Russia “preparing very seriously for the offensive”, according to Kyiv. Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov said he expects the Russian army on Wednesday (February 1st) “try something around February 24”a year after the start of the invasion ordered by the Kremlin. “They can attempt a two-axis offensive”in the east and south of the country, he said, on BFMTV. “We also need to be ready as soon as possible, and that’s why we need weapons, to contain the enemy”, he insisted. Follow our live.
At least two dead in Kramatorsk. Rescuers were busy Thursday at dawn to try to find survivors in the rubble of an apartment building in Kramatorsk, eastern Ukraine, destroyed by a Russian strike. According to the governor of the Donetsk region, the attack killed two people and injured 21, eight of whom were hospitalized and two are in critical condition.
Patriotic ceremonies in Russia. Russia celebrates, on Thursday, the 80th anniversary of the Soviet victory in the Battle of Stalingrad, a turning point in the Second World War and a symbol of patriotism. This day takes on increased symbolic importance as Moscow intensifies its actions after the recent capture of Soledar, a town in eastern Ukraine, a first success for Russian forces for many months.
Anti-corruption operation in Ukraine. While kyiv is due to host a summit with the European Union on Friday, the Ukrainian authorities launched a vast anti-corruption operation on Wednesday targeting administrations, civil servants and personalities. The raids come a week after a series of senior officials were sacked in the wake of a bribery scandal over army supplies, the first major scandal since the Russian invasion nearly a year ago. .