international logistics assignment

What Is International Logistics? Components, Process, Channels and Examples

International logistics is an increasingly important discipline for the global economy as more companies leverage it to reduce costs and take advantage of highly specialized capabilities in different industries and regions worldwide. Though the potential pitfalls are many, investing in good technology and procedures, and finding the right international partners, can build more competitive businesses — businesses capable of sourcing, hiring, and delighting customers around the world.

What Is International Logistics?

In business, international logistics is the study, planning and implementation of how a business moves physical goods and materials from supplier to customer in a way that involves crossing at least one international border. It also includes the international movement of money and information. Said another way, it’s simply business logistics that span two or more countries.

Key Takeaways

• International logistics involves moving physical goods, money, and information across international borders.
• Great international logistics management requires working on multiple horizons: mapping out supply chains years in advance, staying weeks ahead of orders, and having systems that let the business collect, process and act on data in real time.
• Good partners and technology providers are essential to early success in international logistics.

International Logistics Explained

There are many well-developed best practices for managing logistics in general:

• Optimizing supply chains
• Managing inventory
• Staying on top of, but never too far ahead of, demand,
• And getting shipments from suppliers to customers as efficiently as possible.

The additional challenge of crossing international borders can make logistics wildly more complicated than local or national businesses. But it doesn’t always have to be a roadblock.

For most companies, international logistics start as a “learn by doing” exercise — solving problems as they arise while the business grows in scope and complexity. Eventually, though, the best way to optimize international logistics isn’t just to continually adapt to constraints and challenges as they arise; it’s to see the whole picture and optimize around the complete set of global constraints and options available to the business.

In that approach, strategies that never would have occurred to business managers (e.g., putting a warehouse in a country where there are no customers or hiring employees in a city where there are zero sales or production facilities) may become great ways to improve operations.

Importance of Logistics in Global Trade

International logistics have taken on new importance in the modern era. As economies grow, they naturally allow for increased specialization. In other words, individuals and businesses can focus on doing fewer things but doing them better. A small town might have one bakery, while a city often has specialty shops for cupcakes, donuts, and pies, along with broader bakeries. Such specialization spurs competition and creativity, as well.

In national economies, regions can specialize, too, attracting a critical mass of talent and capacity that allows for greater productivity and innovation than would otherwise be possible. The United States has seen the development of many such regions. For example, auto manufacturing in Detroit drew on specialized businesses from the surrounding states to make high-precision car components.

Over the last century, costs and time delays associated with international communications have plummeted. International shipping has scaled to the point where the cost per pound or cubic foot to send large quantities of physical products or materials is often a negligible component of the overall price. English has more non-native speakers than native ones, allowing for a standard means of communicating in almost every business center worldwide. Translators and translation software are both available when a common tongue is not.

There are plenty of other forces pushing operations in a global direction, from policy incentives to the increasing dispersion of skilled workers (as talented humans everywhere gain better access to education and training). The ability to operate internationally — to source, sell and hire from around the globe — is an opportunity for many businesses and a mandate for others that want to stay competitive. But once a business starts straddling its operations across international borders, its logistics become international logistics. And that’s why international logistics is more important than ever before.

Main Goals of International Logistics

The main goals of international logistics are, by and large, like any business logistics process: to ensure efficient and reliable operations that run smoothly and predictably while driving down costs and reducing uncertainty. Beyond that, good international logistics management can yield improved relationships with customers, partners and even with prospects. Let’s go through these goals one at a time.

Cost efficiency.

This is usually the first goal that prompts businesses to focus on optimizing international logistics. Doing business across international borders can be expensive. There are multiple tax regimes to understand and manage, tariffs and other costly requirements, and the costs of long-distance shipping. These costs add up. By all the cost structures and options, from international real estate opportunities to regulatory frameworks, understanding businesses can respond to a complex and sometimes changing constraints to reduce costs. This is where casting a wide net and attention to detail matter.

Reliability.

With international logistics, one misunderstanding of a local rule could result in an entire shipment being unusable (for example, if it gets confiscated or a perishable shipment is turned away or stalled). More common threats to timeliness and predictability also loom, from delays in processing and mistakes in filling out forms to last-minute changes in import, export or travel policies. Having dedicated people, services, and technology to spot and respond to these threats to reliability can go a long way toward making an international operation more dependable. In some cases, “reliability” is just another way of saying “viability” because, without this, some businesses wouldn’t be able to survive.

Relationships.

Building a good international logistics operation often means making friends in many places. And when you have a reliable, efficient operation, it’s easier to build friendships. Growing businesses that pay their bills on time are a favorite of suppliers. Being the company that gets customers what they need, when they need it, at a fair price builds loyalty, especially when competitors are struggling. In some cases, an international supply chain may be the one competitive advantage that attracts customers, especially for product categories where offerings have low differentiation. Multiple office supply stores have gone out of business over the last few decades, for example, while those that remain have done so on the back of logistical expertise. They can get customers not only what they need but also when and where they need it, with comparatively high reliability.

Components of international logistics management.

There are many ways to break down the components of managing international logistics:

• All the different tasks a logistics manager faces in a day.
• The different parts of the supply chain, from sourcing to production to storing to distribution to sales and delivery.
• The people, objects, data and financial resources a business needs to do it well.

But perhaps the most helpful approach for a business just starting in international logistics is to consider that it is all in service of a common goal: doing a good job for customers.

Four Critical Elements of International Logistics

A company’s international logistics must follow best practices in each of the following operational elements to reliably and consistently execute while adapting to changing circumstances. Good international logistics managers will spend at least some time thinking about each of these and laying the groundwork for it.

Transport visibility.

Sometimes called “ supply chain visibility ” or simply “visibility,” this is the ability to see where goods are at any point from origin to buyer. Excellent visibility means being able to track every parcel, every order and every unit and locate it — in real time — in your supply chain and physical space. Which products are on which truck, and where are those trucks? What are the contents of each warehouse, and how much of that stock is scheduled to leave within the next 24 hours? Transport visibility gives businesses data they can use in real time, data to respond to upcoming demand, and data to learn from their history — successes and failures alike.

Chain of custody.

Chain of custody is an extension of transport visibility — knowing where your goods are and were at all times — but it adds a new data element: knowing WHO did WHAT with or to the goods. This information isn’t usually needed daily, but having it helps companies track down the source of problems when things go awry. When did damaged merchandise get damaged? Are there any individuals, organizations, or facilities in the supply chain that have a higher rate of error than others (or more than is reasonable)? What opportunities are there for something to go wrong (which, in turn, can help you think about how to prevent this)?

Chain of custody is one of the logistics elements that can get particularly tricky with international shipping, as goods may need to travel across many modes of transport and via multiple carriers. A FedEx tracking number, for example, does little good once the package is on a shipping container and no longer in FedEx’s care, and neither will that shipping container’s information do any good once its goods are offloaded. The number of opportunities to lose track of things is magnified when operations go international, which is why this can be difficult and crucial to get right.

Traceability to origin.

This element is also like visibility and chain of custody but in reverse. Instead of knowing where things are and where they’re going, traceability to origin (sometimes called backward traceability) is about where the goods came from and where all of the components came from.

