Timeline of the Russian invasion of Ukraine (1 December 2023 – present)

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Timeline of the Russian invasion of Ukraine

Prelude (up to 23 February 2022) Initial invasion (24 February – 7 April 2022) Southeastern front (8 April – 28 August 2022) 2022 Ukrainian counteroffensives (29 August – 11 November 2022) Second stalemate (12 November 2022 – 7 June 2023) 2023 Ukrainian counteroffensive (8 June 2023 – 31 August 2023) 2023 Ukrainian counteroffensive, cont. (1 September – 30 November 2023) 2023–2024 winter campaigns (1 December 2023 – present)

This timeline of the Russian invasion of Ukraine covers the period from 1 December 2023 to the present day.

December 2023

1 December

Ukraine claimed that Russian forces launched 25 "Shahed-136/131" drones and one X-59 missile. Ukrainian forces claimed to have downed 18 of the drones and the missile.

Ukraine said it had successfully tested domestically made electromagnetic warfare systems to protect soldiers from radar-guided weapons and drones.

Ukrainian media reported that the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) was behind another bomb attack on a fuel train passing over a rail bridge on the Baikal-Amur Mainline in the Russian Far East. Ukrainian military intelligence (HUR) claimed that a Russian military refueling station in Melitopol was blown up by partisans, killing several soldiers and damaging military equipment.

The Russian FSB claimed to have arrested a dual Italian-Russian citizen in relation to the derailing of a freight train near Rybnoye, Ryazan Oblast on 11 November. The FSB claimed that he had been recruited in February 2023 and received training in Latvia.

Two pro-Russian separatists from the Donbas captured by Ukraine were sentenced to 12 years in prison for treason.

Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree increasing the number of Russian military personnel by 170,000, with the Russian Defence Ministry citing NATO expansion and the war in Ukraine as one of the reasons for the decree.

In an interview with the Associated Press in Kharkiv, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy acknowledged that the Ukrainian counteroffensive "did not achieve the desired results", and said the war had entered a new phase with the winter season.

Germany delivered a military aid package to Ukraine that included four HX81 tractors, eight Zetros off-road trucks, four other vehicles, 15 HLR 338 precision rifles, 60,000 rounds of ammunition, five drone-detection systems, laser range finders, and more than 4,000 155 mm shells.

The US imposed sanctions on three transnational firms for violating a price cap imposed by the US Treasury Department on Russian oil in response to the invasion of Ukraine.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies suspended the membership of the Belarus Red Cross after it refused to remove its head Dzmitry Shautsou, who admitted involvement in the deportation of Ukrainian children from Russian-occupied territories.

2 December

Ukraine released a video reportedly showing two unarmed Ukrainian soldiers being executed by Russian soldiers after surrendering near the frontline village of Stepove, Donetsk Oblast. The Ukrainian military later said that the perpetrators were killed on 4 December.

The SBU said that it had prevented former Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko from going to Hungary to meet with Prime Minister Viktor Orban, saying that Russia was planning to use the meeting "in psychological operations against Ukraine."

3 December

Three people were killed in separate Russian attacks in Donetsk and Kherson oblasts.

4 December

The SBU said it had launched two drone strikes that destroyed Russian ammunition and equipment depots near Svatove, occupied Luhansk Oblast. It also arrested a resident of Kyiv on suspicion of aiding Russian airstrikes on the capital and a businessman for trying to sell stolen aircraft components to Russia.

Nepal confirmed that six of its nationals had been killed while fighting for Russia in Ukraine and that a seventh was captured. CNN later estimated that Russia had recruited thousands of Nepalis to fight its war.

The Biden administration warned that funding for Ukrainian military aid would run out by the end of the year and requested more funding from the US Congress. Bulgarian president Rumen Radev vetoed an agreement to donate to send 100 surplus APCs to Ukraine, sending the arrangement back to the National Assembly for reconsideration. The assembly subsequently voted to override Radev's veto on 8 December.

5 December

Polytechnic college in Selydove (Donetsk Oblast) after Russian strike on 5 December

Two people were killed in a Russian attack on Kherson. One person was killed in a separate attack in Donetsk Oblast.

The UK Ministry of Defence assessed that Russian forces were in control over most of Marinka, with Ukrainian forces retaining control over "pockets of territory in the western edge of the town."

The Ukrainian Air Force claimed to have shot down a Russian Su-24M bomber aircraft preparing to launch airstrikes near Snake Island with an anti-aircraft missile from an Su-30SM fighter plane.

Russia claimed to have shot down 35 Ukrainian drones over Crimea. Ukrainian media reported that the Marine Oil Terminal in Feodosiya, a Nebo-M radar system near Baherove, as well as a military helicopter parking lot, a P-18 Terek radar complex, and a Baikal-1M anti-aircraft missile control system were targeted in the attacks, causing significant damage.

The US imposed sanctions on the head of the Belarus Red Cross, Dzmitry Shautsou, for his role in the deportation of Ukrainian children from Russian-occupied territories, and on Belgium-based businessman Hans de Geetere, who is alleged to lead an international network procuring sophisticated electronics with potential military applications for Russia-based end-users.

6 December

Ukrainian media reported that former MP Illia Kyva, who fled to Russia after the 2022 invasion and subsequently called on Putin to launch a "pre-emptive strike" on Ukraine, was shot and killed in a special operation by the SBU in Moscow. It also reported that Oleg Popov, a deputy in the Luhansk People's Republic regional assembly, was killed in a car bombing orchestrated by the SBU in Luhansk city.

A Ukrainian court sentenced a Russian soldier in absentia to 15 years' imprisonment for shooting at civilians near Izium in June 2023, while a resident of Luhansk Oblast who was captured near Bilohorivka in May 2023 was sentenced to 12 years' imprisonment for joining a pro-Russian armed group.

The G7 announced that it would ban imports of Russian diamonds from 2024 as part of sanctions imposed against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.

The US Senate blocked a funding bill that included aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, with every Republican senator voting against it.

Documents seen by Reuters revealed that Ukraine was requesting more weapons from the United States such as three types of drones, F/A-18 Hornets, C-17 Globemasters, C-130J Super Herculess, AH-64 Apache and Black Hawk helicopters, and THAAD air defence systems.

7 December

One person was killed in an overnight Russian drone attack on the port of Izmail.

Ukrainian actor Vasyl Kukharskyy was announced to have died from injuries sustained while fighting on the front in September.

Russian-installed authorities announced that they would start a "voluntary" evacuation of Nova Kakhovka on 13 December, citing the town's proximity to the fighting in the east bank of the Dnipro River.

Ukraine imposed sanctions on 300 individuals and entities linked to Russia. Among those sanctioned were Apti Alaudinov, the commander of the Chechen Akhmat battalion fighting in Ukraine, Ramzan Tsitsulayev, former special envoy of Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov to Ukraine, Midhat Shagiakhmetov, deputy prime minister of Tatarstan, and Adil Shirinov, CEO of the Ulyanovsk Automobile Plant.

Russian authorities claimed to have arrested a Belarusian national who was accused of bombing two trains on the Baikal-Amur Mainline on behalf of Ukrainian intelligence on 29–30 November. Two other individuals, including a former soldier were also arrested on suspicion of organizing arson attacks, spying on behalf of Ukraine and sending money to the Ukrainian military.

A court in Chernihiv Oblast sentenced a Russian soldier to 12 years' imprisonment for abducting and taking hostage a 15-year old for four days in 2022 in an effort to coerce his mother, a soldier, to give intelligence on Ukrainian positions.

8 December

One person was killed in a Russian missile attack on Pavlohrad Raion, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast.

The SBU announced that a former director of a state-owned defense company and three others were charged with trying to embezzle Hr 3.9 million ($106,500) in funds used to procure Su-27 aircraft parts.

