The White House said Friday that US President Joe Biden will mark this month's anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine with a visit to NATO ally Poland to meet with President Andrzej Duda and other eastern European allies. Earlier in the day, Russian forces struck critical infrastructure in Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, and launched multiple strikes on energy infrastructure in Zaporizhzhia as Moscow stepped up its attacks in Ukraine’s south and east. Read our blog to see the day's events unfolded. All times are Paris time (GMT+1).
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9:51pm: US says Russia has likely lost half its heavy tanks in Ukraine
Half of Russia's main battle tanks have likely been destroyed or captured by Ukraine, a senior US defense official said Friday.
Russia "has probably lost half of its main battle tank stock in combat and through Ukrainian capture," Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs Celeste Wallander said during a Center for a New American Security virtual event.
The estimate by Wallander – who did not provide an exact figure for the number of tanks lost since Russia invaded in February 2022 – comes as Ukraine is set to receive an influx of heavy Western tanks from its supporters.
Britain has said its Challenger 2 tanks will be deployed in Ukraine in March, while Germany and its allies aim to get a battalion of Leopard 2 tanks to Kyiv by April. The United States has also promised a battalion – or 31 – of its M1 Abrams tanks, but they are expected to take significantly longer to arrive
8:23pm: Biden will mark one year following Ukraine invasion with trip to Poland
President Joe Biden will mark this month's anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine with a visit to NATO ally Poland, the White House said Friday.
Biden will travel February 20-22, meeting with Polish President Andrzej Duda and also members of the Bucharest Nine, a group of NATO members in eastern Europe, said Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.
6:42pm: Ukraine’s Zelensky says work still needed on arms procurement
President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday that Ukraine had secured important understandings and "good signals" during his tour of European capitals but more work was needed to get the weapons his country needed.
"London, Paris, Brussels – everywhere I spoke these past few days about how to strengthen our soldiers. There are very important understandings and we received good signals," Zelensky said in his nightly video address. "This concerns long-range missiles and tanks and the next level of our cooperation – fighter aircraft. But we have to continue to work on this."
It was the joint task of Ukrainians, he said, to "take everything that was said and agreed and transform it into concrete supplies, concrete documents, concrete new lines of cooperation".
5:11pm: Russia to slash oil output after Western countries impose price cap, pushing a surge in crude prices
Russia announced Friday it will slash crude oil output by five percent next month after Western countries imposed a price cap over its invasion of Ukraine.
International crude prices surged after Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said that Russia would "voluntarily" reduce production by 500,000 barrels per day in March.
"This will help restore market relations," Novak said, according to Russian news agencies, adding that the decision was taken by Moscow unilaterally. He said the price cap was an "interference in the market and a continuation of the destructive energy policy of the countries of the collective West".
4:03pm: Olympic row deepens as 35 countries demand ban for Russia and Belarus
A group of 35 countries, including the United States, Germany and Australia, will demand that Russian and Belarusian athletes are banned from the 2024 Olympics, the Lithuanian sports minister said on Friday, deepening the uncertainty over the Paris Games.
The move cranks up the pressure on an International Olympic Committee (IOC) that is desperate to avoid what is arguably the worlds' biggest sporting event being torn asunder by the bloody conflict unfolding in Ukraine.
"We are going in the direction that we would not need a boycott because all countries are unanimous," Jurgita Siugzdiniene said.
With war raging in Ukraine, the Baltic States, Nordic countries and Poland had called on international sports bodies to ban Russian and Belarusian athletes from competing in the Olympics. While mayor of the host city Paris Anne Hidalgo has said Russian athletes should not take part, Paris 2024 organisers have said they will abide by the IOC's decision on the issue.
2:30pm: Russia using surface-to-air missiles to target Ukrainian cities
Russian forces unleashed a barrage of missile and drone strikes against targets in eastern and southern Ukraine early Friday, striking critical infrastructure in Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, and Zaporizhzhia.
The latest barrage saw Moscow's forces use S-300 surface-to-air missiles to target infrastructure on the ground, says FRANCE 24's correspondent Gulliver Cragg, reporting from the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv.
1:20pm: Ukraine says 61 of 71 Russian missiles destroyed
The Ukrainian air force says its defence systems shot down 61 out of 71 Russian missiles launched in a fresh wave of attacks.
"The enemy launched a massive missile attack on the critical infrastructure of Ukraine," the air force said. "61 out of 71 enemy missiles (have been) destroyed," it added.
1:09pm: Italy's Meloni says supporting Ukraine only way to achieve peace
Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni dismissed critics at home who have chided her decision to continue sending arms to Ukraine, saying those who supported Kyiv were working for peace.