For international operations that source from all over the globe, it’s not always enough to know that a car rolled off the line in Michigan, was sent to a dealership in New Hampshire and then bought by a customer who drove it to their home in Massachusetts. Knowing where every part of that car came from is important, too, in some cases for simple inventory and supply chain management concerns, but also for safety and, as of August 2022, for tax credit purposes.

The U.S. Inflation Reduction Act changed the old electric vehicle tax credit to the clean vehicle tax credit, the amount of which is determined based on where the components of the vehicle and its battery were manufactured and assembled. Traceability to origin is even more critical in the case of a problem or recall. If it’s found that some metal gears manufactured in China have a structural defect, or a brake pad made in Canada will need replacing earlier, knowing exactly where every component came from in every unit sold isn’t just good for business and customer relationships; it can save lives.

Integrity of consignment.

This element is the essential goal of all the others. Integrity of consignment means the product reached the intended recipient in proper condition and was handled appropriately per the terms of the contract and/or reasonable expectations of the recipient. This obviously means intact, fully present, and usable, but it could also include issues related to proper handling in transit. A perishable good may be fine to use upon arrival, but if it was improperly stored in transit, its useful life could be greatly reduced and costly to the recipient. The integrity of that consignment would have been compromised.

Examples of International Logistics

Examples of international logistics are everywhere — it’s probably harder to find a large company’s product that isn’t an example. The clothes you’re wearing, the last vehicle you rode in and the device you’re using to read this article almost certainly crossed international borders or have components that did. But examples of international logistics best practices and money-saving maneuvers are often hidden from plain sight. In other words, it’s well known that many modern products are assembled out of parts and materials from all over the world, but far less obvious is what the company had to do to get it to you quickly and cheaply. Sometimes the secret isn’t just in smooth daily operations but in decisions made years earlier to put a business in a position to execute.

Here are examples of two areas in which international logistics plays a crucial role: where to locate facilities and finding the right business partners.

Locating Facilities Ever wonder why United Parcel Service (UPS) has its biggest shipping facility, at over 5 million square feet, in Louisville, Kentucky? That isn't where UPS is headquartered (which is Atlanta); Louisville doesn't have one of the world's most active airports (the world's busiest would be, again, Atlanta); and it's not that there are a lot of customers or executives in Louisville, either. What Louisville has going for it is that it's close to the population-weighted geographic center of the United States, which minimizes total transport distances when running a hub-and-spoke system. That, in turn, minimizes flight times and fuel costs and gives employees on the ground more precious minutes to get cargo from the plane it arrived on to the plane it needs to leave on.

Though Anchorage, Alaska, is a town of fewer than 300,000 people, its airport is the fourth-busiest air cargo hub on the planet, and many companies run logistics through there. Why? Because it’s a convenient stopover between North America and Asia. Not many customers live there; not many businesses have major operations or production there. But it’s critical to getting goods (especially time-sensitive products, like perishable inventory) back and forth promptly and cost-effectively.

The key insight for international logistics is that businesses don’t have to put supply chain facilities in places that are close to their offices or customers. They need to put them in places that provide the most logistical value for international operations. Sometimes that means putting a warehouse in a country where a business has no customers because it’s near the factory or on the way to the customers, and it’s a cheap and convenient place to serve as a hub in your own network. Sometimes that means building factories in places with easy access to an efficient seaport and a major airport. And sometimes, it even means forgoing economies of scale on the production side to account for the international logistics challenges.

For example, three factories in three different countries may not produce the same low-average unit cost as one mega factory would, but if doing that solves a variety of political, legal and transportation challenges, the decision to make things more expensively could ultimately pay for itself 10 times over.

Finding the Right Partners International logistics is complicated, and growing companies don't need to reinvent every wheel. There are plenty of B2B services companies that specialize in helping product-selling businesses navigate international logistics challenges, from law firms with years of working across a specific international border to trucking fleets with drivers who have passports and the language skills and experience needed to operate where your business needs transportation.

So, businesses facing major international logistics challenges should think “3PL” — third-party logistics. Global 3PL providers might be able to solve some international logistics problems in a way that makes economic sense for your business. Especially for small and medium-sized businesses growing into international markets and diversifying their supply chains across international borders, the path to success is often and increasingly the one walked with the right partners.

International Logistics Process

No two companies will have the same processes for international logistics. But every company that wants to enjoy long-term success will go through similar steps to set up their international logistical process and ensure excellent execution.

Setting up an international logistics operation requires getting the right physical, digital, and human assets in the right places. Sometimes you can get all three accomplished at once by finding the right partner (i.e., a third-party logistics provider with shipping, warehouses, expertise, and data tracking). Sometimes, though, and especially at large scale, a business needs to do some or all of that on its own.

It’s important to design and locate physical assets, such as factories, warehouses, and transportation hubs, with your whole logistics network in mind. Don’t ask, “Where’s a good place for a warehouse based on activity in this area?” Instead, ask, “Where will a warehouse add the most good to the system as a whole?”

Maybe one warehouse is overburdened, so building a second warehouse next door seems like a good idea that will solve the problem. And it might. But it could be that the burden would be similarly alleviated by positioning the new warehouse somewhere much more convenient for your trucking network. That would not only alleviate the warehouse burden but reduce annual fuel costs as well.

For digital assets, think about building the capacity to collect, store, organize and analyze data. International logistics create a lot of data points, especially when a business is tracking everything properly. Smart companies store that data to learn from and improve operations. Access to data in real time, organized in useful ways, can help companies better respond to disruptions, emergencies, and sudden opportunities.

For human assets, international logistics adds a new dimension to the "right people in the right places" paradigm. In addition to all the personnel the business would need for a normal logistics operation, you'll need people who understand the relevant laws, taxes, tariffs, cultural customs, local players and languages in all the jurisdictions in which the business operates.

Once all assets are in place, excellent execution requires the business to establish clearly defined roles and responsibilities so that those assets can execute their functions consistently.

In the case of a warehouse, that might mean making sure it’s well run, operates at or slightly under capacity, and is properly maintained.

In the case of an enterprise-level data collection and management system, that means keeping it maintained and secure, and not letting errors and problems compound. When it comes to assuring the quality and usefulness of digital assets, proactive beats reactive and reactive beats complacent. So, keeping up with the latest data technology is important not only for maintaining international logistics capabilities, but expanding to always remain competitive.

And in the case of people, execution means they do their jobs well and consistently. From a management perspective, that only happens when two things are true: the business recruits the right people for the right roles and it has defined and resourced the roles to encourage success in employees and partners. That second one is essential because recruitment will always be challenging, and international logistics requires bringing together people with all kinds of backgrounds from different parts of the world. Ensuring they have proper training, clearly defined roles and procedures, and the resources necessary to do their jobs well is crucial for competent execution. For great execution, make sure your people have a voice that can be heard when problems and opportunities arise.

International Logistics Channels

International logistics has three essential process flows that sometimes are grouped into distinct “channels” so companies can focus on them one at a time. Although international logistics is fundamentally about moving physical goods and materials across borders, when you do that, money and information must flow as well. The following channels reflect those three critical flows:

International distribution channel (movement of physical goods).