Germany delivered a military aid package to Ukraine that included 11 reconnaissance drones, six border protection vehicles, eight off-road Zetros trucks, 100,000 first aid kits and other medical materials, 33 GMG automatic grenade launchers, and additional 155 mm artillery shells.

The International Olympic Committee allowed Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete as neutrals in the 2024 Summer Games in Paris, in a decision that was criticized by both Russia and Ukraine.

9 December

Two people were killed in a Russian missile attack in Kupiansk. One person was killed in a Russian drone attack on Beryslav, Kherson Oblast.

11 December

The Ukrainian Air Force claimed to have downed eight ballistic missiles and 18 drones overnight. One person suffered shrapnel wounds and three others suffered acute reactions to stress in Kyiv. An unfinished apartment building was also damaged.

One person was killed by Russian shelling in Kherson.

The UK government announced the transfer to Ukraine of two Sandown class minehunters from the Royal Navy.

The International Monetary Fund authorised a $900 million disbursement to Ukraine from its loan program.

Slovak truckers began blockading the Slovakia–Ukraine border demanding that the EU restore entry restrictions on Ukrainian trucking firms that were removed following the Russian invasion.

12 December

One person was killed in a Russian drone strike on Odesa.

Russian air defences reportedly shot down a Ukrainian Tochka-U missile over Belgorod Oblast.

A “massive” cyberattack caused disruptions at Ukraine's largest mobile phone operator Kyivstar, and Monobank, one of the country's biggest banks. Authorities reported that the attack also disabled air raid warning systems in Kyiv Oblast, Sumy and Dnipro. The Russian hacker group Solntsepek, which is believed by Ukraine to be run by Russian military intelligence, subsequently claimed responsibility for the attack.

The HUR said that its cyber units, along with the Ukrainian Defence Ministry, hacked into the central server of the Federal Tax Service of Russia, as well as 2,300 of its regional servers, extracting sensitive information and destroying the entire tax database with malware.

During President Zelenskyy's meeting with US President Joe Biden at the White House, the latter announced a new aid package to Ukraine valued at $200 million.

Finland announced that it would double its manufacture of artillery shells, both for domestic defence and to ensure supplies to Ukraine.

13 December

Destructions by fragments of the missiles in Kyiv

Ukrainian officials said Kyiv was targeted by an overnight Russian air attack. About 53 people were injured, while a hospital and several buildings were damaged. Ukraine claimed it had downed all 20 missiles and drones launched.

Russia placed the head of the HUR, Kyrylo Budanov, on its wanted list.

14 December

One person was killed in a Russian missile attack in Kherson Oblast.

The UK Ministry of Defence assessed that the Russian 104th Guards Airborne Division likely suffered "exceptionally heavy losses" during its first combat deployment against Ukrainian forces near Krynky.

Romanian authorities said that the remains of a Russian drone were found on its territory near Grindu, around 20 kilometres from the Ukrainian port of Reni. The drone was believed to have been launched over the previous night heading for targets in Odesa Oblast.

In Russia, nine drones were reportedly shot down over Kaluga and Moscow Oblasts.

In a press conference, Putin indicated that Russia would only negotiate with Ukraine "when we achieve our objectives". He stated that another mobilization was unnecessary as "617,000" Russian soldiers were fighting in Ukraine.

Drone footage emerged appearing to show Russian soldiers in Zaporizhzhia Oblast using Ukrainian POWs as human shields as they advanced, in contravention of the Geneva Conventions that regulate treatment of POWs. One was reportedly shown killed in the video.

Germany delivered a military aid package to Ukraine that included a Patriot missile system, 7,390 rounds of 155 mm ammunition, 14 drone detection systems, eight off-road Zetros trucks, and three mine clearing systems. Estonia pledged a military aid package worth 80 million euros ($88 million) to Ukraine, that included Javelin anti-tank missiles, ammunition, machine guns, various vehicles and vessels, and diving equipment.

The Australian Defense Ministry announced a 186 million AUD ($125.6 million) expansion of its Operation Kudu training program for Ukrainian soldiers in the UK.

15 December

The EU, minus Hungary, held a "consensus decision" vote that decided to initiate accession talks with Ukraine. However, a four-year funding package, valued at €50 billion, was blocked by Hungary, with Prime Minister Viktor Orbán blocking it because Ukraine is not part of the EU.

Russia claimed to have shot down ten drones over Kursk Oblast and Crimea.

The UK imposed sanctions on Novikombank, a subsidiary of the Russian state conglomerate Rostec, for being "involved in obtaining a benefit from or supporting” the Russian government.

Patriarch Kirill, head of the Russian Orthodox Church, was placed on Ukraine's wanted list for “abetting the conflict”.

Lithuania delivered a military aid package to Ukraine that included millions of cartridges, thousands of short-range anti-tank projectiles, and about a thousand folding beds. It also returned several Leopard 2 tanks that were repaired in the country.

16 December

Ukraine claimed to have downed 30 of 31 Russian drones launched overnight over 11 regions, with Kyiv recording its sixth air attack for the month.

Russian-installed officials in Kherson Oblast claimed that two people were killed in a Ukrainian HIMARS missile attack during an aid distribution event in Nova Mayachka.

17 December

A cross-border incursion was launched into Russia by Russian rebels believed to be allied with Ukraine at Terebreno, Belgorod Oblast.

Two people were killed by Russian shelling in Kherson and Sumy Oblasts. One person was killed in Odesa by a Russian drone that was shot down in a residential area. A total of nine drones were reportedly shot down, along with a cruise missile and an Iskander missile.

The SBU said a recording device was discovered inside offices that were set to host Ukrainian military commander-in-chief Valeriy Zaluzhnyi.

Russian officials claimed to have shot down some 33 Ukrainian drones over Lipetsk, Rostov and Volgograd Oblasts.

The Ukrainian National Agency on Corruption Prevention (NACP) suspended the inclusion of Raiffeisen Bank from its list of international war sponsors following Austrian opposition to new EU sanctions against Russia.

18 December

One person was killed by Russian shelling in Kherson.

The SBU said it had arrested a man in Zaporizhzhia on suspicion of aiding Russian airstrikes on the city.

The EU imposed a new round of sanctions against Russia to come into force on 1 January 2024, which included a ban on the import of diamonds except for industrial purposes, penalties on the circumvention of the price cap on Russian oil, and sanctions on 29 firms linked to the Russian military.

Ukrainian Brigadier General Oleksandr Tarnavskyi said that due to shortages of Soviet-era artillery ammunition and lack of Western support, Ukrainian forces had scaled back offensive operations. He also claimed that Russian forces had similar shortfalls in artillery ammunition.

BAE Systems signed an agreement to repair and maintain artillery systems donated by the UK using Ukrainian employees based in Ukraine.

19 December

In Russia, four drones were reportedly shot down over Kaluga and Bryansk Oblasts, while a fifth was intercepted near Moscow, prompting the closure of the city's airports.

A Ukrainian court sentenced a man to 15 years' imprisonment for trying to recruit SBU agents into a Russian spy network.

Germany announced several deals worth some $400 million to supply Ukraine with artillery shells. The orders were placed with Rheinmetall and an unidentified French company.

20 December

The Ukrainian military acknowledged that Russian forces had advanced by between 1.5 and 2 kilometres in parts of the Avdiivka sector in the past two months and claimed that Russia had taken 20,000 casualties and lost 600 tanks and armored vehicles.

Ukrainian media reported that the Ukrainian hacker group Blackjack carried out a cyber attack against the Russian water utility firm Rosvodokanal with the support of the SBU, gaining access to 1.5 TB of data and deleting another 6 TB.

The SBU placed Russian-Israeli oligarch Mikhail Fridman to its wanted list for helping to finance the Russian war effort in Ukraine.

The Swiss government announced an emergency winter package to Ukraine worth nearly $30 million.

