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Ukraine Invasion
Defense Policy / Programs
Foreign Policy
News Reports

Ukraine Invasion

• Ukraine Downs 11 Russian Drones; Atomic Watchdog Chief Says Less Shelling At Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Plant RFE/RL 08 Feb 2024 -- Ukraine says its air defenses said shot down 11 out of 17 drones launched by Russia at four regions - Mykolayiv, Odesa, Vinnytsya, and Dnipropetrovsk - early on February 8, but regional authorities reported that the attack caused damage to infrastructure.
• 'The Situation Is Critical': What The Looming Fall Of Avdiyivka Says About Ukraine's Battlefield Mood RFE/RL 08 Feb 2024 -- In a wooded southeast corner of Avdiyivka, the industrial Donbas city where Ukrainian troops have been desperately holding out against Russian assaults, there's a facility called Tsar's Hunt, once frequented by tourists relaxing in its restaurant, a low-slung hotel, gardens, and outdoor pool.
• Russia, Ukraine Conduct 100-for-100 Prisoner Swap With UAE Mediation Sputnik 08 Feb 2024 -- Russia has returned 100 prisoners of war from the territory under Kiev's control, following negotiations, while Kiev also received 100 prisoners in exchange, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Thursday.
• Statement by Russian Defence Ministry Russia MoD 08 Feb 2024 -- This night an attempt by the Kiev regime to carry out a terrorist attack by a fixed-wing UAV against facilities on the territory of the Russian Federation was foiled.
• Russian Troops Destroyed Over 12,000 Ukrainian Drones Since Start of Special Op - MoD Sputnik 08 Feb 2024 -- On Thursday, the Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) shared the latest developments on the course of the special operation.
• Russian Air Defenses Down Ukrainian Drone Over Crimea Sputnik 08 Feb 2024 -- Russian air defenses on duty destroyed a Ukrainian drone over the territory of Crimea, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Thursday.
• Investigation: China's Hikvision, Dahua Security Cameras Heighten Risks Of Russian Attacks On Ukraine RFE/RL 08 Feb 2024 -- As Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine nears the two-year mark, hundreds of thousands of Chinese-made Hikvision and Dahua video-surveillance cameras, used by government-run security systems, residences, and private companies throughout Ukraine, heighten the risks of attacks by the Russian military, Ukrainian digital-security experts and government officials fear.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Putin Says In Interview With U.S. Commentator Russia Has 'No Interest' In Expanding War Into Poland RFE/RL 08 Feb 2024 -- Russia has no interest in invading NATO member Poland, Russian President Vladimir Putin said in a controversial interview broadcast on February 8 in which he also said he believes a deal is possible to free detained Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich.

Foreign Policy

• Telephone conversation with President of China Xi Jinping President of Russia 08 Feb 2024 -- President Vladimir Putin had an extensive telephone conversation with President of China Xi Jinping.
• Russia, China Not Accepting Political, Military Pressure From United States Sputnik 08 Feb 2024 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping expressed mutual rejection of the US course aimed at interfering in the internal affairs of other countries and exerting political and military pressure, Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov said on Thursday.
• Putin and Xi Reiterate Strong Ties, Reject 'US Interference' VOA 08 Feb 2024 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke on the phone Thursday, according to the Kremlin, reiterating their strong diplomatic ties while rejecting what they called "U.S. interference" in other countries' affairs.
• Xi calls for 'close strategic coordination' to face US in talks with Putin Press TV 08 Feb 2024 -- Chinese President Xi Jinping has told his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin that both countries should employ "close strategic coordination" and firmly stand up against interference by external forces, particularly the United States.
• Russia, China Must Cooperate Closely to Ensure Security, Oppose External Interference - Xi Sputnik 08 Feb 2024 -- Russia and China should cooperate closely to ensure security and resolutely oppose any external interference in internal affairs, Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Thursday.
• Telephone conversation with President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev President of Russia 08 Feb 2024 -- During their telephone conversation, Vladimir Putin warmly congratulated President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev on his landslide victory in the early presidential election and wished him new successes during his work in this high state position.
• Press release on Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's meeting with President of the Republic of Abkhazia Aslan Bzhania Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 08 Feb 2024
• Press release on Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's meeting with Secretary General of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia Kairat Sarybay Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 08 Feb 2024
• Press release on Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's meeting with historical leader of the Lebanese Progressive Socialist Party Walid Jumblatt Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 08 Feb 2024
• Joint Statement on the 14th meeting of the Pakistan-Russia Consultative Group on Strategic Stability Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs 08 Feb 2024 -- On 7 February 2024, the 14th round of Pakistan-Russia Consultative Group on Strategic Stability was held under the chairmanship of Additional Foreign Secretary (Arms Control and Disarmament) Mohammad Kamran Akhtar and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs S.A. Ryabkov
• U.S. Imposes Fresh Russia-Related Sanctions, Updates Restrictions On Diamond Imports RFE/RL 08 Feb 2024 -- The United States on February 8 imposed fresh sanctions for alleged violations of an oil price cap set by the Group of Seven (G7) nations and took steps to further restrict the importation of certain categories of diamonds mined in Russia, the U.S. Treasury Department said.
• Designating Additional Violators of Price Cap Policy on Russian Oil and Taking Steps on Russian Diamonds US Dept. of State 08 Feb 2024 -- The United States is taking additional action today to enforce the Price Cap Coalition's policies by designating four entities and identifying one vessel as blocked property.
• Treasury Targets Price Cap Violation Network and Implements G7 Ban on Russian Diamonds US Treasury 08 Feb 2024 -- Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is taking its second price cap enforcement action of 2024, imposing sanctions on four entities and identifying one vessel as blocked property. The network of these entities and the vessel were involved in a price cap violation scheme in late 2023. OFAC is also issuing two new determinations that implement G7 commitments to ban the importation of Russian diamonds.
• Finland's eastern border to remain closed Finnish Government 08 Feb 2024 -- The Government has decided that the border crossing points on the land border between Finland and Russia will remain closed until 14 April 2024. It will also not be possible to submit applications for international protection at any border crossing points on the land border between Finland and Russia. The Government decided on the matter in its session on 8 February 2024.

News Reports

• Russian Anti-War Candidate Nadezhdin Vows To Fight Election Commission's Rejection Of His Registration RFE/RL 08 Feb 2024 -- Boris Nadezhdin, the only remaining anti-war presidential hopeful, said on February 8 that Russia's Central Election Commission (TsIK) refused to register him for an upcoming election set up to hand incumbent Vladimir Putin another six-year term.
• Russian Assets Worth Over $711Mln Frozen in Netherlands as of January 11 Sputnik 08 Feb 2024 -- Assets of individuals and legal entities from Russia worth more than 660 million euros ($711 million) were frozen in the Netherlands as of January 11, Russian Ambassador Vladimir Tarabrin said on Thursday.
• Russia's Economy Grew in 2023, Despite War and Sanctions VOA 08 Feb 2024 -- The Russian economy in 2023 outpaced both the United States and Europe in terms of growth, increasing in size by 3.6% despite being subject to a wide array of powerful economic sanctions and being cut off from major global markets.