Emergency Manager's Weekly Report

Feb 25, 20235 min read

Russian Invasion of Ukraine Situation Report #61

· Today (February 24th) marks the 1st anniversary of the illegal and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation.

· As of February 15th, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has recorded 21,293 civilian casualties (8,006 killed and 13,287 injured) in 1,141 settlements.

· The Ukrainian military is reporting the following Russian losses:

o 146,820 Soldiers (Wounded or Killed)

o 3,363 Tanks

o 6,600 Armored vehicles

o 2,363 Artillery

o 299 Aircraft

o 287 Helicopters

o 2,033 Drones

· On February 23rd, 141 UN General Assembly member states called for the restoration of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

· The United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defense is reporting the following:

o Over the last 48 hours, heavy fighting has continued in the Bakhmut sector where Ukrainian forces are keeping resupply routes open to the west despite Russia’s creeping encirclement over the last six weeks.

o Further south in Donetsk Oblast, the town of Vuhledar has again experienced heavy shelling. There is a realistic possibility that Russia is preparing for another offensive effort in this area despite costly failed attacks in early February and late 2022.

o Russia’s Eastern Group of Forces likely still has responsibility for the Vuhledar operation:

ü Its commander is likely under intense pressure to improve results following harsh criticism after previous setbacks.

ü It is unlikely that this commander has a striking force capable of achieving a breakthrough.

o On February 21st, President Putin made his first State of the Nation speech since 2021:

ü He made it clear that he intends to continue with the ‘special military operation’ in Ukraine.

ü He characterized Western elites as having “become a symbol of total unprincipled lies” and suspended Russia from the New START treaty.

ü Putin continued the bellicose tone he has adopted in speeches over the last six months but did not reveal any practical measures which might relieve Russia’s current deadlock on the battlefield.

ü Putin continues to present a contradictory narrative of existential struggle, while insisting everything in Russia is fine and going to plan.

· The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director-General is working on the rotation of IAEA staff at the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant. The planned rotation has been delayed for more than two weeks.

War and Atrocity Crimes Investigations Highlights:

· The Prosecutor General's Office of Ukraine is reporting that as of February 24th 1,141 new crimes have been registered.

· Since the start of the invasion the Prosecutor General’s office has documented the following:

o 68,000 War Crimes

o The destruction of 81,000 civilian infrastructure, 62,000 were residential buildings.

o A total of 951 people were notified they are under suspicion of committing war crimes.

o 26 Defendants have been convicted.

· The EU Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation has developed the Core International Crimes Evidence Database:

o The database will be used to store evidence collected by Ukrainian authorities and other investigators.

o It will also be used to develop a joint prosecutorial strategy at the International Centre for the Prosecution of the Crimes of Aggression, which is based in the Hague.

Humanitarian Impact and Response and Recovery Highlights:

· The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs is reporting the following:

o 8.1 million Refugees across Europe and 5.4 million Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).

o As of February 20th, there have been 802 attacks of healthcare.

· Since the start of the invasion the European Union has provided the following:

o 630 million Euros in humanitarian aid funding, of which 485 million Euros has already been fully contracted.

o A total of 32 countries have provided civil protection assistance.

o 1,917 completed medical evacuation flights.

o A total of 1,719 power generators have been offered.

· The European Office of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies has provided the following total services:

o A total of 124,828 volunteers have assisted the Ukrainian people.

o They have reached 1.2 million people with health support.

o One million people have received mental health support.

· Ukrainian Red Cross Update:

o More than 10 million people have been provided some type of assistance (cash support, household reconstruction, shelter, etc).

o Provided psychological assistance to more than 250,000 people.

o They have trained 100,000 people in first aid.

o Continues to provide home-based care programs to over 4,000 elderly and/or bedridden Ukrainians all over the country.

Russian Dis-information Campaign Highlights:

· Polygraph Info has compiled their top 10 Russian lies of the invasion.

· The EU East Stratcom Task Force for Disinformation Review has also identified their top 12 recurring disinformation myths.

· The People’s Republic of China continues to state they are neutral in the conflict, but they have been actively aiding in Russia’s disinformation strategy.

· Russia has used the statements by retired U.S. Colonel Douglas Macgregor that Russian forces have been careful to protect Ukrainian civilians. Here is the factcheck.

· Russia’s disinformation continues to confuse and terrorize through fear-mongering stories and conspiracy theories EU sanctions, energy and food security and bioweapons labs.

Cultural Heritage Protection Highlights:

· As of February 22nd, the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization has verified damage to 241 sites. This includes:

o 106 Religious sites

o 18 Museums

o 86 Buildings of historical and/or artistic interest

o 19 Monuments

o 12 Libraries

Sources:

· Russia’s war on Ukraine| EU Civil Protection Response and Humanitarian Aid to Ukraine - DG ECHO Daily Map | 24/02/2023

· Ukraine: Civilian casualties from 24 February 2022 to 15 February 2023

· Ukraine Data Explorer

· Damaged cultural sites in Ukraine verified by UNESCO