"Those who say Ukraine should not be helped are working against the sovereignty and freedom of a nation," Meloni told a news conference at the end of an EU summit.
She added that she hoped Italy would be able to announce in the coming days that it was ready to supply Ukraine with a SAMP/T missile defence system, which it will deliver jointly with France.
12:29pm: Romania denies Russian missiles crossed country
Romania has denied Russian missiles flew over the country, rejecting Kyiv's claims that two Russian missiles crossed the airspace of the NATO-member on their way to Ukraine.
Romania detected an "aerial target launched from the Black Sea from a ship of the Russian Federation" but "at no point did it intersect with Romania's airspace," its ministry of defence said.
11:57am: Ukrainian electricity producer says four power plants damaged
Leading Ukrainian electricity producer DTEK said four of its thermal power plants were damaged in Russian missile attacks on Friday.
It said in a statement that, according to preliminary information, two employees had been wounded.
Ukraine's energy minister said earlier in the day that Russia had hit power facilities in six Ukrainian regions, forcing authorities to launch emergency electricity shutdowns across most of the country.
11:53am: Moldova summons Russian ambassador after missile overflight
Moldova has said it will summon Russia's ambassador after Chisinau claimed that a missile crossed the airspace of the ex-Soviet republic.
The ambassador would be summoned "to indicate to the Russian side the unacceptable violation of our airspace by a Russian missile that today flew over the sovereign territory of Republic of Moldova," the foreign ministry said in a press release.
11:40am: Putin to deliver state of the nation address on February 21
Russian President Vladimir Putin will deliver his state of the nation address on February 21, the Kremlin has said, just days before Moscow's offensive in Ukraine passes its first anniversary.
"On February 21, the President of the Russian Federation will address the Federal Assembly", which includes lawmakers from both chambers of parliament, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
11:24am: Russian attacks hit Ukrainian power facilities in six regions
Russia hit power facilities in six Ukrainian regions during missile and drone strikes, forcing authorities to launch emergency electricity shutdowns across most of the country, Energy Minister German Galushchenko has said.
"Unfortunately, there are hits at thermal and hydro generation facilities and also at high-voltage infrastructure in six regions," Galushchenko said. "The most difficult situation is in Zaporizhzhia, Kharkiv and Khmelnytskiy regions.
11:20am: Ten Russian missiles shot down over Kyiv, mayor says
Ukraine shot down 10 Russian missiles over the capital Kyiv on Friday, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said.
"There is damage to power grids. There are no casualties. Energy workers are working to restore the network," Klitschko wrote on the Telegram messaging app, quoting the Ukrainian military.
11:18am: Russia likely lost dozens of tanks in failed attack on Vuhledar, UK says
Russian forces likely lost dozens of armoured vehicles during a failed attack on the eastern Ukrainian city of Vuhledar, British intelligence said on Friday.
Vuhledar, a Ukrainian-held bastion at the strategic intersection between the eastern and southern front lines, has seen some of the bloodiest fighting of the war as Russia continues a relentless assault on the eastern front.
"Russian troops likely fled and abandoned at least 30 mostly intact armoured vehicles in a single incident after a failed assault," Britain's defence ministry said in a daily briefing.
11:09: Russia says it will cut oil production over Western caps
Russia will cut oil production by 500,000 barrels per day next month in response to the West capping the price of its crude over the war in Ukraine, Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said Friday, according to multiple Russian news media reports.
“As of today, we fully sell all our crude output, but as we stated before, we will not sell oil to those who directly or indirectly adhere to the ‘price ceiling,’” Novak said, in remarks carried on the Russian TASS news agency.
“In connection with that, Russia will voluntarily cut production by 500,000 barrels a day. It will help restore market-style relations,” he said.
10:42am: Ukraine says two Russian missiles crossed into Romania, Moldova airspace
Two Russian missiles crossed into Romanian and Moldovan airspace before entering Ukraine on Friday, the top Ukrainian general said.
Valeriy Zaluzhnyi, commander-in-chief of Ukraine's armed forces, said two Kaliber missiles launched from the Black Sea had entered Moldovan airspace, then flew into Romanian airspace, before entering Ukraine. FRANCE 24 could not immediately verify the statement. Russia did not immediately comment on it.
The Ukrainska Pravda media outlet quoted the air force spokesperson as saying separately that Ukraine had the ability to shoot down the missiles but did not do so because it did not want to endanger civilians in foreign countries.
10:35am: Kyiv renews calls for fighter jets as Russian strikes pummel Ukraine
A close aide to Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky has renewed calls for Western allies to provide Kyiv with long-range missiles and fighter jets after the latest wave of Russian missile and drone attacks.
