February 21, 2024

Ukrainian General Staff: about 1,130 Russian troops killed or wounded in 24 hours; 83 tanks and APCs destroyed or disabled

Ukraine Defense Ministry


General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine 

The total combat losses of the enemy from 24.02.22 to 21.02.24 were approximately:

personnel ‒ about 406080 (+1130) осіб / persons,

tanks ‒ 6516 (+13),

APV ‒ 12338 (+70),

artillery systems – 9826 (+53) од,

MLRS – 992 (+4) од,

Anti-aircraft warfare systems ‒ 678 (+3) од,

aircraft – 338 (+0) од,

helicopters – 325 (+0) од,

UAV operational-tactical level – 7560 (+39),

cruise missiles ‒ 1903 (+1),

warships / boats ‒ 25 (+0) од,

submarines – 1 (+0) од,

vehicles and fuel tanks – 12861 (+56) од,

special equipment ‒ 1558 (+7)

Data are being updated.

Strike the occupier! Let’s win together! Our strength is in the truth!

General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

Situation update as of 6 p.m., February 21, 2024

Glory to Ukraine! Day 728 of the russian full-scale military aggression against Ukraine continues.

The enemy continues to wage a war of aggression. Despite significant losses, it does not abandon its plans for the complete occupation of Ukraine, ignores the laws and customs of war, uses terror tactics, launches strikes, and attacks both military and civilian targets. The enemy is actively using aircraft and FPV quadcopters, conducting assault operations with the support of armored vehicles.

The operational situation in eastern and southern Ukraine remains difficult.

During the day of February 21, there were 51x combat engagements. The enemy launched a total of 3x missile and 84x air strikes, carried out 71x MLRS attacks at the positions of Ukrainian troops and various settlements. Unfortunately, russian terrorist attacks resulted in wounded civilians. Residential private and apartment buildings as well as other infrastructure were destroyed and damaged.

Volyn and Polissya axes: no significant changes. No signs of formation of an offensive group. Certain units of the armed forces of belarus continue their missions in the areas bordering Ukraine.

Sivershchyna and Slobozhanshchyna axes: the adversary maintains its military presence in the areas of russia bordering Ukraine. The enemy continues its sabotage and reconnaissance activities, shelling Ukrainian settlements from the territory of russia and increases the density of minefields along the state border of Ukraine. The enemy launched air strikes in the vicinities of Milove, Vil’khuvatka, Hryhorivka (Kharkiv oblast). More than 20x settlements came under enemy artillery and mortar fire, including Bleshnya, Hrem’yach, Yeline (Chernihiv oblast), Popivka, Volfyne (Sumy oblast), Veterynarne, Krasne, Luk’yantsi, Hatyshche (Kharkiv oblast).

Kup’yans’k axis: the adversary made 2x assault attempts near Syn’kivka and Tabaivka (Kharkiv oblast). The invaders launched an air strike in the vicinity of Petropavlivka (Kharkiv oblast). The invaders fired artillery and mortars at around 10x settlements, including Dvorichna, Syn’kivka, Ivanivka, Berestove (Kharkiv oblast).

Lyman axis: the Ukrainian defenders repelled 4x assaults near Terny and Vyimka (Donetsk oblast), where the adversary made attempts to breach Ukrainian defense. The invaders launched air strikes in the vicinities of Makiivka, Bilohorivka (Luhansk oblast), Lyman, Svyato-Pokrovs’k, Sivers’k (Donetsk oblast). The enemy fired artillery and mortars at more than 10x settlements, including Makiivka, Nevs’ke (Luhansk oblast), Terny, Tors’ke, Serebryanka, Spirne (Donetsk oblast).

Bakhmut axis: the Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 1x attack in the vicinity of Klishchiivka (Donetsk oblast), where the occupiers, with air support, made attempts to improve their tactical situation. The adversary launched an air strike near New York (Donetsk oblast). More than10x settlements came under artillery and mortar fire, including Orikhovo-Vasylivka, Hryhorivka, Ivanivske, Klishchiivka (Donetsk oblast). 

Avdiivka axis: the Ukrainian defenders repelled 12x attacks in the vicinities of Stepove, Lastochkyne, Pervomais’ke, Nevel’s’ke (Donetsk oblast). The adversary launched air strikes near Novopokrovske, Novobakhmutivka, Stepove, Semenivka, Orlivka, Lastochkyne (Donetsk oblast). The invaders fired artillery and mortars at around 20x settlements, including Berdychi, Semenivka, Sjeverne, Netailove (Donetsk oblast).

Mar’inka axis: the Ukrainian Defense Forces continue to hold back the invaders in the vicinities of Heorhiivka, Pobjeda, Novomykhailivka (Donetsk oblast). In that area, the invaders made 10x attempts to breach Ukrainian defense. The adversary launched air strikes near Krasnohorivka, Katerynivka, Antonivka, Paraskoviivka, Kostyantynivka (Donetsk oblast). The settlements of Krasnohorivka, Heorhiivka, Novomykhailivka, Paraskoviivka were under artillery and mortar fire of the occupiers.

