The essentials of February 8 at the end of the evening
- General Syrsky appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has named the head of his army, General Oleksandr Syrsky, commander-in-chief of Ukrainian forces, replacing Valeri Zaluzhny.
- At least 8,000 people were killed by the war in Mariupol
A investigation by the NGOs Human Rights Watch (HRW) and Truth Hounds found that at least 8,000 people were killed in Mariupol by Moscow’s war in Ukraine between March 2022 and February 2023, when the city fell to the Russians.
- The UN demands that Moscow stop the “forced transfer” of Ukrainian children to Russia
Ukraine estimates that at least 20,000 Ukrainian children have been forcibly sent to Russia since the war began on February 24, 2022. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said it was “clearly genocide”.
- The German Chancellor calls on the United States and the European Union to ” Do more “ to help Ukraine
Olaf Scholz on Thursday called on the United States and the European Union (EU) to ” Do more ” to help Ukraine defend itself against the Russian aggressor, before flying to Washington, where he is due to meet Joe Biden on Friday. “We must find a way to do more together”the leader told journalists at Berlin airport, saying he judged “insufficient” the aid decided so far and while support for kyiv is currently blocked in the American Congress.
- Russian army attacks Avdiivka “with very significant forces”says mayor of eastern Ukrainian city
According to the city’s mayor, Vitalii Barabash, there are 941 civilians remaining in the city where the first “street fights” with isolated groups of “saboteurs” and Russian scouts took place. Ukraine claims to have shot down a Russian helicopter near the town.
- Tucker Carlson’s interview with Vladimir Putin airs tonight
The interview with the Russian president by American presenter Tucker Carlson, close to Donald Trump, will be made public at 6 p.m. (Washington time, midnight in Paris). The EU said it did not “no discussion” ongoing regarding sanctions against the American host.
- Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin accuse the United States of“containment” and interference
Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin denounced Thursday, according to the Kremlin, the United States’ policy of interference in the affairs of other countries and accused Washington of seeking to contain Russia and China.
- The candidacy of the only opponent of Vladimir Putin and his war in Ukraine in the Russian presidential election has been rejected
Boris Nadejdine saw his candidacy rejected by the electoral commission on Thursday. Mr. Nadejdine said he wanted to challenge the rejection of his candidacy in court, but his chances of success are almost zero.
- Paris 2024: Ukrainian judoka Daria Bilodid aims for Olympic gold “youth of Ukraine”
The bronze medalist from the Tokyo Games in 2021 today wants to “concentrate entirely on training, with my sights set on a gold medal” in six months.