"Russia has been striking at Ukrainian cities all night & morning," presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak wrote on Twitter. "Enough talk & political hesitation. Only fast key decisions: long-range missiles, fighter jets, operational supplies logistics for Ukraine."
Earlier in the day, French President Emmanuel Macron said he did not rule out sending fighter jets to Ukraine at some point, but that Kyiv was in need of more immediate military firepower.
9:32am: Russia complains it can't export grain through Black Sea deal
Russia's ambassador to the UN said on Friday that Moscow has not been able to export any grain as part of the Black Sea grain deal struck between Russia and Ukraine last year due to Western obstacles, the RIA Novosti news agency reported.
The deal, struck last summer, facilitates the export of Ukrainian agricultural products through its southern Black Sea ports with the supervision of Turkey and the United Nations. It was not intended to facilitate Russian grain exports and Russia continues to export large volumes of grain and other agricultural products outside of the deal.
8:15am: Ukrainian air defence 'sometimes has 100 percent success rate'
The mobile air defence teams intercepting Russian missiles have become crucial to Ukraine's war efforts as it defends its people and infrastructure from attacks.
"It's become almost part of daily life for inhabitants of Kyiv and its region; once every 10 days or so, sirens will go off and explosions will be heard just afterwards, and people turn to the media to find out what percentage of the rockets or drones were shot down by air defence systems, FRANCE 24's Gulliver Cragg reported, on the ground with one such team in area around the Ukrainian capital. "It's almost always the majority; sometimes it's even 100 percent success rate.
7:32am: Air raid alert declared across Ukraine
An air raid alert was declared in all of Ukraine on Friday as officials warned of potential Russian missile strikes, urging residents to take shelter.
"There is a big threat of the missile attack. I want to stress again - do not ignore the air alert sirens," said Serhiy Popko, head of Kyiv city military administration.
5:44am: Russia escalates attacks in Ukraine, striking Zaporizhzhia, Kharkiv
Russian forces struck critical infrastructure in Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, and launched multiple strikes on energy infrastructure in Zaporizhzhia early Friday as Moscow stepped up its attacks in Ukraine’s south and east and air raid sirens went off across much of the country.
Zaporizhzhia City Council Secretary Anatolii Kurtiev said the city had been hit 17 times in one hour, which he said made it the most intense period of attacks since the beginning of the full-scale invasion in February 2022.
In Kharkiv, authorities were still trying to establish information on victims and scale of the destruction, with Mayor Ihor Terekhov saying there may be disruptions to heating and the electricity and water supply.
Military analysts say Russian President Vladimir Putin is hoping that Europe’s support for Ukraine will wane, as Russia is believed to be preparing a new offensive.
5:35am: France says Ukraine needs firepower now, doesn't exclude planes later
French President Emmanuel Macron said on Friday he did not rule out sending fighter jets to Ukraine at some point, but that Kyiv was in need of more immediate military firepower, as Ukrainian officials said a fresh Russian offensive was underway.
President Volodymyr Zelensky has long urged Ukraine's allies to send jet fighters and on Thursday said that several European leaders were ready to supply aircraft.
"I exclude absolutely nothing," Macron said when asked about the possibility of sending jets at the end of a summit of EU leaders, attended by Zelensky.
5:30am: Macron weighs kicking Putin out of French Legion of Honour
French President Emmanuel Macron pinned the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour medal on Volodymyr Zelensky’s chest after the two met in the French presidential palace Thursday, a move Macron said was meant to show France’s “immense" recognition for Ukraine's valour since Russia invaded it a year ago.
Some French legislators and activists have called on Macron to rescind Russian President Vladimir Putin’s award because of the war.
Macron didn’t rule out stripping Putin of the honour bestowed by then-President Jacques Chirac in 2006.
Macron told reporters Friday that such a decision “has serious meaning, and it should be taken at the right moment.’’ He noted that he has rescinded the honor in the past.
9.20pm: War crimes seen everywhere Russian forces have deployed, US ambassador tells FRANCE 24
The US ambassador-at-large for global criminal justice, Beth Van Schaack, told FRANCE 24 in an interview Thursday that war crimes and other atrocities have been seen everywhere Russia's forces have been deployed. There is no question that this exercise has been a strategic failure for Putin and for the Kremlin, she said, and they are responding to that with increasingly desperate measures targeting civilians directly.
Van Schaack said the international community’s response to the Ukraine crisis has thus far focused on three main pillars: strengthening Ukraine's capabilities on the battlefield, mitigating the humanitarian crisis, and ensuring justice and accountability for any crimes committed.
As the one-year mark for the war approaches, there will be a lot of activity at the United Nations focused on trying to implement a just and durable peace, she said.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP, AP and Reuters)