This is the main thing we talk about in international logistics: moving physical things across borders. Transportation, storage, production, delivery, and the entire physical supply chain are covered in this channel. While this is the “main event,” so to speak, it’s helpful to remember that it’s only one of three channels, and it couldn’t happen without the other two.

International transaction and payment channel (movement of money).

Except for very rare barter transactions, when goods move across borders, so does money — often in the opposite direction. With international logistics, this can be considerably more complicated than when operating within the same country.

Which currency will you and your customers be using to pay for things? What payment options will you request or offer? What are the reporting and tax requirements of both countries involved in the transaction? Are you using any payment processing services, and what associated fees do they have?

This can become enormously complex for a business striving to do everything it can to make life easy and painless for customers while at the same time shopping or negotiating for favorable arrangements from suppliers.

Documentations and communications channel (movement of information).

When conducting business across international borders, good communication is essential. It minimizes the chances of misunderstandings and makes everything run smoothly. The communications channel includes correspondence and conversations, contracts and formal agreements, documentation from notes to government forms — and, increasingly, shared data for tracking, verification, and analytics.

International Logistics: The Flow of Goods, Data and Money

Challenges of International Logistics

International logistics managers face many challenges daily, and the last few years have seen a rise in the severity of those challenges. The fundamental problem is that growing supply chains run through more jurisdictions and require more personnel. So they accumulate more possible points of failure and bottlenecks as they expand. Let’s look at a few of the most common international logistics challenges, keeping in mind that this list is representative, not comprehensive.

Traversing geography.

Supply chains are just physically longer when they cross international borders, sometimes including oceans. Things take longer to get from point A to point B, requiring more investment in transportation and, often, multiple modes of transport. Ships, airplanes, trucks, trains, vans, cars, bicycles and, increasingly, aerial drones can be part of getting materials and goods from their origin into the hands of the consumer. More miles and more modes of transport don’t just elongate timelines, it introduces challenges and bottlenecks, as well.

Moving things along stretched supply chains requires a lot of people. Businesses need drivers and mechanics for the vehicles, people to load and unload physical items multiple times in a journey, technology people to manage data gathering, and more. A good third-party logistics partner can help with a lot of this, but at the end of the day, it's your business's product and customers, so you need to be confident that your supply chain isn't only well-designed but well-staffed, too.

Translation difficulties.

This is a whole category of challenges, as many things need to be translated or converted in an international supply chain. Language needs to be common or translated — and not just regularly spoken languages, like English and Mandarin, but also industry-specific jargon that's often needed to achieve clarity on goals and problems. Currencies need to be converted. Tracking systems need to talk to each other. Troves of data need to be integrated. Most of these challenges fall within the transaction and communication channels, but they're no less important to a reliable operation than the movement of physical goods.

Government rules and regulations.

Every country has different laws and regulatory frameworks in which businesses must operate, and making sure an entire global supply chain is compliant with all the applicable rules is difficult. These challenges range from acquiring permissions to paying taxes to making sure all your documentation and forms are filled out correctly and submitted as required. When it comes to regulatory legal advice, always consult an expert attorney (or, in the case of a global distribution network, several attorneys).

Political risk.

Sometimes, the politics of a country changes with little or no warning. Traveling employees might go from not needing a visa to needing one. An airport might suddenly not be allowed to fly a route your business depends on. A labor strike could cripple a port’s operations for days or weeks. There could be huge delays at the border if a politician thinks he or she can score points by tightening security measures. And, as in 2022, a nuclear superpower might invade a country critical to the global supply chain, and, as a small American business, there’s very little you can do about it but find a way to cope. Despite some logistics innovations historically coming from military efforts, wars are, on balance, as overwhelmingly bad for economies as they are for humanity.

Ways to Make International Logistics More Efficient

One of the challenges with international logistics is keeping everything running reliably and efficiently. There are so many moving parts that it’s easy for costs to creep upward, especially when connecting systems that weren’t designed to do so. By implementing these best practices within its operations and with its partners, a business can counteract some of the most common and costly sources of inefficiency.

Standardization:

This approach has been employed successfully for centuries, from the days of the Roman army to today’s global franchise businesses. Customization is time-consuming and confusing, especially when a business is managing a lot of people, vehicles, facilities and operating processes.

Having all data delivered in the same way and representing the same things lets a business compare parts of its operation in an apples-to-apples way. Having everyone use the same forms and protocols means you don’t need to waste time studying each one, and employees can quickly glean the necessary information. Having everyone in sync on vocabulary and processes means steps become rote and can happen faster.

Sometimes, people on the ground will push back against standardization, and for reasons that seem sound — one-size-fits-all solutions, for example, often lend themselves to improvements in practice. But just because something could be improved in one location or for one part of a supply chain doesn’t mean the savings would be worth the cost of introducing exceptions to otherwise standardized procedures. Good leaders will pay attention to and thoughtfully consider situations where exceptions produce more value than they take away by adding friction to the system.

Improve visibility:

One of the best ways to fight inefficiency is to improve the quality, timeliness, and comprehensiveness of tracking information. Knowing where everything is to the meter and the minute can be a huge advantage in managing a dynamic supply chain, especially where partners are involved that could benefit from predictability and advance notice of what you’re doing. The data generated by visibility enhancements can help a business target and diagnose other sources of inefficiency, as well.

As operations spread across geographies, nations, and partners, implementing controls can help operations function within established parameters, particularly when they’re hard to observe directly. Giving formal responsibility for outcomes and metrics to people on the ground and conducting regular internal audits can keep operations running smoothly and according to spec. It can be wise for auditors to adopt a mindset of being there to help the team, as formal audits can be intimidating and can create an adversarial tone with important teams and partners if not handled with care.

Communication:

The importance of good communication among team members may seem obvious, but large organizations partnering with other large organizations often have real barriers to quick conversations among people looking to coordinate efforts, ask questions, or spread best practices. There are stories from real businesses where two people needed permission from both of their bosses (which was only sometimes forthcoming) to have a 15-minute conversation to ask each other questions and coordinate on a logistical task. It’s better to do the opposite: Don’t just let your employees talk to the people they need to talk to; encourage them and make it easy.

Solid partnerships:

Having the right partners can make or break a global supply chain. Working far apart in disparate time zones, operating in different business cultures, speaking different first languages, and having different areas of expertise makes it hard for some businesses to build productive, trusting relationships. But it’s worth the investment. Good partners get to know each other’s businesses, are proactive about helping each other, and share information that may be useful and preparing for changing economic conditions. The difference between a partner you must manage aggressively and a partner you can build with can be the difference between growth and stagnation for international businesses.

Use NetSuite for Transportation and International Logistics

Good data collection, management and analysis are crucial for businesses looking to overcome the challenges of international logistics. NetSuite Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) can merge a business’s financial management, inventory management, staff management and product distribution data into a single platform for transportation and logistics that provides real-time updates for decision makers, managers and business partners.

The logistics necessary for the efficient functioning of a large global supply chain can be intimidating. So it’s important for a small business looking to grow internationally to remember that international logistics operations usually start small and grow over time, along with the level of the company’s cross-border business.

Most often, the best way to move forward is with good tools and business partners. No one company will provide everything a business needs, from software to legal expertise to shipping, but if your operations are expanding internationally, it’s never too soon to start looking for the tools and future partners that will take your business to the next international level.

