Exclusives
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Ukraine’s contested cultural ban strikes at the heart of Putin’s imperial strategy. Ukraine’s cultural blockade of Russian art is more than wartime nationalism —it’s a frontline defense against Putin’s “Russian world” colonial ideology. |
Military
Russia’s Astrakhan gas processing plant halts operations after Ukrainian drone attack. After the strike overnight on 3 February, the repairs may take at least three months.
Frontline report: Russia’s Kursk offensive crumbles as North Koreans pull back. North Korean forces withdrew after suffering heavy losses due to poor coordination with Russians, the language barrier, and inadequate adaptation to modern warfare, despite being well-equipped with advanced weapons.
Ukrainians push Russians back from forward positions near Borova in Kharkiv oblast. Meanwhile, Russians advanced near Kupiansk, Borova, and in multiple locations in Donetsk Oblast.
ISW: Russian advances slow despite maintaining high casualty rates. In January, Russia lost 96 soldiers per seized km², the second-highest monthly casualty rate after December.
As of 4 FEB 2025, the approximate losses of weapons and military equipment of the Russian Armed Forces from the beginning of the invasion to the present day:
- Personnel: 842930 (+1270)
- Tanks: 9938 (+18)
- APV: 20709 (+24)
- Artillery systems: 22655 (+66)
- MLRS: 1269 (+1)
- Anti-aircraft systems: 1053
- Aircraft: 369
- Helicopters: 331
- UAV: 24003 (+92)
- Cruise missiles: 3054
- Warships/boats: 28
- Submarines: 1
- Vehicles and fuel tanks: 35921 (+123)
Intelligence and Technology
Ukrainian robotic grenade-launcher turret enters serial production. The Buria carries the Mk 19 belt-fed automatic grenade launcher, and can be installed on a tripod and ground drones.
Ukrainian war veterans with prosthetics raise 6-meter national flag at Kilimanjaro peak. Their six-day climb was documented by the Second Wind media project and will be featured in a film set for release in fall 2025.
Ukraine’s spy chief says nearly 8,000 North Korean soldiers still fighting in Russia’s Kursk Oblast. Despite heavy losses, nearly 8,000 North Korean soldiers continue to support Russian military operations in Kursk Oblast, where they are being used as “cannon fodder” in intense combats.
Ukraine’s FPV “air defenses” slash Russian drone reconnaissance capabilities. The Commander of Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces said Russians use many times fewer reconnaissance drones due to FPV drones shooting them down.
Ukraine becomes first to use 1000-pound JDAM-ER guided bombs. Combat footage showed a Ukrainian Soviet-era Su-27 heavy fighter releasing two guided bombs, striking Russian targets.
Forbes: Ukrainian “lurk-and-strike” FPV drones execute high-profile assassinations behind Russian lines. Three newly released videos document Ukrainian forces transforming basic FPV drones into lethal ambush weapons, striking targets from concealed positions along Russian supply routes.
South Korea’s Intelligence confirms North Korean troops’ withdrawal from Kursk Oblast after heavy losses. South Korean intelligence reports North Korean troops stopped combat operations in Russian Kursk Oblast after losing up to 4,000 soldiers, including an entire brigade destroyed in battle with Ukrainian forces.
International
Lithuanian media launches third drone fundraising campaign for Ukraine. Two-thirds of the funds raised will go toward Lithuanian-made drones and anti-drone systems, while the remaining third will support Ukrainian domestic production.
Ukraine plans Trump team meetings amid US push for peace. Ukrainian diplomats prepare multiple meetings with Trump’s team while questions persist about potential compromises on territory and military aid in exchange for mineral access.
67% of Germans support military aid to Ukraine, survey reveals. Surprisingly, German support for military aid for Ukraine is higher than in Poland, where it shrinks to 49%.
Israeli PM Netanyahu seeks US weapons for possible strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites.
Trump appoints Keith Kellogg as special envoy for Ukraine and Russia. Ukrainian sources claim Kellogg is going to visit Kyiv in mid-February.
Reuters: US weapons shipments to Ukraine paused briefly before weekend restart. Trump administration debates Ukraine aid policy, briefly pausing support as White House factions clash over military assistance, while Biden-approved shipments continue.
Trump wants Ukraine’s rare earth minerals in exchange for continued aid. The US President said he’s seeking a deal where Ukraine secures US military and economic support with “their rare earth and other things.”
Humanitarian and Social Impact
Zelenskyy: Ukraine to discuss Zaporizhzhia NPP liberation in first talks with Russia. Ukraine’s president says the occupied nuclear plant is deteriorating under Russian control, posing a major security risk.
Russia facilitates the resettlement of Russians to “abandoned” apartments in Mariupol. The calculated strategy aims for population replacement in the occupied Ukrainian territories.
Ukraine secures return of 12 children from Russian-occupied territories. A sixteen-year-old girl who lost her mother under occupation and eight-year-old girl targeted for refusing Russian citizenship are among 12 Ukrainian children returned from Russian-controlled areas.
Russian missile strike on central Izium kills four. A ballistic missile struck the Kharkiv Oblast city at about 11:30, killing four, injuring 20 civilians, and damaging administrative and residential buildings.
British 18-year-old man dies in Ukraine due to Russian drone attack on first combat mission. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky praised an 18-year-old British volunteer killed by a Russian drone while delivering supplies to the front line.
UN monitors report “alarming rise” in Russian executions of Ukrainian POWs. THe UN says 79 cases of summary executions by Russians have been recorded since August 2023. Ukrainian authorities investigate dozens of such cases.
Political and Legal Developments
Ukraine’s Ministry of Digital Transformation faces funding crisis as USAID halts support. The Ministry of Digital Transformation in Ukraine is facing a significant funding gap after the US Agency for International Development paused its financial support for at least three months, potentially stalling crucial digital projects.
Russia plans propaganda broadcast on Yalta Conference Anniversary to paint Ukraine as dependent Nazi state. Kyiv warns Russia plans multinational broadcast on Yalta Conference anniversary to promote its imperial narratives about Ukraine.
Yanukovych’s son linked to coal exports from Russian-occupied Donbas, media reveals. The son of the fugitive Ukrainian president toppled by the Euromaidan revolution uses offshore schemes to sell cheap stolen coal mainly to Türkiye.
Read our earlier daily review here.
