WAR IN UKRAINE: February 13, 2023
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS: Day 355
Russian soldiers are dying in greater numbers in Ukraine this month than at any time since the first week of the invasion, according to Ukrainian data. The Ukrainian data shows 824 Russian soldiers dying per day in February. The figures were highlighted by the UK's Ministry of Defence. The figures cannot be verified - but the UK says the trends are "likely accurate". The Ukrainian military claims 137,780 Russian military deaths since the full-scale invasion began - BBC
The founder of the private Russian mercenary group Wagner has said that the force has taken Krasna Hora, a village in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region that lies on the edge of Bakhmut, a key objective for Russian forces.
A resolution calling for peace in Ukraine will be submitted to the UN General Assembly for consideration. The resolution also refers to the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine - AP
Two former fighters of the Russian private military company Wagner have told CNN of their horrific experiences on the battlefield in eastern Ukraine, and how anyone who faltered was immediately shot by their own commanders. The two fighters were captured by Ukrainian forces late last year. CNN is not disclosing their identities for their own safety. Both are married with children and were recruited while in prison. One was serving a 20-year sentence for manslaughter. The two fighters told of hideous losses in “first wave” assaults reminiscent of World War I charges. “There were 90 of us. Sixty died in that first assault, killed by mortar fire. A handful remained wounded,” said one, recalling his first assault near the village of Bilohorivka. “If one group is unsuccessful, another is sent right away. If the second one is unsuccessful, they send another group” - CNN
Ukraine Finance Minister: “Ukraine calls on the Financial Action Task Force to expel Russia and blacklist it… This would significantly increase the cost of doing business with Russia and effectively choke Putin’s ability to finance his illegal war of aggression” - FT
Required reading…
New media law: Tool to fight Russian propaganda or censorship attempt?
Ukraine’s new media law, signed by President Volodymyr Zelensky in December, has triggered a major controversy.
The law expands the powers of the media regulator, the National Council for Television and Radio. Specifically, it gives it the authority to block some media outlets without a court ruling.
Its supporters argue that Ukraine needs a strong regulator to fight Russian propaganda and resist Russian aggression.
But critics say that the media law can be used to censor pro-Ukrainian media critical of the incumbent government.
Read the full Kyiv Independent report here