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International Logistics FAQs

What are the components of international logistics.

When dealing with business logistics of any kind, international or not, the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport has defined “7 R’s” that define the components and goals of whatever system a business is building and using. The seven are: to get the right quantity (1), of the right product(s) (2), in the right condition (3), to the right customer (4), at the right price (5), at the right place (6), and the right time (7).

What is the importance of logistics to international business?

The difference between good and bad implementations of international logistics can produce such drastic swings in costs and reliability that good international logistics is a survival necessity for many businesses operating in a global economy. Meanwhile, as regions and countries specialize in different things, many industries are in a position where, to remain competitive, they have no choice but to consider expanding their supply chains internationally.

What is an international logistics manager?

An international logistics manager plans and/or oversees parts of a supply chain that span one or more international borders. They deal with the assembly, shipping, storage, distribution, and delivery of physical products.

What is logistics in international trade?

Logistics in international trade is the art and science of moving physical goods from supplier to customer across at least one international border.

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Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, February 9, 2024

Angelica Evans, Riley Bailey, Karolina Hird, Kateryna Stepanenko, George Barros, and Fredrick W. Kagan

February 9, 2024, 6:40pm ET  

Click  here  to see ISW’s interactive map of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. This map is updated daily alongside the static maps present in this report.  

Click  here  to see ISW’s 3D control of terrain topographic map of Ukraine. Use of a computer (not a mobile device) is strongly recommended for using this data-heavy tool.

Click  here  to access ISW’s archive of interactive time-lapse maps of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. These maps complement the static control-of-terrain map that ISW produces daily by showing a dynamic frontline. ISW will update this time-lapse map archive monthly.

Note: The data cut-off for this product was 2pm ET on February 9. ISW will cover subsequent reports in the February 10 Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment.

The Russian online community noted that Russian President Vladimir Putin did not offer any new information in his interview with American media personality Tucker Carlson and simply repeated longstanding Kremlin talking points about Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine for American audiences.  Prominent Russian milbloggers claimed that Putin did not say anything new and framed the interview as a Russian attempt to infiltrate Western mainstream media rather than to make any fundamentally new arguments or to address Russian audiences.[1] One milblogger claimed that Putin’s interview aimed to promote Russian foreign policy to Americans who are actively engaged on social media and explained Putin’s repetition of tired Kremlin talking points as a summary of Russia’s justifications for its invasion of Ukraine for American voters.[2] Sources close to the Russian Presidential Administration similarly told Russian opposition outlet  Meduza  that Putin’s interview was not designed for a Russian audience and that the Kremlin intended to generate informational effects and hysteria in the West.[3] One of  Meduza’s  interlocutors added that the interview’s secondary objective was to show Russian domestic audiences that Putin can still shape global discourse based on the popularity of the interview but did not offer an assessment of Putin’s success in this regard.

Kremlin sources focused on presenting the interview as a massively successful and popular Russian effort to shape the information environment in the West and claimed that the interview demonstrated that Putin is an influential world leader. Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov claimed that American interest in Putin’s interview was “undeniable” and that the Kremlin is interested in the reaction to the interview abroad as it continues to prioritize observing the domestic response to the interview.[4] Russian occupation officials celebrated a claim that the interview surpassed 60 million views and claimed that the world is increasingly interested in Putin’s opinion and his ”truths.”[5]

Russian Security Council Deputy Chairperson Dmitry Medvedev noted that Putin told the Western world in the most thorough and detailed way why Ukraine did not exist, does not exist, and will not exist. [6]   Medvedev’s description of Putin’s interview further demonstrates that Russia has not abandoned its maximalist goals of eradicating Ukrainian statehood and that Putin does not intend to negotiate with Ukraine on any terms short of these goals.

Delays in Western aid appear to be exacerbating Ukraine’s current artillery shortages and could impact Ukraine’s long-term war effort.  The  Financial Times  ( FT ) reported on February 9 that Ukraine is struggling with artillery shortages amid delayed US aid and Europe’s anticipated failure to meet its March 2024 deadline of providing one million artillery shells to Ukraine.[7] An unnamed senior US military official told  FT  that delayed US aid risks creating an “air bubble” or a “gap in the hose” of Western aid to Ukraine and leaving Ukraine without Western aid for an unspecified period of time.[8] The official stated that the Pentagon is particularly concerned about Ukraine’s ability to maintain its air defense systems and ammunition supplies, and a senior European diplomat warned that it will be difficult for Ukraine to even maintain its current positions without Western materiel.[9]  ISW continues to assess that the collapse of Western aid to Ukraine would likely lead to the eventual collapse of Ukraine’s ability to defend itself and hold off the Russian military and could allow Russian forces to push all the way to western Ukraine closer to the borders of NATO member states. [10]  Another European official expressed concern over Europe’s ability to substitute the volume of assistance that the US previously provided to Ukraine.[11] Ukrainian Ambassador to the US Oksana Markarova told  Bloomberg  on February 8 that Ukraine is facing a ”critical shortage” in military equipment, particularly missiles and interceptors.[12] Ukrainian military officials recently warned that Ukraine is rationing air defense equipment and ammunition while attempting to adapt and respond to large-scale Russian drone and missile strikes.[13]

Newly appointed Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi identified several of his goals as commander of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.  Syrskyi stated that his primary agenda is to set clear and detailed plans for the Ukrainian command as well as to facilitate the quick distribution and delivery of necessary materiel to combat units deployed throughout the theater.[14] Syrskyi stated that he intends to balance between having Ukrainian forces conduct combat missions and building Ukraine’s combat power by restoring and training Ukrainian units.[15] Syrskyi added that the introduction of new technical solutions and the implementation of lessons learned from successful modern combat experience, specifically with drones and electronic warfare (EW) systems, is a path towards Ukrainian victory, echoing themes from former Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief General Valerii Zaluzhnyi’s recent focus on using technological innovation and adaptation to offset Russian forces‘ numerical advantages.[16] Syrskyi further discussed these goals at a meeting with Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov on February 9 in which the two discussed plans for improving logistics and the quality of training for Ukrainian forces in 2024.[17]

Ukrainian actors reportedly conducted a successful drone strike against two oil refineries in Krasnodar Krai on February 9.  Ukrainian outlet  Suspilne,  citing its internal sources in the Ukrainian security service (SBU), reported that SBU drones struck the Ilsky and Afipsky oil refineries in Krasnodar Krai on February 9.[18] The Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) claimed that Ukraine launched two drones at Krasnodar Krai, but claimed that Russian air defense intercepted the drones, despite footage showing a fire at the Ilsky oil refinery following apparent drone impacts.[19] SBU sources additionally reported that the SBU conducted a drone strike against the Lukoil refinery in Volgograd Oblast on February 3.[20] Russian outlet  Kommersant  reported on February 6 that Russian refineries had to marginally reduce their output due to damage caused by Ukrainian drone strikes, and the  Kommersant  investigation found that Russian refinery output reduced by 4 percent in January 2024 compared to January 2023 and by 1.4 percent in January 2024 compared to December 2023.[21] While the reduction in refinery percentage is not large, it is noteworthy that Ukraine is able to achieve such asymmetrical effects against infrastructure that supports the Russian war effort using a few drones per strike on such high-value targets.