21 December

View from a 26-storey residential building in Kyiv, damaged by drone remains

Mobile group of National Guard of Ukraine hunts for Russian drones

Three people were killed while six others were injured by Russian airstrikes on two mines in Toretsk, Donetsk Oblast. Two people were killed by Russian shelling in Nikopol.

Two people were injured in a Russian drone attack on a residential building in Kyiv.

Finland pledged a military aid package to Ukraine valued at 106 million euros ($116 million).

22 December

One person was killed in a Russian airstrike in Donetsk Oblast.

Three Russian Su-34 supersonic fighter-bomber aircraft were reportedly shot down by Ukrainian forces over Kherson Oblast.

In Russia, a drone was reportedly shot down outside Podolsk, Moscow Oblast.

Two Russian citizens were sentenced by a court in Khabarovsk to eight and seven years' imprisonment, respectively, "for financing Ukraine's armed forces" after they were accused of donating money to a Ukrainian-linked fund.

The Dutch government announced that it would deliver 18 F-16s to Ukraine, while Germany sent an arms shipment to Ukraine that included ammunition for Leopard tanks, three Gepard anti-aircraft systems, and two Wisent mine-clearing tanks.

23 December

Fire due to shelling of Kherson

One person was killed in a Russian drone attack in Kherson Oblast.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan agreed to send scrap cars to Ukraine, particularly vehicles that did not met the UK's new efficiency standards, following a request from Kyiv's Mayor Vitali Klitschko to send heavy 4x4 vehicles and trucks that are needed in the frontlines.

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW), citing statements from the Russian 810th Naval Infantry Brigade, assessed that Russian forces had begun using chemical weapons, particularly CS gas, against Ukrainian forces in Krynky.

24 December

Five people were killed in Russian attacks across Kherson Oblast. The Russian-installed mayor of Horlivka, Donetsk Oblast, claimed that one person was killed and six others were injured by Ukrainian shelling in the city.

The Ukrainian Air Force claimed to have shot down a Russian Su-34 fighter-bomber jet near Mariupol. Another Su-30 was reportedly shot down over the Black Sea.

Ukraine ordered the evacuation of residents of 19 villages in Sumy Oblast within 5 kilometres of the Russian border due to repeated shelling.

25 December

Russia said that its forces had taken Marinka while Ukrainian officials said fighting was still ongoing.

Ukraine officially celebrated Christmas on 25 December, instead of 7 January for the first time, following President Zelenskyy's decision in July to abandon what he called “Russian heritage”.

The Ukrainian Air Force claimed to have downed 28 out of 31 drones. The drones were downed over five oblasts, while two missiles, a Kh-59 and a Kh-31P, were shot down over Zaporizhzhia Oblast and the Black Sea, respectively.

26 December

Kherson railway station after the attack

The Ukrainian Air Force claimed to have destroyed the Russian landing ship Novocherkassk in Feodosiya, Crimea, in a missile attack by two Su-24s. Russian officials confirmed the attack, during which one person was killed and two injured. Six buildings were damaged. Russian officials also claimed that two Ukrainian Su-24s were shot down.

Ukrainian military commander Valeriy Zaluzhnyi confirmed that Ukrainian forces had withdrawn to the northern outskirts of Marinka.

A police officer was killed while four others, including two police officers, were injured after the Kherson railway station was shelled by Russian artillery during a civilian evacuation.

27 December

Two people were killed in a Russian drone attack on Odesa.

In Russia, a drone was reportedly shot down over Rostov Oblast.

Ukraine sentenced Denis Pushilin, the head of the Donetsk People's Republic, to 15 years' imprisonment in absentia for collaborating with Russia and undermining Ukraine's territorial integrity following his role in organizing the region's unrecognized referendum to join Russia.

The Ukrainian Defence Ministry announced a new kind of body armour designed specifically for female soldiers that would be manufactured by a Ukrainian company, ending female soldiers having to fund their own body armour or wear male body armour.

28 December

Remains of a residential building in Toretsk

Two people were killed by Russian shelling in Bilenke, Zaporizhzhia Oblast. One person was killed by Russian shelling in Kharkiv Oblast.

A Panamanian-flagged cargo vessel on its way to pick up grain in Izmail struck a suspected Russian floating mine in the Black Sea, injuring two sailors.

The US sent a military assistance package to Ukraine valued at up to US$250 million that includes air defence munitions, 105 mm and 155 mm shells, 15 million rounds of various types of ammunition and anti-armour weapons.

Two Russian poets were sentenced to up to seven years' imprisonment by a Moscow court for publicly conducting poetry readings critical of the invasion of Ukraine.

29 December

Main article: 29 December 2023 Russian strikes on Ukraine

Shopping mall in Dnipro city after the strike of 29 December

Russia launched airstrikes at several cities across Ukraine, with many explosions reported. At least 50 people were killed, and more than 160 injured. Some 122 missiles and a “score” of drones were fired according to the Ukrainian Air Force, most of which were intercepted. Air Force commander Mykola Oleshchuk called it "the most massive attack from the air". A maternity hospital in Dnipro was also struck. Ukrainian General Valerii Zaluzhnyi claimed to have intercepted 27 of the drones and 87 of the missiles. One Russian missile, according to Polish army commander Wiesław Kukuła, entered Polish airspace from Ukraine for approximately three minutes, before it "turned back" for Ukrainian airspace.

Destroyed maternity hospital in Dnipro

President Zelenskyy visited Ukrainian positions in Avdiivka.

The Russian Defense Ministry claimed that two Ukrainian drones were shot down over Kursk and Bryansk Oblasts.

A Tarantul-class corvette was struck by a Ukrainian drone whilst in harbour at Sevastopol. On 20 January 2024, satellite images confirmed the sinking.

30 December

Further information: 30 December 2023 Belgorod shelling

Russia claimed to have shot down 32 drones and 13 missiles over Bryansk, Oryol, Kursk, and Moscow Oblasts. In Belgorod, 25 people, including three children, were killed and 108 were injured by shelling. Several homes and water infrastructure were damaged. In Bryansk, the governor claimed that a child was killed, while a recreational centre, 55 homes, private businesses, a pre-school and football field were damaged.

Seven people were killed in Russian attacks in Donetsk, Kherson, Chernihiv and Zaporizhzhia Oblasts. Twenty-eight people were injured in a Russian missile attack on Kharkiv.

31 December

Bank building (architectural monument) in Kharkiv after the attack

Three people were killed by Russian shelling in Borova, Kharkiv Oblast. One person was killed in a Russian drone attack on Odesa. Russia launched a wave of drone and missile attacks in Kyiv and Kharkiv in response to the attack on Belgorod. At least six missiles hit Kharkiv, injuring 22 people and damaging 12 apartment buildings, 13 houses, and a kindergarten.

January 2024

1 January

Memorial museum of Roman Shukhevych after the strike

Pro-Russian authorities in Donetsk claimed that four people were killed and 13 others were injured by Ukrainian shelling in the city. Three people were killed by Russian shelling in Donetsk, Kharkiv and Kherson Oblasts. Two people were also killed in a Russian drone attack in Sumy Oblast.

A museum in Lviv about the controversial Ukrainian World War Two fighter Roman Shukhevych was set on fire by a Russian drone. Another drone damaged the building of the Lviv National Agrarian University.

Norway allowed its domestic weapons manufacturers to sell directly to Ukraine.

2 January

Rescuing of injured person from a damaged residential building in Kyiv

Main article: 2 January 2024 Russian strikes on Ukraine

Russia launched a missile attack on Kyiv and Kharkiv, killing six people and injuring 127. The Ukrainian Air Force claimed to have intercepted 72 out of 99 missiles launched. Analysis of remains of a missile fired at Kharkiv found that it was manufactured in North Korea.

