Victory Chronicles-DAY 1078

Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) and defense forces struck a Russian oil refinery in the Krasnodar region and a Russian Buk air defense system in occupied Zaporizhzhia region overnight on Feb. 5, the General Staff reported.

The attack on oil facility owned by LLC “Albashneft” in Russia’s Krasnodar region was confirmed, with a fire observed at the facility. The oil plant reportedly supplies fuel to Russian military operations.

Ukrainian forces also targeted a Russian Buk air defense complex in the occupied part of Zaporizhzhia region, successfully hitting and damaging the system, according to the recent General Staff statement. The General Staff noted that the final assessment of damage is still ongoing.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Feb. 4that 45,100 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed since its Russia’s all-out invasion, with approximately 390,000 instances of military personnel being wounded.

In an interview with British journalist Piers Morgan, Zelenskyy provided detailed casualty figures, emphasizing the precision of the numbers. He clarified that the wound count exceeds the number of wounded individuals because some soldiers return to the battlefield after initial injury and are wounded again.

Regarding Russian losses, Zelenskyy estimated about 350,000 Russian soldiers killed, with an additional 50,000-70,000 missing in action and 600-700,000 wounded. He attributed the higher casualty rates to Russia’s weaker tactical medicine care capabilities..

Zelenskyy  also acknowledged challenges in precisely determining the number of missing and captured Ukrainian soldiers, stating that accurate figures are still being established

Russian forces shell the village of Stavky in the Kramatorsk district of the Donetsk region, partially destroying a church school on the temple grounds. The attack caused a fire that engulfed the building’s roof and structural elements. First responders quickly contained the blaze, preventing further damage.

Ukrainian paratroopers operating in the Kursk region of Russia capture take more than 20 Russian soldiers prisoner. Ukrainian military units successfully took 21 Russian military personnel prisoner. The report suggests that the captured soldiers made the right decision by surrendering to the Ukrainian Armed Forces, rather than participating in futile assaults without proper training and logistical support. It is noted that all the prisoners have been examined by doctors and received requisite medical assistance. Plans are in place to transfer the captured soldiers to a list of prisoner exchanges.

Key Takeaways:

• International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi visited the Kyivska Electrical Substation in Kyiv Oblast on February 4 to assess damage to the substation as Russian long-range strikes targeting energy infrastructure continue to threaten Ukraine’s nuclear power plants (NPPS) and Ukraine’s energy production capabilities
• Russian officials continue to justify the Kremlin’s decision to not conduct an involuntary reserve call up at this time despite indications that the Russian military is struggling to recruit enough new personnel to replace its high casualties.
• Russian occupation authorities continue to discuss Russia’s possible illegal annexation of Kharkiv Oblast but claimed that Ukraine’s September 2022 counteroffensive in Kharkiv Oblast spoiled Russia’s plans to hold a “referendum” in the region at that time.
• A significant number of Russian vessels that had been at the Port of Tartus in recent weeks may have left Syria for Russia as Russian-Syrian negotiations about Russia’s continued access to its bases in Syria reportedly continue.
• Ukrainian naval drone strikes have likely forced Russia to dramatically alter Russian ships’ routes between Russia and Syria.
• Russia has also reportedly used vessels belonging to the MoD’s Oboronlogistika company to monitor NATO vessels in the Baltic Sea.
• Russian forces recently advanced near Kupyansk.
• A Kremlin-affiliated Russian milblogger claimed that Russian forces in the Siversk direction continue to struggle with systemic issues with field commanders filing false progress reports despite recent command changes.

Sgt. Serhii Desna, 41, call sign Skif (Scythian), was killed on May 14, 2024, near the village of Novoselivske, Luhansk region. The soldier was defending his positions from the enemy and helped evacuate his wounded comrades. His car came under enemy artillery fire. 

Desna was born in the village of Chornomorivka, Kherson region. He graduated from Kherson Economic and Law Institute. He got married and lived with his family in Melitopol, Zaporizhzhia region. He worked in a hardware store and spent his free time with his family.

During the full-scale invasion, the family found themselves under occupation. In the summer of 2022, Desna was able to take his family to Kyiv region, and he went to the military commissariat. He wanted to liberate his home from the enemy. He joined the 77th separate airborne brigade of the Airborne Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He held the position of commander of an anti-aircraft missile platoon.

The defender was awarded the medal “Bakhmut Frontier” for participation in battles and the Order “For Courage” of the III degree (posthumously).

“Serhii was an optimist, a patriot, always proud to serve in defense of his native land. He was highly respected by his comrades and command. This is an irreparable loss for his family and friends,” said his wife. The paratrooper was buried on the Alley of Glory at the cemetery in Irpin. Desna is survived by his wife Natalia and daughter Anastasiia.

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

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