Ukrainian military officials reported that Russian forces are increasing their use of illegal chemical weapons in Ukraine, in an apparent violation of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), to which Russia is a signatory. [22]   The Ukrainian General Staff reported that the Ukrainian military has recorded 815 Russian attacks with ammunition equipped with toxic chemicals since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, 229 of which occurred in January 2024 alone.[23] Ukrainian Tavriisk Group Commander Brigadier General Oleksandr Tarnavskyi noted that Russian forces are increasingly conducting chemical attacks in the Tavriisk operational direction (from Avdiivka through western Zaporizhia Oblast).[24] Ukrainian military officials stated that Russian forces most often use K-51 grenades, RGR 60mm irritant hand grenades, and RGO Soviet-era defensive fragmentation hand grenades, likely filled with either chlorobenzylidenemalononitrile (CS) gas or chloropicrin (PS).[25] Both CS gas and PS are considered riot control agents (RCAs), or irritant chemical compounds that are not necessarily lethal but have extremely irritating and harmful effects, especially when inhaled.[26] The CWC - which Russia ratified in 1997 - bans the use of RCAs in warfare.[27] The Russian 810th Naval Infantry Brigade recently acknowledged in a now-deleted post that elements of the brigade deliberately used K-51 grenades with CS gas on Ukrainian positions near Krynky in east (left) bank Kherson Oblast.[28]

Bloomberg  reported on February 9 that Ukraine is considering economic reforms in order to secure funding from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in the event that the US Congress continues to block crucial aid. [29]   Bloomberg  reported that Ukrainian officials will propose a plan to IMF officials in Kyiv next week to expand Ukraine’s domestic bond sales, raise taxes, and cut federal spending. Ukrainian officials hope to assure the IMF that Ukraine can pay back its $15.6 billion IMF loan without additional Western aid.

Key Takeaways:

• The Russian online community noted that Russian President Vladimir Putin did not offer any new information in his interview with American media personality Tucker Carlson and simply repeated longstanding Kremlin talking points about Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine for American audiences.
• Russian Security Council Deputy Chairperson Dmitry Medvedev noted that Putin told the Western world in the most thorough and detailed way why Ukraine did not exist, does not exist, and will not exist.
• Delays in Western aid appear to be exacerbating Ukraine’s current artillery shortages and could impact Ukraine’s long-term war effort.
• Newly appointed Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi identified several of his goals as commander of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
• Ukrainian actors reportedly conducted a successful drone strike against two oil refineries in Krasnodar Krai on February 9.
• Ukrainian military officials reported that Russian forces are increasing their use of illegal chemical weapons in Ukraine, in an apparent violation of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), to which Russia is a signatory.
• Bloomberg  reported on February 9 that Ukraine is considering economic reforms in order to secure funding from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in the event that the US Congress continues to block crucial aid.
• Russian forces advanced near Kreminna, Bakhmut, and Avdiivka amid continued positional engagements along the frontline.
• Russian paramilitary organization Novorossiya Aid Coordination Center (KCPN) is training drone operators in east (left) bank Kherson Oblast near Krynky.
• Russian occupation authorities continue to prepare for the upcoming Russian presidential elections by creating the appearance of popular support for Russian Vladimir Putin in occupied areas of Ukraine.

We do not report in detail on Russian war crimes because these activities are well-covered in Western media and do not directly affect the military operations we are assessing and forecasting. We will continue to evaluate and report on the effects of these criminal activities on the Ukrainian military and the Ukrainian population and specifically on combat in Ukrainian urban areas. We utterly condemn Russian violations of the laws of armed conflict and the Geneva Conventions and crimes against humanity even though we do not describe them in these reports.

• Russian Main Effort – Eastern Ukraine (comprised of two subordinate main efforts)
• Russian Subordinate Main Effort #1 – Capture the remainder of Luhansk Oblast and push westward into eastern Kharkiv Oblast and encircle northern Donetsk Oblast
• Russian Subordinate Main Effort #2 – Capture the entirety of Donetsk Oblast
• Russian Supporting Effort – Southern Axis
• Russian Air, Missile, and Drone Campaign
• Russian Mobilization and Force Generation Efforts
• Russian Technological Adaptations
• Ukrainian Defense Industrial Base Efforts
• Activities in Russian-Occupied Areas

Russian Information Operations and Narratives

• Significant Activity in Belarus

Russian Main Effort – Eastern Ukraine

Russian Subordinate Main Effort #1 – Luhansk Oblast  (Russian objective: Capture the remainder of Luhansk Oblast and push westward into eastern Kharkiv Oblast and northern Donetsk Oblast)

Positional fighting continued along the Kupyansk-Svatove-Kreminna line on February 9. Geolocated footage published on February 9 indicates that Russian forces marginally advanced east of Bilohorivka (12km south of Kreminna).[30] Russian milbloggers claimed that Russian forces made further advances near Bilohorivka and captured the industrial zone and chalk plant east of the settlement, although ISW has not observed visual confirmation of these claims.[31] Russian milbloggers claimed on February 8 and 9 that Russian forces advanced near Synkivka (northeast of Kupyansk) and in the direction of Pishchane (southeast of Kupyansk) but ISW has not observed visual confirmation of these claims either.[32] Ukrainian and Russian sources stated that there were positional engagements northeast of Kupyansk near Synkivka; southeast of Kupyansk near Ivanivka; west of Kreminna near Terny, Yampolivka, and Dibrova; southwest of Kreminna near Hryhorivka; and south of Kreminna near Bilohorivka.[33]

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu visited a Russian Western Grouping of Forces command post, likely in the Kupyansk or Lyman direction, and received reports from Russian commanders on the situation on the frontline.[34] Shoigu visited an Eastern Grouping of Forces command post in the south Donetsk direction (Donetsk-Zaporizhia Oblast border area) in October 2023 shortly after Russian forces launched a localized offensive operation around Avdiivka.[35] Shoigu’s visit could indicate that the Western Grouping of Forces is reassessing aspects of its ongoing offensive operation along the Kupyansk-Svatove-Kreminna line after intensified Russian assaults in January resulted in only marginal tactical gains in the area. Shoigu’s visit could also indicate that the Russian military command is prioritizing offensive operations on the Kupyansk-Svatove-Kreminna line.

