Victory Chronicles-DAY 1076

According to an intelligence source from Ukrainska Pravda, drones operated by the SBU and CCO targeted the Volgograd Oil Refinery and Astrakhan Gas Processing Plant on Feb. 3.  These sites are major producers of fuel for the Russian army. The Volgograd refinery processes nearly 6 percent of all oil in Russia, while the Astrakhan plant processes 12 billion cubic meters of gas condensate annually. 

At the Volgograd plant, the drones caused fires in the flare farm that primarily processes units. The gas condensate processing complex at the Astrakhan plant was also damaged, resulting in a fire and the evacuation of workers. This marks the fifth successful Ukrainian special operation this year targeting Russian military-industrial facilities that produce fuel for the invading army, according to the source. The General Staff of the Armed Forces has confirmed these strikes on enemy military targets in Russia.

In an interview with the Associated Press, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reveals that Ukraine has received approximately $76 billion of the $177 billion in U.S. military aid.

Zelenskyy clarified that Ukraine did not receive the full $100 billion or $200 billion that various sources have claimed in reports. Instead, the aid came in the form of weapons worth around $70 billion. He stated that while there may be hundreds of different programs on paper, the actual amount received by Ukraine is around $76 billion. Zelenskyy also mentioned the termination of funding for humanitarian programs, including an energy program worth $200 million and programs related to medicine and border crossing. He acknowledged that these programs will be closed, and he plans to seek support from alternative European sources or internal resources instead.

On Feb. 2, Russian occupation forces conduct a drone strike on the Sloboda neighborhood in Kharkiv. The attack resulted in a large-scale fire at a privately-owned business. The fire was eventually extinguished on the same day. According to the head of the Kharkiv Regional Military Administration, Oleh Syniehubov, no information on casualties was available at that time, and the extent of the destruction was being assessed.

In January, the anti-aircraft gunners of the 47th Magura Brigade conducted a hunt for Russian drones. The official Facebook page of the 47th separate mechanized brigade reported that a total of 13 enemy drones were destroyed during these operations. The hunt took place both during the day and at night. The drones that were successfully shot down included 7 Zala unmanned vehicles (UAVs), 2 Skat UAVs, 2 Supercam UAVs, and 2 ZALA Lancet UAVs.

Russian forces reportedly struck a dormitory housing mostly elderly Russian civilians in Sudzha, Kursk Oblast on Feb. 1 as Russian authorities widely attempted to deny responsibility for the strike and blame Ukraine. 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian Air Force reported that Russian forces conducted a guided glide bomb strike against a former boarding school dormitory holding 84 Russian civilians preparing to evacuate and four Ukrainian police officers. 

The Ukrainian General Staff reported that the strike injured four people and killed four. The Ukrainian Air Force warned that Russian sources are attempting to blame Ukraine for the strike. The Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) and senior Russian officials claimed that Ukrainian forces conducted a missile strike from Sumy Oblast against a dormitory holding civilians in Sudzha.

Russian military bloggers widely claimed that Ukrainian forces conducted the strike. Russian opposition media outlet Agentstvo reported that Russian state-run TV stations Channel One (Perviy Kanal) and NTV claimed that Ukrainian forces conducted the strike against a dormitory holding civilians in Sudzha but also reported Russian airstrikes on Ukrainian positions in Kursk Oblast. ISW was not unable to independently verify the details of the strike at the time of publication.

Sr. Sgt. Tykhon Kurbatov (call sign Tykhyi) was killed by an enemy sniper’s bullet on Aug. 28, 2019, near the village of Shumy, Donetsk region. The defender was 26 years old.

The fighter was from the city of Siverskodonetsk, Luhansk region. He defended the country as part of the Aidar 24th Assault Battalion. He served as a platoon commander.

Kurbatov received a number of awards for his service, including the medal “For Military Service”, the Order “For Courage” of the III degree, and the Presidential Award “For Participation in the Anti-Terrorist Operation” (posthumously). 

“Tykhon was a brave warrior, a decent and friendly person. He was a good brother and friend. Tykhon will forever remain in our hearts,” his cousin Yuriy said. The defender was buried in his hometown. Kurbatov is survived by his mother Raisa Vasylivna, father Oleksandr Fedorovych and other relatives.

*Kurbatov’s story on the Heroes Memorial – a platform for stories about the fallen defenders of Ukraine.

• The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi: Armed Forces of Ukraine Begin Transition To Corps-Based Command System
• Spanish foreign minister: Only Zelenskyy speaks of peace, Putin speaks of war
• Russian losses amounted to 1,300 killed and wounded, and the Ukrainian Armed Forces destroyed 51 artillery systems of the invaders.
• UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer will call for increased economic pressure on Russia and continued support for Ukraine
• President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy: Ukrainian strike on command post in Russia’s Kursk Oblast caused dozens of officer casualties
• Ex-Tory MP Jack Lopresti joins Ukraine’s foreign legion to aid fight against Putin
• NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte: Ukraine will not lose war, we must help it become stronger