New personnel changes in Armed Forces, Starlink under occupation, Polish farmers' attack on trucks: highlights

Personnel changes in the Armed Forces of Ukraine

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has approved several personnel changes in the Armed Forces of Ukraine:

• dismissed Serhii Naiev from the post of Commander of the Joint Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and appointed Yurii Sodol in his place;
• appointed Oleksandr Pavliuk as the Commander of the Land Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine;
• appointed Ihor Plakhuta as the Commander of the Territorial Defense Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine;
• dismissed Maksym Myrhorodskyi from the post of Commander of the Air Assault Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and appointed Ihor Skybiuk in his place.

Former Commander of the Joint Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Naiev, who had held this position since 2020, said that he learned about the dismissal from the media. Plakhuta, who will now be in charge of the Territorial Defense, was in charge of the Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs during the Maidan dispersal.

DIU: Russians use Starlink at the frontline

The Defence Intelligence of Ukraine has confirmed that Russian occupiers are using Starlink satellite communications systems at the frontline.

According to the intelligence, a radio interception of Russians shows that Starlink terminals are in the units of the Russian 83rd separate airborne assault brigade.

At the same time, American billionaire Elon Musk denied that his company SpaceX sold Starlink terminals to Russia directly or indirectly.

US aid is one step closer

The upper house of the U.S. Congress, the Senate, has moved one step closer to passing a $95 billion package of aid to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, clearing a procedural hurdle before the vote. The final vote on the package could take place on Wednesday, February 21.

However, after the Senate passes the bill, it will be transferred to the Republican-controlled House of Representatives, where it faces an uncertain future.

Polish protesters attack trucks

In Dorohusk, Poland, on the border with Ukraine, protesters stopped three Ukrainian trucks, forced open the trailers, and poured grain onto the road. The farmers allegedly took samples of the dumped grain and planned to submit them for testing for the content of prohibited substances.

The Polish police said that there were no fights or dangerous situations, and the Ukrainian drivers turned back toward Ukraine.

As of the morning of February 11, Ukraine's border with Poland was blocked for trucks at two checkpoints: Yahodyn-Dorohusk and Rava-Ruska-Hrebenne. However, on February 12, farmers threatened to start protests at two more checkpoints.

Ukraine has caught up with Russia in terms of the number of kamikaze drones

Minister of Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov said that Ukraine has caught up with Russia in terms of the number of long-range kamikaze drones in six months.

According to him, Ukraine currently has up to ten manufacturers that produce long-range kamikaze drones.

“It depends on the funding budget how many can be produced. There is no ceiling. Thousands of these drones can be produced. Thousands have already been produced. And almost every day something burns somewhere on the territory of Russia,” said Fedorov.

Other important news of the day:

• DNA was used to identify all those killed in the Russian strike on the oil depot in Kharkiv.
• The occupiers attacked the Kherson region, hitting a medical facility and residential areas. There are wounded.
• Viktor Orban said that the best option for Ukraine is to become a buffer zone between Russia and Europe, otherwise, according to him, Russia “attack again and again”.
• The director of “20 Days in Mariupol” won the Directors Guild of America Award.