Russian Subordinate Main Effort #2 – Donetsk Oblast  (Russian objective: Capture the entirety of Donetsk Oblast, the claimed territory of Russia’s proxies in Donbas)

Limited positional fighting continued northeast of Bakhmut on February 9. Russian milbloggers claimed that elements of the Russian 106th Airborne (VDV) Division captured several unspecified positions near Vesele (northeast of Bakhmut), although ISW has not observed visual confirmation of these claims.[36]

Russian forces recently made marginal gains west of Bakhmut, and Ukrainian forces recently advanced southwest of Bakhmut. Geolocated footage published on February 9 shows elements of the Russian 98th VDV Division recently advancing in fields west of Bakhmut.[37] Additional geolocated footage published on February 9 indicates that Ukrainian forces advanced west of Horlivka (southwest of Bakhmut).[38] Russian sources claimed that elements of the 98th VDV Division captured several other unspecified positions west of Bakhmut and continued advancing along the O0506 (Khromove-Chasiv Yar) highway, although ISW has not observed visual confirmation of further Russian gains in the area.[39] Positional fighting continued northwest of Bakhmut near Bohdanivka, west of Bakhmut near Ivanivske, and southwest of Bakhmut near Klishchiivka.[40]

Russian forces recently advanced in northern Avdiivka and continued positional engagements with Ukrainian forces in the area on February 9. Geolocated footage published on February 9 indicates that Russian forces advanced close to the railway bridge along Chystiakova Street in northern Avdiivka.[41] Russian milbloggers claimed on February 8 and 9 that Russian forces continued to advance in residential areas in northern and northeastern Avdiivka as well as near the Avdiivka Coke Plant in northwestern Avdiivka, although ISW has yet to observe confirmation of further Russian gains within the settlement.[42] Ukrainian Tavriisk Group of Forces Spokesperson Dmytro Lykhoviy acknowledged on February 8 that combat clashes are occurring in residential areas in northern Avdiivka and stated that Russian forces are focusing assaults on northern Avdiivka.[43] Lykhoviy and Avdiivka City Military Administration Head Vitaliy Barabash stated that Russian forces aim to cut off Ukrainian forces in the Avdiivka Coke Plant and cut the Ukrainian main ground line of communication (GLOC) leading into Avdiivka in order to encircle the settlement.[44] Positional fighting continued northwest of Avdiivka near Novobakhmutivka, on Avdiivka’s southeastern outskirts, south of Avdiivka near Opytne, and southwest of Avdiivka near Nevelske and Pervomaiske.[45] Elements of the Russian 1st ”Slavic” Motorized Rifle Brigade (1st Donetsk Peoples Republic [DNR] Army Corps [AC]) are operating on Avdiivka’s outskirts.[46]

Russian forces reportedly advanced further in Novomykhailivka amid continued positional fighting west and southwest of Donetsk City on February 9. Russian milbloggers claimed that Russian forces advanced up to Tsentralna Street in eastern Novomykhailivka (southwest of Donetsk City), although ISW has not observed visual confirmation of this claim.[47] Positional fighting continued west of Donetsk City near Heorhiivka and Krasnohorivka and southwest of Donetsk City near Pobieda and Novomykhailivka.[48] Elements of the Russian 255th Motorized Rifle Regiment (20th Motorized Rifle Division, 8th Combined Arms Army [CAA], Southern Military District [SMD]) are reportedly operating near Marinka (west of Donetsk City), and elements of the “Russkiye Yastreby” (Russian Hawks) detachment (33rd Motorized Rifle Regiment, 1st DNR AC) are reportedly operating near Novomykhailivka.[49] Geolocated footage published on February 8 shows Ukrainian forces striking a Russian tank with a first-person view (FPV) drone near Staromykhailivka at least six kilometers from the current frontline, suggesting that some Ukrainian FPV drones have an effective range beyond five kilometers.[50]

Russian Supporting Effort – Southern Axis  (Russian objective: Maintain frontline positions and secure rear areas against Ukrainian strikes)

The Ukrainian General Staff reported that Ukrainian forces repelled Russian attacks south of Zolota Nyva (southeast of Velyka Novosilka) and north of Pryyutne (southwest of Velyka Novosilka).[51] Elements of the Russian 29th and 35th Combined Arms Armies (both of the Eastern Military District [EMD]) are operating in western Donetsk Oblast and in the Donetsk-Zaporizhia Oblast border area.[52]

Positional engagements continued in western Zaporizhia Oblast on February 9, but there were no confirmed changes to the frontline. Ukrainian and Russian sources reported positional fighting near Robotyne, west of Verbove (east of Robotyne), west of Novopokrovka (northeast of Robotyne), and near Novoprokopivka (south of Robotyne).[53] Several Russian milbloggers complained that Ukrainian forces in the area are intensifying drone use and that Russian forces lack the counterbattery and electronic warfare (EW) capabilities to respond, which is complicating Russian abilities to rotate and evacuate troops on this sector of the front.[54] Elements of the Russian 291st and 70th motorized rifle regiments (both of the 42nd Motorized Rifle Division, 58th Combined Arms Army [CAA], Southern Military District [SMD]) are reportedly operating in this area.[55]

Russian sources claimed that Ukrainian forces conducted HIMARS strikes against Russian rear areas in occupied Zaporizhia Oblast on February 9.[56] Zaporizhia Oblast occupation head Yevgeny Balitsky claimed that Ukrainian forces targeted Vasylivka, Tokmak, and Bohdanivka—all settlements along the P37 Tomak-Berdyansk highway.[57]

Geolocated footage published on February 8 shows that Ukrainian forces recently made a marginal confirmed gain in Krynky in east (left) bank Kherson Oblast.[58] Positional engagements reportedly continued in east bank Kherson Oblast on February 9.[59] Ukrainian Southern Operational Command Spokesperson Colonel Nataliya Humenyuk stated that Russian forces have decreased the intensity of assaults against Ukrainian positions in east bank Kherson Oblast and are increasingly conducting assaults without armored vehicle support due to significant armored vehicle losses.[60]

Russian Air, Missile, and Drone Campaign   (Russian Objective: Target Ukrainian military and civilian infrastructure in the rear and on the frontline)

The Ukrainian Air Force reported on February 9 that Russian forces launched 16 Shahed-136/131 drones from occupied Cape Chauda, Crimea, and Kursk Oblast on the night of February 8 to 9 and that Ukrainian air defenses downed 10 Shahed drones over Mykolaiv, Kherson, and Kharkiv oblasts.[61] Ukrainian Kharkiv Oblast Administration Head Oleh Synehubov reported that at least five Russian Shaheds struck civilian infrastructure in Zmiiv, Kharkiv Oblast.[62]

Russian Mobilization and Force Generation Efforts  (Russian objective: Expand combat power without conducting general mobilization)

Russian paramilitary organization Novorossiya Aid Coordination Center (KCPN) is training drone operators in east (left) bank Kherson Oblast near Krynky.[63] A Russian volunteer and prominent milblogger claimed that the KCPN trained a small group of military personnel near the frontline in Krynky, challenging the drone operators to learn to operate drones in areas within range of Ukrainian electronic warfare (EW) without GPS navigation or drone stabilization.[64] The KCPN is linked to the Russian Imperial Legion (RIL) paramilitary organization, which has been instrumental in supporting Russian forces in Donbas since 2014.[65]

Russian Technological Adaptations  (Russian objective: Introduce technological innovations to optimize systems for use in Ukraine)

Nothing significant to report.

Ukrainian Defense Industrial Efforts   (Ukrainian objective: Develop its defense industrial base to become more self-sufficient in cooperation with US, European, and international partners)

Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal stated on February 9 that Ukraine has officially created an Industrial and Defense Committee to coordinate the work of the Ukrainian Ministry of Strategic Industries, Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Economy, Ministry of Innovation, Ministry of Internal Affairs, and Ukrainian Security Service (SBU).[66] Shmyhal emphasized that the Committee aims to further expand the Ukrainian defense industrial base (DIB), form a unique support system for manufacturers, and strengthen interactions among Ukrainian and international defense enterprises.

