352 days of war in Ukraine and Russian forces have launched a new wave of missile and drone bombardments on Ukraine early this Friday, mainly in the kyiv, Zaporizhia, Vinnytsia, Odessa and Lviv and Kharkiv regions; against critical infrastructures and facilities, including energy systems.
On February 24, 2022, the President of Russia Vladimir Putinordered the Russian offensive in the country in what he called a “special military operation”.
Since then, d United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimates that more than 18.3 million people have fled Ukraine, since the beginning of the Russian military offensive, which he considers to be the fastest exodus in Europe since World War II. That is, almost 45% of the population –estimated at almost 41 million in 2021– would have left Ukrainian territory.
Situation of the war in Ukraine on February 10, 2023 / Map: EA
According to him last report of Institute Study of War (ISW) (1) ensures that the Russian forces “Russian forces have regained the initiative in Ukraine and have begun their next major offensive in Lugansk Oblast“.
On the other hand, the ISW also highlights that the Russian forces carry out “ground attacks around Bakhmut and continue to make tactical advances“.
Also, the think tank US support Russian forces develop “offensive actions northwest of Svatove and intensify operations near Kreminna“and in parallel they continue with the “limited ground strikes in the Avdiivka-Donetsk city area and western Donetsk Oblast“.
The kyiv region has been the scene this Friday of several explosions after a new wave of Russian bombing, after which the Ukrainian authorities have confirmed that their air defense systems are working in the area to deal with the offensive, without for now There is information about victims.
“Air defense works in the kyiv region,” said the regional governor’s office, which has recommended that citizens “remain in shelters or safe places.” “Keep the information silence and peace. We believe in our soldiers,” she said through his Telegram account.
The mayor of kyiv, Vitali Klitschko, has indicated that “the remains of a rocket have caused damage to a car and the roof of a private residence in the Holosiivksi district.” “The missile attack continues. Stay in the shelters,” he stressed.
Hours earlier, the Ukrainian authorities had denounced a series of attacks by the Russian Army against “critical infrastructure facilities” in the city of Kharkov (east), while they have declared an air alert in all regions of the country due to of missile attacks by Moscow.
For its part, the Ukrainian electricity company Ukrenergo has confirmed “electricity cuts” in various parts of the country due to “terrorist missile attacks against the energy system.” “The Russians have attacked energy infrastructure with drones and missiles,” he pointed out, before stressing that he has implemented “preventive measures” to contain the damage.
During the early hours of this Friday, the spokeswoman for the Southern Command of the Ukrainian Army, Natalia Humenyuk, had highlighted that Russia “prepares an action plan very similar to a massive missile attack,” according to the Ukrainian news agency Ukrinform. “The enemy is preparing a missile strike,” she said, before specifying that Moscow has put three warships in the Black Sea into a combat posture.
The Ukrainian authorities have denounced this Friday a series of attacks by the Russian Army against “critical infrastructure facilities” in the city of Kharkov, located in the east of the country, without any information on victims for the moment.
The mayor of Kharkiv, Igor Terejov, has indicated that the attacks have been carried out around 4:00 am (local time) and has stressed that “the enemy is attacking critical infrastructure facilities.” “There could be electricity, water and heating cuts,” he said through his Telegram account.
Thus, the governor of the Kharkov region, Oleg Sinegubov, has detailed that ten explosions have been recorded so far and has confirmed power outages “in some areas.” “Emergency services are working at the sites of the explosions. Information on casualties and scale of destruction is being clarified,” he added.
For her part, the spokeswoman for the Southern Command of the Ukrainian Army, Natalia Humenyuk, stressed during the day that Russia “prepares an action plan very similar to a massive missile attack,” as reported by the Ukrainian news agency Ukrinform. “The enemy is preparing a missile strike,” she assured, before specifying that Moscow has put three warships in the Black Sea into a combat posture.
Flow of refugees from Ukraine to other countries as of February 7, 2022 / Map: EA
The number of refugees who have crossed the border from Ukraine into the rest of Europe it continues to grow since the start of the war in Ukraine, unleashed by order of Russian President Vladimir Putin on February 24.
He United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimates that more than 18.3 million people have fled Ukraine, since the beginning of the Russian military offensive, which he considers to be the fastest exodus in Europe since World War II. Near to 45% of the population –estimated at almost 41 million in 2021– would have left Ukrainian territory.
According to the latest UNHCR data (2), 18,379,904 people have left the Ukrainian territory as of February 7, 2023. By countries, 9.464.510 Ukrainian refugees have already arrived Poland, 2.852.395 a Russia (October 3, 2022), 2.182.519 a Hungary, 1.935.902 a Romania (February 5th), 1.162.862 a Slovakia, 765.011 a Moldavia (February 6) and 16.705 a belarus (January 17).
The High Commissioner for Refugees estimates that more than eight million Ukrainian refugees have already been registered on European territory, and that more than five would be in a situation of Temporary Protection, due to the Russian invasion of his country.
References
- (1) Institute for Study of War (ISW).
- (2) United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).