In an earlier strike the Ukrainian Air Force claimed to have shot down all 35 drones sent from Russia and occupied Ukraine. In Dnipropetrovsk Oblast falling debris took out a power line and in Mykolaiv Oblast falling debris started a fire that was extinguished. According to calculations based on the figures of the Ukrainian Air Force; Forbes Ukraine claimed that the missile attack that day cost Russia about 620 million US dollars.

Two people were killed by Russian shelling in Donetsk Oblast.

Russia accused Ukraine of launching another missile attack on Belgorod. One missile struck a car, killing a man, another hit an auto market wounding four. Three others were also injured in separate instances. Russian air defences claimed to have shot down 17 missiles fired from a MLRS.

A Russian Air Force aircraft accidentally released its explosive ordinance on the Russian village of Petropavlovka, Voronezh Oblast, injuring four people and damaging six or seven buildings.

Turkey blocked two minehunter vessels donated by the UK from entering the Turkish Straits on its way to Ukraine, citing possible violations of the Montreux Convention Regarding the Regime of the Straits regarding the passage of ships belonging to belligerent parties in the Black Sea during conflicts.

3 January

Mortar team of the National Guard of Ukraine works in Zaporizhzhia Oblast

Three people were killed in Russian attacks in Kherson Oblast and Avdiivka.

In Russia, the governor of Belgorod Oblast reported several explosions overnight and claimed that several drones were shot down, while in Crimea, the Russian-installed governor of Sevastopol claimed that a missile was shot down over the port. Ukraine launched 12 missiles and several drones on Belgorod.

230 Ukrainian POWs and 248 Russians were released in the largest prisoner exchange between the two countries since the 2022 invasion. The exchange was mediated by the UAE.

Norway announced it would send two F-16s to Denmark to help train Ukrainian pilots.

The SBU reported that Russian hackers had gained remote control over security cameras in Kyiv, which were then used to check on the positions of air defence units and give battle damage assessments.

4 January

One person was killed in a Russian missile attack on an industrial facility in Kropyvnytskyi. Three people were killed by Russian shelling in Donetsk and Kherson Oblasts.

The Russian defence ministry claimed Ukrainian forces fired 10 missiles at Crimea and 10 over Belgorod, which were all shot down. One person was reported injured at Sevastopol by falling debris while three houses were destroyed. Ukraine claimed it had hit two military targets in Crimea. Two people were injured in Belgorod according to the regional governor.

An Su-34 bomber was set on fire at the Chelyabinsk air base by a Ukrainian saboteur according to the HUR. Russian media reported that the fire was allegedly caused by a 16-year-old boy from Dagestan.

Germany delivered a military aid package to Ukraine that included a Skynex air defense system, 10 Marder armored vehicles, ammunition for Leopard tanks, two TRML-4D air surveillance radars, 30 drone detection systems, IRIS-T anti-air missiles , 10 GO12 ground surveillance radars , 155 mm artillery ammunition, firearms munitions, two mine-clearing tanks, a bridge-laying tank, trucks, assault rifles, combat helmets, and winter camouflage nets and ponchos.

The NACP added the Lithuanian food manufacturing firm Viciunai Group to its list of international war sponsors for continuing to do business in Russia.

5 January

Disposal of a Russian missile (reportedly Kinzhal) in Kyiv

The HUR claimed that it had launched a cross-border raid into the Grayvoronsky District of Belgorod Oblast in Russia, mining a road and inflicting casualties on a Russian platoon.

One person was killed by Russian shelling in Kherson Oblast.

Vladyslav Zalistovskyi, a 23-year-old MiG-29 pilot from the Ukrainian Air Force's 114th Tactical Aviation Brigade who was known by the call sign "Blue Helmet", was killed during a combat mission.

A resident of Donetsk Oblast was sentenced by a Ukrainian court to 12 years' imprisonment for spying on Ukrainian military movements in Avdiivka for Russia.

Ukrainian media reported that Anton Kravets, founder of the Ukrainian rubber goods manufacturer Kyivguma, was arrested on suspicion of exporting tactical harnesses and bandages to Russia through Europe, some of which were used by the Russian military in Ukraine.

In Russia, some 300 residents were evacuated from Belgorod. The oblast's governor, Vyacheslav Gladkov, said on Telegram that his office had received 1,300 applications to evacuate children from the city as well following Ukrainian strikes.

6 January

Mobile fire team of National Guard of Ukraine hunting on Russian drones and cruise missiles

Eleven people, including five children, were killed while eight others were injured in Russian missile attacks on Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad, Donetsk Oblast. Two people were killed by Russian attacks in Nikopol and in Pivnichne, Donetsk Oblast.

Russia claimed to have shot down four Ukrainian missiles over Crimea. The Ukrainian Air Force claimed it had carried out an airstrike on Saky airbase.

Denmark announced that the delivery of 19 F-16s to Ukraine will be delayed until the second quarter of 2024 due to the time required to train Ukrainian pilots and operators.

Ukrainian intelligence claimed to have destroyed a partially built rail bridge, fuel trucks and other construction machinery using a missile strike in Hranitne, near Mariupol.

7 January

Two people were killed by Russian shelling in Kherson and Kharkiv Oblasts.

The Ukrainian poet Maksym Kryvtsov was announced to have been killed in action.

The Polish government reached an agreement with Polish truckers to end their blockade of the Ukrainian border.

During a visit to Kyiv, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa pledged 11000 million JPY ($37 million) for a drone detection system along with other equipment such as gas turbines and electricity transformers.

8 January

Destroyed house in Zmiiv (Kharkiv Oblast) after the attack

Russia launched a massive missile and drone attack across Ukraine, killing at least five people and injuring at least 45 others in Zaporizhzhia, Khmelnytskyi, Dnipropetrovsk, and Kharkiv Oblasts.

A Russian Air Force aircraft accidentally released an FAB-250 warhead over Rubizhne, Russian-occupied Luhansk Oblast. No casualties or damage were reported, as the warhead failed to detonate.

In Russia, three people were reportedly injured by falling drone debris during an attack on Belgorod Oblast.

The HUR claimed to have taken about 100 GB of classified data valued at $1.5 billion from the Russian drone manufacturer Special Technology Center.

9 January

In Russia, a fuel depot and another energy facility in Oryol Oblast were reportedly attacked by Ukrainian drones, injuring three people. A woman was claimed killed in a separate attack on the border village of Gornal in Kursk Oblast.

Ukrainian media reported that the Blackjack hacker group undertook a cyberattack against the Russian Internet provider M9 Telecom, destroying the firm's servers and deleting 20 TB of data.

Russia placed exiled oligarch and opposition leader Mikhail Khodorkovsky on its wanted list for online statements made regarding payments for Russian military fatalities in the invasion of Ukraine.

10 January

Hotel in Kharkiv after the attack

One person was killed in a Russian airstrike in Kharkiv Oblast. Thirteen people, including several Turkish journalists, were injured in a Russian missile attack on a hotel in Kharkiv city.

11 January

Russia claimed to have shot down three drones over Rostov, Tula and Kaluga Oblasts.

Turkey, Romania and Bulgaria signed an agreement establishing a Mine Countermeasures Task Group to deal with Russian naval mines affecting shipping in the Black Sea.

A US Department of Defense Office of Inspector General report revealed that the Pentagon was unable to quickly or fully account for over $1 billion worth of weapons aid to Ukraine, with US officials and diplomats failing to properly monitor 39,139 high-value weapons and devices intended to reach front line Ukrainian units. No evidence of theft or diversion of weaponry was presented in the report, as such investigation was beyond the scope of the inspector general's examination.

US National Security official John Kirby said that the US had run out of funding for military aid to Ukraine.

The Verkhovna Rada refused to debate legislation regarding an extension of mobilisation which would have reduced the age of conscription from 27 to 25 and increased penalties for draft evaders. The proposal was rejected on the basis that parts of it "directly violate human rights". The bill was returned to President Zelenskyy for further amendments.

