegation arrives at Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant

A delegation from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) headed by Director General Rafael Grossi arrived at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (NPP).

"Russian military personnel ensured the safe conduct of the next rotation of observers of the IAEA mission at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant," said a statement by the Russian Defence Ministry.

Separately, Grossi said in a statement on X that he "assessed observance of the IAEA's 5 principles for protecting the plant & status of current power and cooling systems, levels of qualified staff, among others."

"These are vital assessments for the facility's safety and security—no place for complacency," he added.

0120 GMT — Macron should not 'fantasise' about Russian threat of war against West: Zakharova

Russia's Foreign Ministry spokesperson said that French President Emmanuel Macron should not "fantasise" about a Russian threat of war against the West, reacting to comments he made during an official visit to Sweden in late January.

"From whom Macron is going to protect the members of the EU, especially by using nuclear weapons, this is, of course, a good question… If by potential aggressor we mean our country, then we need to formulate it that way," Maria Zakharova told Anadolu Agency during a press briefing in Moscow.

"Then we are talking once again about baseless fantasies on the topic of a mythical Russian threat to the EU and NATO, which exist only in the fevered imaginations of Western politicians."

For our live updates from Wednesday, February 7, click here.