Novopavlivka axis: the adversary conducted no offensives. The enemy launched air strikes in the vicinities of Urozhaine and Staromaiors’ke (Donetsk oblast). The enemy fired artillery and mortars at around 10x settlements, including Prechystivka, Zolota Nyva, Staromaiors’ke, Urozhaine (Donetsk oblast).

Zaporizhzhia axis: the Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled 7x attacks west of Verbove and in the vicinity of Robotyne (Zaporizhzhia oblast). More than 20x settlements, including Poltavka, Malynivka, Charivne, Bilohir’ya, Novodanylivka, P’yatykhatky (Zaporizhzhia oblast), were under artillery and mortar fire of the occupiers.

Odesa operational-strategic group, Kherson axis: the occupiers do not abandon their intention to drive Ukrainian units out of their footholds on the left bank of the Dnipro. During the day, the enemy made 2x attempts to assault positions of Ukrainian troops. The adversary launched air strikes near Krynky and Chornobaivka (Kherson oblast). More than 10x settlements, including Kherson, Krynky, Ivanivka, Tyahynka, Tokarivka (Kherson oblast) came under artillery and mortar fire of the occupiers. 

During the day of February 21, the Ukrainian Air Force launched air strikes on 10x concentrations of troops, 2x air defense systems of the occupiers. On top of that Ukrainian Air Force units destroyed yet another Su-34 fighter-bomber as well as 3 reconnaissance UAVs.

The Ukrainian missile troops hit 5x concentrations of troops, weapons and military equipment, 2x fuel depots, 3x command posts, 8x artillery systems, 1x electronic warfare station of the russian invaders. 

Ukrainian President Zelenskyy:  Ukraine shoots down seven Russian warplanes in one week

Defense of the sky and our frontline positions from Russian air and missile strikes is one of the key tasks this year – address by the President of Ukraine

21 February 2024 

I wish you health, fellow Ukrainians! A summary for the day.

First, I want to thank our Air Force, everyone who defends our skies. There are good results with regard to Russian military aircraft. Seven combat aircraft – Russian “Su” jets – were shot down in a week. Thank you, our warriors, for your accuracy. One of the key tasks for our country this year is to defend the sky and our frontline positions from Russian air and missile attacks.

The second is our priority in terms of neighborhood policy and relations with partners in the European Union. The Ukrainian principle is pragmatism. And in terms of security, we must be as pragmatic as possible to make sure that both Ukraine and each of our partners become stronger, so that each of us has more opportunities to defend ourselves against Russian evil. We must also be pragmatic in our approach to solving social and economic problems – without excessive politicization, without manipulation – manipulation of relations between states and peoples. The more pragmatic we are, everyone in Europe, the more protected our common values are, the stronger our independence is. And, of course, this is our priority right now in terms of relations with Poland. Today I proposed to our partners in Poland to solve the existing problems on the border for the sake of common interests. Our government and all our institutions are ready for meetings and dialogue. I am ready to join these meetings. It is very important for the European Commission to be engaged in this dialogue as well. We all need a result. Especially when our states and peoples in Europe are facing the threat of Russian aggression in one way or another. When Ukrainians and Poles, or anyone else in our Europe, fail to find common ground, it is Moscow alone that rejoices.

Third, we are preparing new security agreements with our partners. Very substantive ones. They include new defense support for our warriors, very specific financial guarantees for our state, and political cooperation that brings Ukraine – our state, our society – closer to greater opportunities, greater interaction with the world, and greater strength. We are preparing several new security agreements in the coming weeks. I am grateful to our teams that are preparing them, I am grateful to our partners.

And, of course, our warriors. Lastochkyne, Avdiivka sector. Novomykhailivka, Maryinka sector. Synkivka, Kupyansk sector. Robotyne, Zaporizhzhia sector. The highest intensity of Russian assaults over the last day. And the resilience and bravery of our warriors, which is of utmost importance. I thank everyone who is in combat, at combat posts, on combat missions. I am grateful to everyone who works for Ukraine and its defense. I thank everyone who helps. Believing in Ukraine means believing in yourself and working for common strength. We must achieve our Ukrainian goals. We must win. Glory to Ukraine

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Wilson Center

Forced displacement represents one of the most pressing humanitarian issues of our time. Individuals and families, torn from the fabric of their communities, find themselves navigating a world of uncertainty, often without basic necessities or a clear path to safety. There are currently some 110 million forced displaced, and this number is growing by 10 million each year!

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International Humanitarian Law (IHL), with its core principles centered on the protection of civilians during conflicts, plays a pivotal role in this discourse. Yet, despite clear legal frameworks, compliance remains
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