During President Zelenskyy's visit to Latvia, his counterpart Edgars Rinkevics announced a new military aid package to Ukraine that would include howitzers, 155 mm ammunition, anti-tank weapons, rockets, grenades, helicopters, drones, communication devices, and generators.

12 January

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Ukrainian Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko inspect a residential building in Kyiv, damaged by 2 January Russian strike

Two people were killed by Russian shelling in Kherson. In Horlivka, two people were claimed to have been killed and six others injured by a Ukrainian drone strike on an ambulance transporting victims of an earlier Ukrainian attack in Holmivskyi that killed two people.

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak visited Kyiv and announced a new £2.5 billion aid package for Ukraine earmarked for the manufacture and purchase of drones, munitions, maritime security and humanitarian aid.

A Russian tank brigade lieutenant was sentenced in absentia by a Ukrainian court to life imprisonment for the killing of two civilians in Mriia during the Battle of Kyiv in 2022.

The NACP added the sandwich chain Subway to its list of international war sponsors for continuing to operate in Russia.

The SBU filed charges against Vasyl Povorozniuk, metropolitan of the Luhansk Diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate), for collaborating with Russia.

Russia issued an arrest warrant for former vice president of Gazprombank, Igor Volobuyev, for being a "foreign agent," having fled to Ukraine after the 2022 invasion and joining the Kyiv-backed Freedom of Russia Legion.

13 January

Mobile fire team of National Guard of Ukraine hunts for Russian drones in Zaporizhzhia Oblast

Russia launched 37 missiles and three drones across Ukraine, of which Ukrainian air defenses intercepted eight missiles. Another 20 missiles were brought down by malfunctions or “Ukrainian electronic warfare systems”. One person was injured in Sumy Oblast.

French Foreign Minister Stéphane Séjourné visited Kyiv, during which he encouraged French defence firms to invest in Ukraine.

14 January

The Ukrainian military claimed to have shot down a Russian Beriev A-50 AWACS aircraft and damaged an Ilyushin Il-22 over the Sea of Azov. According to Ukraine, Russia had had only three A-50s and six modernized A-50Us in service, which was confirmed by the UK Defence Intelligence together with the crash of the A-50 aircraft.

In Melitopol, a vehicle carrying four Russian soldiers was claimed to have been blown up by partisans.

The Swedish government and the Norwegian company Nammo signed an agreement to increase production of 155 mm artillery ammunition to Ukraine while also boosting Swedish stocks.

15 January

Destroyed house in New York

Five people were killed in a Russian missile strike on a house in New York, Donetsk Oblast, with the bodies only being recovered on 27 January. One person was killed by Russian shelling in Krasnohorivka, Donetsk Oblast.

Ukrainian journalist Yuriy Nikolov claimed that unknown intruders tried to break down his front door and demanded that he join the army two weeks after he had criticized President Zelenskyy's leadership due to his unwillingness to accept "bad news", during which he compared him to a "draft-dodger".

16 January

Medical building in Kharkiv, destroyed by the strike on 16 January

Russia claimed to have shot down five drones over Voronezh, during which two children were injured. Explosions were reported near an airbase.

Ukrainian authorities ordered the evacuation of over two dozen villages in Kupiansk Raion, Kharkiv Oblast, due to “worsening” Russian attacks.

The Verkhovna Rada passed a law creating an electronic registry of potential conscripts for mobilization purposes.

French President Emmanuel Macron announced that his government would deliver some 40 SCALP missiles and “several hundred bombs” in the next few weeks and sign a bilateral security agreement with Ukraine.

Polish truckers who had been blocking three border crossings with Ukraine suspended their actions until March following an agreement with the Polish government.

Seventeen people were injured, two seriously, after two S-300 missiles hit residential buildings in Kharkiv; ten residential buildings were damaged as well, according to regional governor Oleh Syniehubov.

17 January

Residential building in Odesa damaged by the 17 January attack

Ukraine claimed to have shot down 19 out of 20 drones near Odesa. Three people were injured. Residential buildings, cars and a gas pipe were also damaged.

Three people, including a 13-year old girl, were killed by Russian shelling in Kherson and Kharkiv Oblasts.

Russian forces claimed to have shot down seven Vilkha missiles and four drones over Belgorod Oblast, as well as another drone over Moscow Oblast.

Germany announced a new military aid package of some €7 billion for Ukraine that would include ammunition for Leopard 1 tanks, drones and communication equipment. However, the Bundestag voted down a motion to send Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine.

Ukrainian defence minister Rustem Umerov cancelled a scheduled visit to France on 18 January due to "security reasons", according to the French Ministry of Armed Forces.

18 January

Disposal of the warhead of a Russian missile Kh-101 in Kherson Oblast

Remains of a residential building in Avdiivka

Russia claimed that it had taken the village of Vesele in Donetsk Oblast, 20 square kilometres (7.7 sq mi) northeast of Bakhmut.

Russian officials claimed that a drone was shot down over Vasilevsky Island in Saint Petersburg, in the first occurrence of its kind since the invasion began. A fire was reported near the St. Petersburg Oil Terminal after three kilograms of high explosives detonated, burning an area of some 130 square metres. A drone also flew over one of Putin's official residences in Valday, Novgorod Oblast, while another was shot down over Moscow.

One person was killed by Russian shelling in Kupiansk.

Australia declined a request from Ukraine to acquire 45 retired Taipan helicopters, citing their unworthiness for flying and massive repair costs.

The US imposed sanctions on the shipping firm Hennesea Holdings Limited for violating the price cap on Russian oil imposed following the 2022 invasion.

French Armed Forces Minister Sébastien Lecornu announced more aid for Ukraine, including a plan to train 7,000–9,000 Ukrainian soldiers along with a "artillery coalition" of 23 nations to produce more artillery for Ukraine. France also pledged 12 CAESAR self-propelled howitzers in total, and 50 AASM Hammer bombs per month, and increase the number of shells delivered to Ukraine from 2000 per month to 3000.

Ukraine released video of what it claimed to be a jet-powered kamikaze drone during a test flight.

19 January

In Russia, a Ukrainian drone strike caused a fire that affected four reservoirs at an oil depot in Klintsy. TASS reported that the fire covered an area of some 1,000 square metres. Another drone was reported to have struck a gunpowder factory in Tambov.

One person was killed by Russian shelling in Kherson.

IAEA head Rafael Grossi said that monitors had discovered mines in a buffer zone between the external and internal fences of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant that had previously been removed in November 2023.

20 January

Ukraine placed Communist Party of Ukraine leader Petro Symonenko, who fled to Russia after the 2022 invasion, on its wanted list for calling for the overthrow of the government and justifying Russian aggression.

21 January

A Ukrainian drone attack caused an explosion at a natural gas terminal belonging to Novatek at Ust-Luga, Leningrad Oblast. Russian authorities said there were no casualties but two storage facilities and a pumping station were damaged. Drone attacks were also reported at the Shcheglovskiy Val plant in Tula, which produces Pantsir missile systems, the Smolensk Aviation Plant, and in Oryol Oblast. Russian officials also claimed that two Ukrainian missiles and another projectile were shot down over Crimea.

Russian-installed officials in Donetsk claimed that a Ukrainian missile attack on a market in the suburb of Tekstilshchik killed 27 and wounded 25. The Tavria army group of the Ukrainian military denied responsibility.

One person was killed by Russian shelling in Kurakhove.

The Ukrainian military confirmed the capture of the village of Krokhmalne, 30 kilometres southeast of Kupiansk, by Russian forces, while claiming that the latter had lost at least 7,055 soldiers in the attempt.