Ukraine’s partners continue efforts to provide Ukraine with military and humanitarian aid. The Finnish Ministry of Defense (MoD) announced on February 9 that it will provide its 22nd tranche of defense materiel to Ukraine in a €190 million ($205 million) aid package.[67] The Finnish MoD also noted that Finland has joined the artillery and demining coalitions as part of the Ukraine Defense Contract Group.[68] Armenia and Lithuania also announced additional humanitarian and medical aid packages for Ukraine on February 9.[69] The Norwegian government announced that it has proposed an additional order of NASAMS rocket launchers for Ukraine valued at 3.45 billion Norwegian kroner (about $327 million).[70]

Activities in Russian-occupied areas  (Russian objective: Consolidate administrative control of annexed areas; forcibly integrate Ukrainian citizens into Russian sociocultural, economic, military, and governance systems)

Russian occupation authorities continue to prepare for the upcoming Russian presidential elections by creating the appearance of popular support for Russian Vladimir Putin in occupied Ukrainian territories. The Kherson Oblast occupation election commission claimed that over 468,000 people have registered as Russian voters in occupied Kherson Oblast.[71] Russian occupation authorities frequently intimidate and coerce residents of occupied areas into registering to vote, however, as ISW and Ukrainian sources have previously reported.[72] The Kherson Oblast occupation election commission also reported that the ”InformUIK” Program is training volunteers (likely local collaborators or imported Russian officials) on how to prepare residents for elections through door-to-door canvassing.[73] 

The Russian Foreign Ministry (MFA) continued to threaten Finland and accuse its leadership of pursuing “unfriendly” and “anti-Russian” policies. Russian Ambassador to Finland Pavel Kuznetsov told Russian state news agency  Ria Novosti  that the entirety of Finnish foreign policy is based on opposition to Russia accompanied by anti-Russian rhetoric.[74] Kuznetsov claimed that foreign actors are now determining Finland’s foreign policy, implying that the US began to dictate Finland’s foreign policy trajectory after Finland became a NATO member in 2023. Kuznetsov added that Russia ”will firmly and decisively respond to all [Finland’s] unfriendly steps” and claimed that Finland’s ”anti-Russian psychosis” in the information space has a ”painful effect on [Russian] compatriots, of whom there are almost 100,000.”

A Kremlin-affiliated milblogger continued to promote Kremlin narratives that Moldova’s efforts to distance itself from Russia are antithetical to Moldova’s national interests and that Chisinau is pursuing an “aggressive” campaign to bring Transnistria back into Moldova’s legal system. The milblogger claimed that unidentified perpetrators threw a Molotov Cocktail at the NATO Informational Center in Chisinau and that Moldovan President Maia Sandu’s efforts to promote Moldova’s EU and NATO integration are bound to spark radical opposition.[75] The milblogger similarly accused Sandu of staging information conditions to integrate Transnistria into the Moldovan legal system, imposing additional taxes on Transnistrian entrepreneurs, and refusing to recognize illegitimate Transnistrian passports.[76] The milblogger claimed that the social situation in Moldova is ”deteriorating.”[77] Kremlin officials and mouthpieces have recently engaged in efforts to sow political instability and division in Moldova and set informational conditions to justify future Russian aggression against Moldova.[78]

Significant Activity in Belarus  (Russian efforts to increase its military presence in Belarus and further integrate Belarus into Russian-favorable frameworks and Wagner Group activity in Belarus)

Note: ISW does not receive any classified material from any source, uses only publicly available information, and draws extensively on Russian, Ukrainian, and Western reporting and social media as well as commercially available satellite imagery and other geospatial data as the basis for these reports. References to all sources used are provided in the endnotes of each update.

[1]  https://t.me/boris_rozhin/112311 ; https://t.me/vysokygovorit/14535 ; https://t.me/Sladkov_plus/9733 ;  https://t.me/sashakots/44910 ; https://t.me/notes_veterans/15497

[2]  https://t.me/notes_veterans/15495 ; https://t.me/notes_veterans/15496

[3]  https://meduza . Dot o/feature/2024/02/09/cherez-klounov-mozhno-peredat-signaly-v-grimerku-ili-bufet

[4]  https://t.me/tass_agency/231048

[5]  https://t.me/glava_lnr_info/2107; https://t.me/razvozhaev/5361; https:... ru/20240209/intervyu-1926362887.html;  https://t.me/NeoficialniyBeZsonoV/33008

[6]  https://t.me/tass_agency/231022

[7]  https://www.ft.com/content/6594e548-8b2e-4c95-a589-7d9e358062d2  ; https://isw.pub/UkrWar020124

[8]  https://www.ft.com/content/6594e548-8b2e-4c95-a589-7d9e358062d2

[9]  https://www.ft.com/content/6594e548-8b2e-4c95-a589-7d9e358062d2

[10]  https://isw.pub/UkrWar011924 ; https://isw.pub/UkrWar011524 ; https:...

[11]  https://www.ft.com/content/6594e548-8b2e-4c95-a589-7d9e358062d2

[12]  https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-02-08/ukraine-faces-critica...

[13]  https://isw.pub/UkrWar010924

[14]  https://t.me/osirskiy/567

[15]  https://t.me/osirskiy/567

[16]  https://t.me/osirskiy/567 ; https://isw.pub/UkrWar020124

[17]  https://armyinform.com dot ua/2024/02/09/persha-robocha-narada-ministra-oborony-ta-golovnokomanduvacha-zsu-obgovoryly-detalnyj-plan-dij-na-2024-rik/ ; https://www.facebook.com/MinistryofDefence.UA/posts/pfbid0JFEN1Cc8pQFMa2...

[18]  https://suspilne dot media/680528-sbu-atakuvalo-dronami-dva-naftopererobni-zavodi-u-krasnodarskomu-krai-rf/

[19]  https://t.me/mod_russia/35483; https://t.me/opershtab23/7924; https://...

[20]  https://isw.pub/UkrWar020324

[21]  https://www.kommersant dot ru/doc/6494413;  https://meduza dot io/news/2024/02/06/rossiyskie-npz-v-yanvare-snizili-pererabotku-nefti-odna-iz-prichin-ataki-bespilotnikov

[22]  https://www.state.gov/2023-condition-10c-annual-report-on-compliance-wit... https://www.armscontrol.org/factsheets/cwcsig

[23]  https://armyinform.com dot ua/2024/02/09/u-zsu-rozpovily-skilky-himichnyh-atak-zdijsnyla-rosiya-z-pochatku-shyrokomasshtabnoyi-vijny/ ; https://www.facebook.com/GeneralStaff.ua/posts/pfbid0eF9kmjeT2cU47F1jgvv...

[24]  https://t.me/otarnavskiy/468

[25]  https://armyinform.com dot ua/2024/02/09/u-zsu-rozpovily-skilky-himichnyh-atak-zdijsnyla-rosiya-z-pochatku-shyrokomasshtabnoyi-vijny/ ;  https://www.facebook.com/GeneralStaff.ua/posts/pfbid0eF9kmjeT2cU47F1jgvv...

[26]  https://emergency.cdc.gov/agent/riotcontrol/factsheet.asp

[27]  https://www.opcw.org/our-work/what-chemical-weapon#:~:text=A%20riot%20co...

