Live blog: Ukraine pulls back from position south of embattled Avdiivka

Friday, February 16, 2024

1706 GMT — Ukraine said it was pulling back from a position on the southern outskirts of frontline city Avdiivka, a main target for Moscow ahead of the second anniversary of the Russian military operations.

Facing a shortage of ammunition and outnumbered on the battlefield, Ukraine may be forced to withdraw from the eastern town, which has become a symbol of Ukrainian resistance against the Russian attack.

"After many months of confrontation, the command decided to withdraw from the Zenit position on the southeastern outskirts of Avdiivka," Oleksandr Tarnavsky, a Ukrainian general in the east, said on social media.

He noted that the move was made to "save personnel and improve the operational situation", adding that the withdrawal did "not give the enemy a strategic advantage".

More updates 👇

1644 GMT — Russian offensive catalyst for renewables in Ukraine: minister

The wartime destruction of its coalmines and several of its power plants are proving a catalyst for Ukraine's renewable energy transition, said the country's Energy Minister German Galushchenko.

Ukraine is also looking to replace some of its lost nuclear energy production, he added.

The minister said moves towards wind and solar power, coupled with the war's impact on classic energy infrastructure, means that "the green transition should be implemented faster than we expected."

Russian forces have destroyed 11 coalmines, which they did to weaken Kiev's capacity to produce energy, Galushchenko told AFP on the sidelines of an IEE energy summit this week in Paris.

"Of course we would never restart the operations, that's obvious," said Galushchenko. "We understand that we will never repair" the destroyed facilities.

1455 GMT — Russia operations in Ukraine have probably cost up to $211B: US official

Russia has probably spent up to $211 billion in equipping, deploying and maintaining its operations in Ukraine and Moscow and has lost more than $10 billion in cancelled or postponed arms sales, a senior US defence official said.

The official, who was briefing reporters on condition of anonymity, said the war had cost Russia an expected $1.3 trillion in previously anticipated economic growth through 2026.

About 315,000 Russian troops had either been killed or injured so far, the official added.

1404 GMT — Failure to back Ukraine 'would be gift to Putin': US VP Harris

Failure to back Ukraine in its war against Russia would be a gift to Russian leader Vladimir Putin, US Vice President Kamala Harris said, while new military aid was stalled in Congress.

"We will work to secure critical weapons and resources that Ukraine so badly needs and let me be clear, the failure to do so would be a gift to Vladimir Putin," Harris said in a speech at the Munich Security Conference in Germany.

1347 GMT — Germany, Ukraine sign security accord during Zelenskyy’s Berlin visit

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz signed a key security agreement with Ukraine’s president, and announced a new military aid package, including howitzers and air defence systems. 


Speaking at a joint news conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Berlin, Scholz underlined that the security agreement marks another “historic step” in relations between Berlin and Kiev.

"Germany will continue to support the independent Ukraine in its defence against Russian war of aggression, and we will do so, as long as it takes," he said, adding that the agreement would ensure long-term military support to Ukrainian forces.

1011 GMT — EU to give Ukraine long-range weapons, participate in war: Moscow

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has claimed that the EU is changing its strategy on Ukraine, betting on supplies of long-range weapons capable of reaching the "heart" of Russia.

Speaking at a news conference in Moscow, Lavrov said the goal is to sow panic within Russian society, to weaken the country from the inside.

"According to our data, the European foreign policy service made recommendations for Ukraine, asserting that it will not be possible to win by the methods with which Ukraine is fighting now –– if Ukraine continues this way it will lose.

"Therefore, it is necessary to bet on the transfer of even more long-range weapons to Ukraine so that they reach the heart of Russia, as the EU describes it, and sow confusion and panic, undermine the trust of the people. Isn't this a direct participation in the war? Of course it is," he emphasised.

1026 GMT — Ukraine's Zelenskyy to sign security agreements with Germany, France

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected to sign bilateral security agreements with Germany and France as Kiev works to shore up Western support nearly two years after Russia launched its full-scale war in Ukraine.

The Ukrainian leader was welcomed by Chancellor Olaf Scholz at the German chancellery in Berlin and was set to continue to Paris to meet French President Emmanuel Macron.

The bilateral security and long-term support agreements follow a security agreement between Ukraine and the UK signed when British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak visited Kiev last month. That accord covers the next 10 years.

1023 GMT — Ukraine reinforces embattled Avdiivka amid 'fierce' fighting

Ukraine said it was sending more reinforcements to the frontline city of Avdiivka, a main target for Moscow ahead of the second anniversary of the Russian offensive.

Facing a shortage of ammunition and outnumbered on the battlefield, Ukraine may be forced to withdraw from the eastern town, which has become a symbol of Ukrainian resistance against the Russian attack.

0500 GMT — EU must double Ukraine aid, as US turns off the taps: institute

The European Union will have to double its military support to Ukraine to fill a gap left by the United States after months of blockage of new aid by Congress, a research institute that monitors assistance said.

With existing funding having already dried up, Republicans in the US House of Representatives are blocking authorising $60B in new military aid despite Ukrainian commanders and Western officials having said in recent days that Ukrainian troops are running out of ammunition.

"It is highly uncertain whether the US will send further military aid in 2024," the Germany-based Kiel Institute said in a report on the state of play of military, financial and humanitarian aid to the war-battered country since the Russian offensive on February 24, 2022.

"Europe will have to at least double its current military support efforts in case there is no further support from the United States," said Christoph Trebesch, head of the Ukraine Support Tracker and Research Director at the Kiel Institute.

0500 GMT — Ukraine's Zelenskyy heads to Berlin, Paris to drum up wartime aid

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was expected to visit Germany and France to try to drum up vital military assistance and sign bilateral security commitments as the war with Russia nears its third year.

The trip comes as Kiev's troops are trying to hold back Russian forces closing in on the eastern town of Avdiivka. Ukraine faces a shortage of manpower and ammunition stockpiles, while US military aid has been delayed for months.

Germany and France appear poised to become the second and third Ukrainian allies to sign bilateral security deals that would establish terms for continued support until Ukraine's aspiration to join the NATO military alliance.

1930 GMT — Ukraine's Avdiivka on the brink of falling: White House

The Ukrainian city of Avdiivka is at risk of falling to Russian forces, White House spokesperson John Kirby said, citing Ukrainian troops' lack of artillery ammunition.

Ukraine said on Thursday it was withdrawing troops from some parts of the eastern town to better positions after months of heavy fighting.

2303 GMT — Ukraine reinforces 'extremely critical' frontline town

Ukraine has rushed soldiers to the embattled eastern town of Avdiivka, surrounded on three sides by Russian forces, where the military said the situation was "extremely critical".

The announcement of reinforcements came as a Ukrainian rocket strike on the Russian border city of Belgorod killed at least seven people, officials there said. Ukraine said four people were killed following a spree of Russian air and missile attacks.

"The Third Separate Assault Brigade confirms that it was urgently redeployed to strengthen Ukrainian troops in the Avdiivka area," the brigade said in a Telegram post. It described the situation as "extremely critical," "threatening", and "unstable", adding that Russia was "throwing new forces and resources into the town".

2231 GMT — Russia using thousands of SpaceX Starlink terminals in Ukraine: WSJ

Russian troops in Ukraine are using thousands of Starlink satellite communications terminals made by Elon Musk's SpaceX, the Ukrainian military intelligence chief told the Wall Street Journal in an interview.

Lieutenant General Kyrylo Budanov said Russian troops have been communicating over the Starlink system "for quite a long time" and acquired the terminals from private Russian firms that purchased them from intermediaries.

The intermediaries, he said, deliver the equipment to Russia through neighbouring countries, including former Soviet Republics.

For our live updates from Thursday, February 15, click here.