22 January

Removing of Kh-59 missile warhead which fell on a cemetery in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast

Three people were killed by Russian shelling in Donetsk, Kharkiv and Kherson Oblasts.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk visited Kyiv to discuss a new aid package for Ukraine focused on making “ammunition and military equipment”.

On Unity Day, President Zelenskyy signed a decree recognizing the regions of Kuban, Starodubshchyna and Slobozhanshchyna in Russia as historically inhabited by Ukrainians. The decree also required the Ukrainian government to create plans "to preserve the national identity of Ukrainians" in those areas. However, it did not establish any territorial demands on Russia. Zelenskyy also proposed a law allowing dual citizenship with other nationalities except with Russia.

23 January

Building of the National Academy of Legal Sciences of Ukraine in Kharkiv housed in a 19th-century merchant's manor after the strike

Russia launched a series of missile strikes across Ukraine, killing at least 18 people and injuring 130 others according to President Zelenskyy. Ukrainian forces claimed to have intercepted 21 of 42 missiles launched. Eleven people and two dogs were killed and at least 57 others were injured in Kharkiv. One person was killed in Pavlohrad while at least 22 others were injured in Kyiv. Four people were killed in Kherson Oblast.

Hackers from the Ukrainian group BO Team launched a cyberattack on the Russian Far Eastern Research Center of Space Hydrometeorology "Planeta" based in Khabarovsk, destroying 280 servers and two petabytes of data that were used by multiple Russian government agencies, as well as a digital array valued at $10 million, the softwares of the facility's supercomputers. The cyberattack also reportedly disabled the facility's air conditioning, humidification, and emergency power supply systems, and rendered a strategic station on Bolshevik Island in the Russian Arctic offline.

NATO announced a 1.1 billion euro ($1.2 billion) deal to purchase 220,000 155 mm artillery shells for replenishing depleted stocks and supporting Ukraine.

24 January

A Russian Il-76 transport aircraft carrying 74 people was reported have crashed in Yablonovo, Belgorod Oblast, killing everyone on board, including 65 Ukrainian POWs according to Russian officials. The Ukrainian military claimed the aircraft was transporting S-300 missiles. A spokesperson for the HUR confirmed a prisoner swap was due to happen on 24 January but did not proceed, adding that it was checking if Ukrainian POWs were on board the aircraft. It later released another statement where it accused Russian forces of failing to advise them to keep the airspace clear. The BBC considered this statement a “tacit acknowledgement” that Ukraine shot down the aircraft.

The mayor of Avdiivka said that Russian forces had managed to enter the southern part of the city for the first time but were forced out by Ukrainian forces. A Russian rocket strike in nearby Hirnyk killed two people.

Russia claimed to have shot down seven drones over Oryol, Bryansk and Belgorod Oblasts.

Germany announced that it would deliver six decommissioned Sea King MK41 Helicopters in its first transfer of helicopters to Ukraine. Canada announced a military aid package of $20 million including 10 rigid inflatable boats manufactured by Zodiac and English language training for F-16 pilots.

25 January

Damaged residential building in Odesa

According to Ukraine, Russia launched 14 drones and five missiles in the south of the country. 11 drones were shot down, injuring two people in Odesa. Residential and industrial buildings in the city were also damaged.

In Russia, an oil depot in Tuapse, Krasnodar Krai, caught fire. Locals reported multiple drones in the air before and after the fire. The fire was localised without causing casualties.

BBC News Russian reported that Russia had phased out its practice of granting presidential pardons to prisoners who agreed to fight in Ukraine and was instead offering them conditional release and sending them to the front until the war ends, citing testimonies from fighters and their relatives.

A court in Moscow convicted Donbas separatist commander Igor Girkin aka Strelkov, of extremism and sentenced him to four years' imprisonment for calling Putin a "coward" over his conduct of the war in Ukraine. A Saint Petersburg court sentenced Darya Trepova to 27 years' imprisonment for her involvement in a bombing that killed pro-war milblogger Vladlen Tatarsky and wounded 42 others in 2023 and which Russia claimed was orchestrated by Ukrainian intelligence.

26 January

France delivered two LRU rocket launchers to Ukraine.

27 January

The ISW, citing Russian milbloggers, reported that the Russian military had taken the village of Tabaivka, 20 kilometers southeast of Kupiansk, which was denied by Ukraine.

Ukrainian authorities claimed that two siblings were fatally shot by a Russian sabotage group that had infiltrated a village in Khotin, Sumy Oblast. One person was killed by a drone strike in Beryslav.

The HUR claimed that it had destroyed the "entire IT infrastructure" of the IPL Consulting company, which provides services to the Russian heavy industry and military-industrial complex, in a cyberattack.

The SBU announced that it had uncovered corruption in a weapons purchase by the Ukrainian military worth about 1.5 billion hryvnias ($40 million) that was signed in 2022 but saw none of the promised weapons arrive. It said that five senior officials in the defence ministry and managers of the weapons supplier Lviv Arsenal were under investigation, with one suspect in custody after being apprehended while trying to leave the country.

28 January

Greece agreed to transfer air defense missiles and anti-aircraft guns deemed outdated by its military to Ukraine.

The Ukrainian Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War suffered a cyberattack by Russian hackers, restricting access to its servers. A statement linked the attack to the crash of the Russian transport aircraft suspected to be carrying Ukrainian POWs on 24 January.

29 January

Shahed warhead, found in Odesa Oblast

Mine safety lesson in Kharkiv region

Three people were killed by Russian shelling in Znob-Novhorodske, Sumy Oblast. Russian-installed officials claimed that three people were killed by Ukrainian shelling in Donetsk.

A Russian Su-34 fighter jet was reportedly shot down by Ukrainian air defenses over Luhansk Oblast.

In Russia, the governor of Yaroslavl Oblast claimed that a drone was shot down by air defenses near the Slavneft-Yanos oil refinery in the first such attack in the region since the war began.

Authorities in Donetsk Oblast ordered the mandatory evacuation of nine frontline villages in the vicinity of Marinka and Ocheretyne due to continued Russian shelling.

A Ukrainian court sentenced a Russian soldier to life imprisonment for illegally detaining three civilians and fatally shooting two of them in Haivoron, Chernihiv Oblast, in 2022.

The Netherlands pledged €122 million ($132 million) to help procure artillery shells to Ukraine and improve the country's cybersecurity.

A largely intact Ukrainian R-360 Neptune washed ashore on the Russian coast of the Sea of Azov.

30 January

One person was killed by Russian shelling in Avdiivka. Another person was killed in a Russian drone strike in Beryslav.

35 drones and two missiles were fired by Russian forces across Ukraine. 15 drones were shot down over Mykolaiv, Sumy, Cherkasy, Dnipropetrovsk, Kharkiv, Kherson and Kyiv Oblasts. The Ukrainian Air Force claimed some of the targets were fuel and energy infrastructure.

The Ukrainian military said that it had attacked a Russian radar station in Rozdolne, Crimea. The HUR claimed to have disabled the special communications server of the Russian Defense Ministry in a cyberattack.

Russia claimed to have shot down 21 drones over Crimea and Belgorod, Bryansk, Kaluga, and Tula Oblasts.

The SBU arrested a resident of Kyiv on suspicion of spying for Russia.

Reuters reported that Ukraine had received its first GLSDBs according to sources at Boeing.

31 January

The Ukrainian Air Force claimed to have launched a missile strike on Belbek airport in Crimea, damaging three Russian military aircraft. Russian forces claimed to have shot down 20 Storm Shadow missiles, 17 over the Black Sea and three over Crimea.

In Russia, a drone crashed into the grounds of the Nevsky Mazut oil refinery in St. Petersburg, causing an explosion and fire. Another drone was reportedly shot down over Pskov Oblast. Russian media blamed the explosion on a S-400 missile that was fired at a drone but lost control, crashing into the refinery and exploding. All flights from Pulkovo airport were suspended between 3:53 a.m. and 5:11 a.m.