[28]  https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign...

[29]  https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-02-09/ukraine-mulls-conting...

[30]  https://x.com/moklasen/status/1755951663561478552?s=20; https://t.me/so...

[31]  https://t.me/dva_majors/34275  ; https://t.me/z_arhiv/25977

[32]  https://t.me/boris_rozhin/112262 ; https://t.me/DnevnikDesantnika/7184

[33]  https://t.me/mod_russia/35499 ; https://t.me/mod_russia/35500  ; ht...

[34]  https://t.me/mod_russia/35479 ; https://t.me/mod_russia/35480

[35]  https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign... .

[36]  https://t.me/DnevnikDesantnika/7169  ; https://t.me/RVvoenkor/61792

[37]  https://t.me/creamy_caprice/4324; https://t.me/vdd98/2474

[38]  https://x.com/Ryan72101/status/1756010460581593348?s=20; https://t.me/DeepStateUA/18766

[39]  https://t.me/rusich_army/13086 ; https://t.me/rusich_army/13088 ; https://t.me/z_arhiv/25979

[40]  https://www.facebook.com/GeneralStaff.ua/posts/pfbid083RQawhRyx8xvtYcALn... https://www.facebook.com/GeneralStaff.ua/posts/pfbid0vGdhsJLvYroRkZU3HnM... https://t.me/dva_majors/34275 ; https://t.me/DnevnikDesantnika/7186

[41]  https://twitter.com/giK1893/status/1755893415865139630; https://t.me/BUAR110ombr/252; https://twitter.com/mon_mon_1064552/status/1755864129783668782; https://t.me/creamy_caprice/4314

[42]  https://t.me/dva_majors/34275 ; https://t.me/boris_rozhin/112262 ; https://t.me/voenkorKotenok/53868 ;  https://t.me/DnevnikDesantnika/7182 ; https://t.me/DnevnikDesantnika/7... https://t.me/rybar/56900 ; https://t.me/z_arhiv/25975 ; https://t.me/boris_rozhin/112268 ; https://t.me/wargonzo/18077

[43]  https://interfax dot com.ua/news/general/965883-amp.html

[44]  https://interfax dot com.ua/news/general/965883-amp.html ; https://suspilne dot media/680404-do-togo-sob-vse-propalo-se-duze-daleko-vijskovi-rf-e-privatnomu-sektori-avdiivki/

[45]  https://www.facebook.com/GeneralStaff.ua/posts/pfbid083RQawhRyx8xvtYcALn... https://www.facebook.com/GeneralStaff.ua/posts/pfbid0vGdhsJLvYroRkZU3HnM... https://t.me/dva_majors/34275 ;  https://t.me/DnevnikDesantnika/7182 ;

[46]  https://t.me/dva_majors/34312 (Avdiivka’s outskirts)

[47]  https://t.me/RVvoenkor/61768 , https://t.me/wargonzo/18077

[48]  https://www.facebook.com/GeneralStaff.ua/posts/pfbid0vGdhsJLvYroRkZU3HnM...

[49]  https://t.me/RVvoenkor/61799 (Novomykhailivka) ;

https://t.me/boris_rozhin/112368 (Marinka)

[50]  https://t.me/escadrone/1073 ; https://x.com/666_mancer/status/1755839139717521878?s=20

[51]  https://www.facebook.com/GeneralStaff.ua/posts/pfbid083RQawhRyx8xvtYcALn...

[52]  https://t.me/voin_dv/6948  (Vuhledar);  https://t.me/voin_dv/6952  (general eastern Zaporizhia Oblast border area)

[53]  https://www.facebook.com/GeneralStaff.ua/posts/pfbid083RQawhRyx8xvtYcALn...

[54]  https://t.me/dva_majors/34275; https://t.me/DnevnikDesantnika/7177

[55]  https://t.me/dva_majors/34332; https://t.me/dva_majors/34324

[56]  https://t.me/vrogov/14229; https://t.me/BalitskyEV/2576; https://t.me/...

[57]  https://t.me/BalitskyEV/2576

[58]  https://x.com/foosint/status/1755490755940859979?s=20; https://t.me/voe...

[59]  https://t.me/wargonzo/18077; https://www.facebook.com/GeneralStaff.ua/p... ua/2024/02/09/okupanty-suttyevo-znyzyly-intensyvnist-atak-na-hersonskomu-napryamku-nataliya-gumenyuk/;  https://t.me/SJTF_Odes/6106; https://t.me/dva_majors/34275; https://t....

[60]  https://armyinform.com dot ua/2024/02/09/okupanty-suttyevo-znyzyly-intensyvnist-atak-na-hersonskomu-napryamku-nataliya-gumenyuk/

[61]  https://t.me/kpszsu/10524 https://t.me/SJTF_Odes/6093

[62]  https://t.me/synegubov/8343; https://t.me/synegubov/8344; https://t.me...

[63]  https://t.me/wehearfromyanina/3423

[64]  https://t.me/wehearfromyanina/3423

[65]  https://ctc.westpoint.edu/the-russian-imperial-movement-in-the-ukraine-w...

[66]  https://t.me/Denys_Smyhal/6935

[67]  https://valtioneuvosto dot fi/-/suomi-toimittaa-ukrainaan-lisaa-puolustustarvikkeita ;  https://t.me/bbcrussian/60391

[68]  https://valtioneuvosto dot fi/-/suomi-toimittaa-ukrainaan-lisaa-puolustustarvikkeita

[69]  https://www.mil.gov dot ua/news/2024/02/09/spilka-virmeniv-ukraini-ta-respublika-virmeniya-peredali-10-tonn-medikamentiv/ ;  https://mil.in dot ua/uk/news/virmeniya-peredala-ukrayini-10-tonn-medykamentiv-dlya-vijskovogo-gospitalyu/;  https://kam dot lt/ukraina-pasieke-dar-viena-lietuvos-paramos-siunta-perduota-ziemai-reikalinga-iranga/ ;  https://armyinform.com dot ua/2024/02/09/lytva-peredala-ukrayini-novyj-paket-vijskovoyi-dopomogy-shho-otrymayut-zsu/;  https://t.me/olexandrprokudin/2729

[70]  https://www.regjeringen dot no/en/aktuelt/norway-provide-more-nasams-to-ukraine/id3024972/ ;  https://armyinform.com dot ua/2024/02/09/ukrayina-otrymaye-dodatkovi-systemy-nasams-vid-norvegiyi/ ;  https://t.me/bbcrussian/60384

[71]  https://t.me/VGA_Kherson/18231 ; https://t.me/VGA_Kherson/18230 ; ht... yandex.ru/d/wBSsZDBfbFJrEw

[72]  https://sprotyv.mod dot gov.ua/rosiyany-pochaly-pogrozhuvaty-meshkantsyam-tot-za-vidmovu-golosuvaty-na-vyborah/;  https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign...

[73]  https://t.me/VGA_Kherson/18196 ; https://t.me/izbirkomherson/995

[74]  https://t.me/MID_Russia/34819

[75]  https://t.me/rybar/56922

[76]  https://t.me/rybar/56924

[77]  https://t.me/rybar/56921

[78]  https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign...