Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy visited a frontline village on February 4, hailing the “warriors” who’re preventing there amid stories he’s making ready to fireplace his fashionable army commander, whereas Moscow-installed officers stated the search-and-rescue effort on the web site of a constructing assault in Russia-occupied Lysychansk has ended, with the demise toll set at 28.
”I’ve the nice honor to be right here at the moment, to reward you, as a result of you’ve gotten such a tough and decisive mission in your shoulders, to repel the enemy and win this warfare,” Zelenskiy instructed troopers on February 4 following his go to to Robotyne, a southern village within the Zaporizhzhya area that was one of many few successes by Ukrainian forces throughout final yr’s counteroffensive.
The presidential workplace launched video of Zelenskiy handing out medals to troops of the sixty fifth Separate Mechanized Brigade, which led the advance on Robotyne, a village with a prewar inhabitants of about 450 individuals.
Whereas there, Zelenskiy appointed Ivan Federov — mayor of now-occupied Melitopol who was as soon as kidnapped by Russia — as head of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya area.
Fedorov was kidnapped in March 2022 when he refused to cooperate with Russians troops, triggering native protests and calls by Zelenskiy for his fast launch. He was launched 5 days later.
Zelenskiy faces a rising political storm amid stories he’s poised to push out the nation’s high army commander, Common Valeriy Zaluzhniy.
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Polls present that Zaluzhniy is as fashionable, if no more so, than Zelenskiy, and a few specialists worry that, have been Zelenskiy to oust Zaluzhniy, it will demoralize a few of Ukraine’s troops and undermine nationwide unity.
There was no official phrase from Zelenskiy’s workplace about his intentions in regard to Zaluzhniy’s place, though quite a few media stories have stated the president has knowledgeable his U.S. allies of an impending transfer.
In remarks to Italian TV late on February 4, Zelenskiy stated, with out being particular, that he’s contemplating “changing a lot of state leaders,” not solely within the army.
”It’s a query of the people who find themselves to guide Ukraine,” he instructed instructed RAI tv when requested about stories that he’s about to fireplace Zaluzhniy.
”A reset is critical. I’m speaking a couple of alternative of a lot of state leaders, not solely within the military sector. I’m reflecting on this alternative. It is a query for all the management of the nation.”
”I take note of one thing critical that doesn’t concern a single individual however the route of the nation’s management.”
In the meantime, a spokesman for Russia’s Emergency Conditions Ministry stated the search-and-rescue operation on the web site of a lethal constructing assault within the Russian-occupied metropolis of Lysychansk has been accomplished.
Rescuers early on February 4 recovered extra our bodies from the rubble of the constructing in japanese Ukraine that was hit by obvious artillery fireplace, bringing the demise toll to twenty-eight.
The Emergency Conditions Ministry stated in a put up to Telegram {that a} youngster was among the many our bodies recovered from the rubble of the constructing, which it stated housed a bakery and a restaurant. One other 10 individuals have been rescued.
Moscow-imposed officers within the Luhansk area, which is sort of solely managed by Russia, initially blamed a Ukrainian drone strike for the assault, however later shifted explanations, asserting it was truly Ukrainian artillery. The declare couldn’t be independently verified.
Ukrainian officers have made no touch upon the incident.
Russia took management of Lysychansk in July 2022 after months of fierce preventing.
Almost two years into Russia’s mass invasion of Ukraine, the battlefield alongside the practically 1,200-kilometer entrance line stretching from northeast Ukraine to the south-central area of Kherson has largely frozen. After an unsuccessful counteroffensive final fall, Ukrainian troops have turned to rebuilding their forces, and shoring up defenses.
Russia, for its half, has continued to push ahead in a number of, localized offensives: close to Kupyansk within the north, and across the industrial metropolis of Avdiyivka, to the south.
Either side have additionally launched longer-range assaults this winter, utilizing long-distance precision artillery, drones, and air-launched cruise missiles.
Ukraine has more and more used its drone arsenal to focus on industrial websites inside Russia itself. On February 3, an obvious Ukrainian drone strike hit one of many largest oil refineries in Volgograd, about 400 kilometers east of the Ukrainian border.
Firefighters put out the blaze after a number of hours, and it was unclear the extent of the injury on the refinery, which is owned by Lukoil, and is without doubt one of the largest in Russia. It produces gasoline, diesel and aviation gasoline, and gasoline for ships.
In Ukraine’s Sumy area, the army administration there stated Russian forces had shelled the area in 16 separate assaults the day prior to this.