Russia and Ukraine conducted an exchange of POWs, in which 195 Russians and 207 Ukrainians were returned to their home countries. The exchange was brokered by the United Arab Emirates.

Germany delivered a new set of military equipment to Ukraine which included IRIS-T missiles, 24 APCs, four tracked all-terrain armored vehicles, 155mm artillery ammunition, 14 mine plows, three mine-clearing tanks, a naval mine clearance system, and a Satcom surveillance system.

Dmitry Ovsyannikov, a former Russian-installed Governor of Sevastopol, was arrested in London by the UK’s National Crime Agency allegedly for "circumventing sanctions" to the value of £65,000.

February 2024

1 February

Downed Shahed drone in Mykolaiv Oblast

The HUR claimed that it had sunk the Russian Tarantul-class missile corvette Ivanovets in Lake Donuzlav on the west coast of Crimea using naval drones.

Two French nationals working as humanitarian volunteers were killed and five others were injured in a Russian drone strike on Beryslav. Ukrainian authorities subsequently prohibited foreign volunteers, NGOs and diplomatic staff from entering parts of Kherson Oblast without their permission.

Russia claimed to have shot down 11 drones over Belgorod, Kursk and Voronezh Oblasts.

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued a verdict on a case filed by Ukraine against Russia, refusing to rule on the shooting down of MH17 and rejecting Ukrainian claims for reparations from Russia. However, it found that Russia repressed the rights of ethnic minorities in Crimea after it unilaterally annexed the peninsula in 2014, failed to support the teaching of the Ukrainian language and offered "monetary and financial support" to separatists in eastern Ukraine.

EU leaders unanimously agreed to extend 50 billion euros ($54 billion) in aid to support Ukraine's economy.

Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Valerii Zaluzhnyi published an essay on updates and adjustments to Ukrainian military strategy.

2 February

Street in Kherson after bomb strike on the city center on 2 February

Granary in Poltava Oblast after Russian attack on 2 February

Russian drone attacks cut power to 40,000 civilians in central Ukraine and trapped miners in Kryvyi Rih underground. 24 drones attacked energy infrastructure, 11 were shot down and seven failed to reach their targets.

The Ukrainian Culture Ministry reported that the Cossack-era historical monument of Kamianska Sich in Kherson Oblast was damaged in a Russian attack, with three recorded hits on the site itself, an 18th-century Cossack cemetery and a site near the grave of Kish otaman Kost Hordiienko.

The ICJ ruled that it would proceed with a case brought by Ukraine against Russia over the veracity of the latter's invocation of the 1948 Genocide Convention in launching its invasion in 2022, but declined to rule on whether the invasion itself was a violation of the said convention.

3 February

Russia accused Ukraine of striking a bakery in occupied Lysychansk, Luhansk Oblast, using a HIMARS system, killing 28 people, including the regional emergencies minister Alexey Poteleshchenko, and a child.

In Russia, an oil refinery in Volgograd Oblast operated by Lukoil was set on fire by Ukrainian drone attack. The regional governor, Andrey Bocharov, blamed the fire on falling drone debris, claiming that all drones were shot down or jammed. The fire was brought under control without anyone being injured. The Russian military claimed that four drones in Belgorod Oblast, two in Volgograd and one in Rostov-on-Don were intercepted by electronic warfare systems.

Oleg Stegachev, a Russian Tu-95 crew commander at Engels air base, was shot. Ukrainian intelligence was blamed, his condition is unknown.

Estonia delivered a military aid package to Ukraine valued at 80 million euros ($88 million) that included Javelin missiles and other weapons, ammunition, vehicles and diving equipment.

4 February

Dormition Cathedral in Kherson, damaged by Russian shelling on 4 February

One person was killed by Russian shelling in Donetsk Oblast.

President Zelenskyy visited Ukrainian positions near Robotyne. He also announced the appointment of Ivan Fedorov, the exiled mayor of Melitopol, as governor of Zaporizhzhia Oblast.

In Russia, the governor of Belgorod Oblast claimed that two border villages were subjected to cross-border attacks by Ukraine.

5 February

Destructions in Kherson, 5 February

Four people were killed by Russian shelling in Kherson. One person was killed in a Russian rocket attack in Sumy Oblast.

The SBU arrested five people on suspicion of being part of a Russian spy network in Odesa, Zaporizhzhia, and Donetsk Oblasts.

Ukrainian Minister of Veterans Affairs Yulia Laputina submitted her resignation to the Verkhovna Rada without specifying a reason.

In Russia, the governor of Bryansk Oblast claimed that two drones were shot down by air defenses.

The Netherlands pledged to send six more F-16s to Ukraine. Ukrainian commander Lieutenant General Serhii Naiev said that Ukrainian F-16s would be equipped with (300–500 kilometres (190–310 mi)) range air-launched cruise missiles.

The State Security Service of Georgia claimed to have intercepted explosives from Ukraine that were being transported to Russia to use for an attack on Voronezh and said that a Ukrainian citizen of Georgian origin was behind the plot.

6 February

Hotel in Zolochiv (Kharkiv Oblast) after the attack

A two-month-old baby died following an overnight Russian missile attack that hit civilian buildings and a hotel in Zolochiv, Kharkiv Oblast.

The Ukrainian defence ministry claimed that the Special Operations Forces had conducted an operation on a Russian-occupied oil rig in the Black Sea that was being used to deploy Mohajer-6 drones, resulting in the capture of a Neva-B radar system and the destruction of the facility.

The SBU arrested five people, including members of Ukrainian intelligence agencies, on suspicion of being part of a Russian spy network.

President Zelenskyy signed a decree establishing the Unmanned Systems Forces, a new branch of the Armed Forces of Ukraine that would take charge of drone-related matters.

Russia claimed to have intercepted seven drones over Belgorod Oblast. No casualties were reported but four homes were damaged by falling debris.

7 February

Damaged residential building in Kyiv

A crater on the street of Mykolaiv

Russia launched a wave of missile and drone attacks across Ukraine, killing one person in Mykolaiv and five others in Kyiv. The Ukrainian military said 64 missiles and drones were launched, of which 44 projectiles were shot down. Airstrikes were also reported in Kharkiv. One of the missiles launched was a hypersonic Zirkon cruise missile, the first time it had been used in the conflict, according to the Kyiv Scientific Research Institute.

The Ukrainian military claimed to have shot down a Russian Ka-52 Alligator helicopter near Avdiivka.

The 299th Tactical Aviation Brigade of the Ukrainian Air Force announced that one of its veteran pilots, Vladislav Rykov, was killed in action after having done 385 sorties.

The SBU arrested a woman on suspicion of aiding a Russian missile attack on Pokrovsk on 6 January that killed six civilians.

Rheinmetall outlined a new aid plan for Ukraine that would involve the delivery of ammunition for Leopard 1 and 2 tanks, Marder IFVs, Gepard anti-aircraft guns, 40 mm and "tens of thousands" of 155 mm shells. It also signed a contract to supply 25 Leopard 1A5 tanks, five recovery vehicles and five Leopard 1s for driver training.

In Russia, two people were reportedly injured by Ukrainian shelling on Belgorod.

Russia placed HUR chief Kyrylo Budanov, Ukrainian Navy Commander Oleksiy Neizhpapa, and Ukrainian Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk on its list of "terrorists and extremists."

Sweden closed its investigation into the 2022 Nord Stream pipeline sabotage, citing lack of jurisdiction.

Ukraine announced that it would begin mass production of an "analogue" of the Russian Lancet drone with a range of 40 kilometres.

