EU approved €50 bn aid package for Ukraine and Ukraine sank Russian missile boat - Thursday brief

Russia's war against Ukraine

• On the night of February 1, the Russian invaders launched 4 kamikaze drones across Ukraine. Explosions were heard in Kharkiv, where a civilian infrastructure facility was hit. Ukrainian air defense forces shot down two enemy Shaheds. The interventionists also dropped bombs on a hospital in the Kupiansk district of Kharkiv region, injuring four people.
• In Beryslav, foreign volunteers were killed and injured in a Russian attack. In particular, two French citizens were killed in the attack.
• On the night of February 1, Russian troops attacked Kharkiv and the region with Shaheds and artillery. The shelling damaged a hospital and civilian objects.

EU approves €50 bn aid package for Ukraine

On February 1, the leaders of the European Union approved the allocation of 50 billion euros to Ukraine within the framework of the Ukraine Facility program.

"We have a deal. All 27 leaders agreed on an additional €50 billion support package for Ukraine within the EU budget. This locks in steadfast, long-term, predictable funding for Ukraine," said Charles Michel about the outcome.

The Guardian, citing the summit's final document, reports that EU leaders have agreed to discuss assistance to Ukraine annually, and if necessary, review it every two years. According to the media, leaders also agreed to two conditions set by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.

€50 billion EU package for Ukraine: Full text of document

Yesterday, on February 1, the European Council published the text of the summit decision on the approval of a multiannual financial program for Ukraine with the allocation of 50 billion euros within the framework of the Ukraine Facility program.

The document states that the European Council reached an agreement on the revision of the Multiannual Financial Framework for 2021-2027 (MFF), with the allocation of funds to support Ukraine.

In the published conclusions, items 1-7 out of a total of 39 are devoted to the financial assistance program for Ukraine from the block.

Ukrainian drones sink Ivanovets missile boat: Intelligence shares video

The fighters of Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU) destroyed the Ivanovets missile boat of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, Project 12411, using drones at night. According to military intelligence, the enemy vessel was on a raid on Lake Donuzlav in the occupied Crimea.

As a result of a series of direct hits to the hull, the Russian ship sustained damage incompatible with further movement - the Ivanovets heeled aft and sank, the DIU also released a video of naval drones attacking the enemy ship.

On board the Russian missile boat Ivanovets, the destruction of which was announced by Ukrainian intelligence, there could have been up to 40 sailors, according to the Naval Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Facebook.

According to the military, this is a significant loss for the Russians due to the presence of three such Project 1241.1 boats in the composition of the Russian Black Sea Fleet and armament, including anti-ship missiles of the Moskit type with a range of up to 130 kilometers.

Shells, drones, procurements: Ukraine's government adopts 3 key decisions to strengthen defense

The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has adopted three resolutions to strengthen the Ukrainian defense industry complex. They pertain to the production of drones and more, according to the speech of the Prime Minister of Ukraine, Denys Shmyhal, during a Cabinet meeting.

According to Shmyhal, the first resolution concerns the deregulation (reduction of state regulation) in ammunition production.

Zelenskyy on EU support: Ukraine expects to receive 18 billion euros in first year

Ukraine needs to receive tranches of 18 billion euros in the first two years, and the stability of the state will continue to grow after that, stated the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, during his video address.

"Right now, it is important for the distribution of these funds to occur like the previous support format: we need larger amounts for the first two tranches - 18 billion euros per year, and then the stability of the state will be greater," stated Zelenskyy.

According to him, Ukraine and the EU teams will work on this issue in the near future.

Orbán declares personal victory following EU summit's decision on Ukraine

After a prolonged silence, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán took to social media, declaring the EU's decision to aid Ukraine as his own victory, according to the statement of the Prime Minister of Hungary.

Orbán claimed that Hungary had supposedly negotiated a "control mechanism" ensuring the "reasonable use of funds" for Ukraine.

"We've achieved this! Hungarians should not be giving money to Ukrainians! We will not participate in the war, will not send weapons; we remain on the side of peace!" he declared.

London acid attack: 9 injured, including children

Nine people were injured after someone threw a harmful corrosive substance at a woman and two children in London on Wednesday, according to CNN and The Guardian.

It happened on Lessar Avenue, Clapham, South London, around 7:25 pm. The police came to the scene right away. Three witnesses tried to help the first victims, and three police officers had minor injuries while responding, according to the police. Five of them needed medical help.

Bloomberg unveils how US bought 10,000 barrels of Russian oil not violating sanctions

The United States imported 10,000 barrels of Russian oil through a blending loophole at storage terminals in the Bahamas, reports Bloomberg.

However, the United States does not believe that it violated the sanctions, saying that the oil entered the Bahamas even before they were imposed.

"The crude, brought into Wilmington, Delaware in November, didn't violate US sanctions because it was exported from Russia to the Bahamas prior to March 8, 2022, when the sanctions began. It was then commingled with other oil before being imported into the US," said Morgan Butterfield, an Energy Information Administration spokesperson.

According to Bloomberg, the shipment arrived at PBF Energy Inc.'s Delaware City refinery, EIA and customs records show. The importer then specified that the blended barrels were of partly Russian origin, Butterfield said.