8 February

Ukrainian POWs returned on 8 February

Residential buildings in Selydove after the strike

Zelenskyy replaced Commander-in-Chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi with Oleksandr Syrskyi amid growing disagreements between the two. Zelenskyy also awarded Zaluzhnyi and HUR commander Kyrylo Budanov with the title of Hero of Ukraine, and later announced the return of 100 Ukrainian POWs, mostly captured following the siege of Mariupol, in a prisoner exchange in which 100 Russian POWs were also released, according to the Russian defence ministry.

One civilian was killed by Russian shelling in Avdiivka and one in Selydove, Donetsk Oblast.

The SBU said it had uncovered three Russian weapons caches in Kyiv, Vinnytsia, and Zakarpattia Oblasts. Among the items seized included grenade launchers, over 15 kilograms of explosives, and automatic weapons. At least one of the caches was believed to have been for the use of alleged "pro-Russian underground groups".

In Russia, the governor of Belgorod Oblast, Vyacheslav Gladkov claimed that six people were injured in two separate attacks by Ukraine.

9 February

Burning street in Kharkiv after the drone attack

Seven people, including three children, were killed after a gas station in Kharkiv was blown up by Russian drones. Burning fuel flowed down the street, destroying 15 houses. Three people were killed by Russian airstrikes in Sumy Oblast.

Zelenskyy appointed Major General Anatoliy Barhylevych as the new Chief of General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, replacing Lieutenant General Serhiy Shaptala.

Russia claimed to have shot down 19 drones over the Black Sea, Krasnodar Krai and in Kursk, Bryansk, and Oryol Oblasts. One of the drones was reported to have started a fire within the premises of the Ilsky oil refinery in Krasnodar Krai. A refinery at Afipsky was also attacked without reports of damage or casualties.

The Ukrainian NACP added the US-based refractory manufacturing company Allied Mineral Products to its list of international sponsors of war for continuing to operate in Russia.

Oleksandr Porkhun, a veteran of the War in Donbas, was appointed as acting minister of veterans affairs of Ukraine.

Ukrainian soldiers reported that Russian forces appeared to be using SpaceX's Starlink satellite devices across the frontline, and that the internet terminals were being shipped to and deployed in Russia via Dubai.

10 February

One person was killed in an attack in Kherson Oblast.

Zelenskyy named Colonels Vadym Sukharevskyi, commander of the 59th Separate Motorized Infantry Brigade, and Andrii Lebedenko as deputy commanders-in-chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. He also appointed Volodymyr Horbatiuk, Oleksii Shevchenko, and Mykhailo Drapatyi, as deputy chiefs of the Ukrainian general staff.

11 February

Russian drone with attached rocket-propelled grenade, found in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast

Zelenskyy appointed Lieutenant General Oleksandr Pavliuk as commander of the Ukrainian Ground Forces replacing Oleksandr Syrskyi, Major General Ihor Plakhuta as commander of the Territorial Defense Forces replacing Anatoliy Barhylevych, Brigadier General Ihor Skybiuk as commander of the Ukrainian Air Assault Forces replacing Maksym Myrhorodskyi, and Lieutenant General Yurii Sodol as commander of the Combined Forces replacing Serhii Naiev.

One person was killed in a Russian attack in Kharkiv Oblast.

In Russia, a drone was reportedly shot down over Belgorod Oblast.

Russian troops were found to have built a defensive line of railway cars in Donetsk Oblast measuring about 30 kilometres (19 mi).

In Moldova, border police found fragments of a Russian Shahed-type drone in the village of Etulia, which was suspected to have crashed in Moldova after being shot down by Ukrainian air defenses following a Russian attack against Ukraine's Izmail Raion on the night of 9 to 10 February, with 50 kg of explosives.

12 February

A Ukrainian military commander said that Russian forces had stopped sending "human wave" attacks on Avdiivka and were instead resorting to smaller assault groups with air cover.

13 February

In an interview with ZDF, Ukrainian military commander Oleksandr Syrskyi said that Ukrainian forces had shifted to defensive operations to exhaust advancing Russian forces. The Ukrainian 110th Mechanized Brigade was rotated out of Avdiivka after having been stationed there since March 2022 as it "no longer has sufficient capabilities to hold the city".

Three people were killed by Russian shelling in Kharkiv Oblast. Two others were killed in separate attacks in Nikopol and in Kherson Oblast. Russian-installed officials in Luhansk Oblast claimed that three people were killed by Ukrainian shelling in Kreminna.

The US Senate passed a bill that includes $61 billion in funding for Ukraine.

14 February

Selydove central city hospital after missile strike on 14 February

Ukrainska Pravda, citing sources from the HUR, reported that the Russian landing ship Caesar Kunikov was sunk by drones in the Black Sea.

Three people, including a child, were killed by Russian shelling in Selydove. Two people were killed in a separate attack in Mykolaivka, Donetsk Oblast. Four people were killed in a Russian missile attack in Velykyi Burluk, Kharkiv Oblast while another was killed in Kherson.

Putin signed a law allowing for the confiscation of assets of those convicted of spreading “deliberately false information” about the Russian military.

Russian media published footage of what appeared to be the remains of a GLSDB reportedly found near Kreminna.

15 February

Ukraine fired several missiles at Belgorod Oblast, according to Russian officials. Fourteen were shot down but one hit and "heavily damaged" a shopping centre in Belgorod city, killing seven, including children, and injuring 18 others. Another missile struck a sports stadium. Russia claimed the missiles were fired from an RM-70 Vampire. An oil refinery in Kursk Oblast was set on fire by a Ukrainian drone strike, according to local officials.

In Kharkiv Oblast, one person was killed in a Russian missile strike on Chuhuiv while three others died in Chorne. Two people were killed by Russian shelling in Kherson and Donetsk Oblast.

The Ukrainian Third Assault Brigade confirmed that it had been "urgently" redeployed to Avdiivka, adding that the situation there was "extremely critical," and claiming to have inflicted "critical losses" on two Russian battalions.

The NACP added the Irish-American oilfield service company Weatherford International to its list of international war sponsors for continuing to do business in Russia.

16 February

Ukrainian commander Oleksandr Tarnavskyi said that Ukrainian forces had withdrawn from the Zenit air defense complex in Avdiivka, which they had used as a strongpoint since 2014.

One person was killed by Russian shelling in Sumy Oblast.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko claimed that a group of Ukrainian and Belarusian saboteurs were caught with explosives on the border with Ukraine as part of plans commit acts of sabotage in Russia and Belarus.

President Zelenskyy arrived in Germany to sign a bilateral security deal with the German government. The German government announced that it would give €7.1bn of military aid to Ukraine in 2024. Along with a separate €1.13bn aid package. Which included 100 IRIS-T missiles, a SykNex air defence unit, 18 howitzers and 18 self propelled howitzers. Later in the day, Zelenskyy signed a 10-year bilateral security deal with President Macron in France that would provide Ukraine with “3 billion euros ($3.2 billion)” of aid in 2024.

Germany delivered 3,990 155 mm shells, 18 armored personnel carriers, three Wisent demining tanks, 62 reconnaissance drones, a Dachs engineering vehicle, nine mine-clearing plows, four border guard vehicles, and 500 LED lights and IT equipment to Ukraine.

17 February

Ukrainian commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrskyi announced the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from Avdiivka to prevent encirclement by the Russian army. The city fell to Russian forces later in the day.

The Ukrainian Air Force claimed to have shot down two Russian Su-34s and an Su-35 fighter jet over eastern Ukraine.

Five people were killed by Russian attacks in Kherson, Kharkiv, Donetsk and Sumy Oblasts.

In Russia, officials claimed that 14 drones were shot down over Belgorod, Kaluga, Bryansk, and Voronezh Oblasts.

See also

• 2023 in Russia
• 2024 in Russia
• 2023 in Ukraine
• 2024 in Ukraine
• Outline of the Russo-Ukrainian War
• Bibliography of Ukrainian history
• War crimes in the Russian invasion of Ukraine
• List of wars involving Russia