February 4 2024

SBU Major General Viktor Yahun discussed his concerns about potential Hungarian involvement in Russia's invasion plans for Ukraine. He suggested that Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban may have signed a memorandum with Vladimir Putin regarding the possible occupation of Ukrainian territory. Yahun brought attention to the unusual movement of the Hungarian army to Ukraine's borders during the early stages of the Russian invasion, claiming they were preparing to potentially invade and divide Ukraine. Yahun said Hungary’s official reason for these troop movements was to help handle refugees, but Yahun believes that is a lie.


Military leadership is making structural changes. Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi announced a transition to a corps-based command system, aimed at creating more flexible and independent military formations. Currently, five army corps exist, with potential for further expansion.


Five drone units of the Ukrainian Ground Forces have launched an massive recruitment drive, creating what they call the "Land Forces Drone Force." These units include K-2, Achilles, Rarog, Phoenix, and "Birds of the Magyar". Additionally, the 59th Motorized Infantry Brigade has been reorganized into an assault unmanned systems brigade, and as of January 3, is part of the Unmanned Systems Forces. the 9th Separate Motorized Infantry Battalion has been converted into a separate brigade focused on drone warfare.


Land Forces Commander Major General Mykhailo Drapatiy has banned the forced transfer of communications specialists to infantry positions.


Ukraine's army recruitment centers reported 5,381 people applying in January, with 20% of candidates being women. The recruitment initiative, launched in collaboration with Lobby X, allows individuals to choose military units that best match their civilian skills and experience.


There are reports indicating the Russians are now equipping Gerbera decoy drones with explosives. Ukrainian drone and EW specialist Serhiy Flesh reported that these Gerbera drones are being fitted with 3-5 kg warheads. Photos have been published showing a Gerbera with an офбч 2.5/OFBCh-2.5 warhead typically found on Kub kamikaze drones. One source said that this arming may not be happening in the drone factory, but may be a modification done by the operators themselves. Either way, this makes the decoys significantly more dangerous. It is not clear right now if they can be used as strike drones in the configuration, or if they are meant to possibly cause damage when they fall out of the sky/cause a risk to anyone interacting with them. There are strike drone variants of the Gerbera, but Daily Hog staff are unaware of any instances of them being used so far.


Ukrainian strike drones hit the Lukoil refinery in Volgograd and the Astrakhan Gas Processing Plant on the night of February 2-3. NASA satellite imagery and several videos confirmed significant fires. Over 50 explosions were reported during the Volgograd attack. Russia evacuated the Orenburg Gas Processing Plant on February 3 due to an aerial threat. Buses were seen leaving the plant. The facility processes natural gas and gas condensate, producing materials that can be used in military industries. Russia claimed to have shot down 70 drones, seven of which were over Astrakhan Oblast.


Four Ukrainian veterans with lower limb prosthetics and a wounded female defender have successfully climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa's highest mountain. The team became the first group of soldiers with prosthetic legs to reach the peak. The soldiers were Olha Yehorova of the Surma Team, Birds of Magyar drone military unit, Vladyslav Shatilov of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, Mykhailo Matviiv of the Omega Special Operations Unit, Roman Kolesnyk of the Third Separate Assault Brigade, and Oleksandr Mikhov of the Omega Special Operations Unit. Footage of the training and excursion will be used in a documentary called “Second Wind.”


24-year-old fighter pilot Ivan Bolotov s. of the 831st Tactical Aviation Brigade was killed during a combat mission after serving in the Air Force of Ukraine for nearly three years.


Moldova has approved a $30.7 million gas purchase for Transnistria using EU grant funds. On January 1st, the transit agreement that allowed Russian gas supplies to travel through Ukraine ended. Gas and electricity will be provided exclusively to households, hospitals, schools, and power plants in the region, with €20 million allocated for gas purchases and €10 million for electricity. All industries in Transnistria have shut down due to a lack of energy/gas supplies.


A Russian Kh-22 missile strike in Poltava on February 1 partially destroyed a five-story apartment building and damaged 18 others. The attack resulted in 14 fatalities, including three children aged seven, nine, and twelve. 22 residents were rescued from the five-story building, rescue operations have concluded. Heat supply to homes and a kindergarten was partially restored by February 3, though two houses remain without heat. Anastasiia Kolvakh, an actress and volunteer was among those killed in the strike. The city has declared three days of mourning.


Ukraine reported emergency power cuts in nine oblasts following Russian attacks on the power grid. These outages are being exacerbated by colder temperatures. Energy usage is up by 3.3% as compared to January 31. Residents and businesses are urged to reduce electricity consumption between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. The oblasts are Kharkiv, Sumy, Donetsk, Poltava, Zaporizhzhia, Kirovohrad, Dnipropetrovsk, Cherkasy, and Kyiv.


Ukrainians illegally drafted by Russia from occupied territories like Kherson and Zaporizhzhia face abuse, including beatings, poor living conditions, poor quality/quantity food, hazing, having exploding training grenades thrown at them, and being forced to watch religious practices. Russian officers instigate ethnic hatred and mistreatment. Forced conscription is a war crime and Ukraine considers these individuals victims of war crimes, not traitors. The “I Want to Live” project offers help for those wishing to escape to safety.


Armen Sarkissian, founder of the Arbat Battalion, was killed in an explosion in Moscow on February 3. The explosion occurred in the lobby of the Alye Parusa residential complex. Initial reports suggest the blast was caused by an improvised explosive device, potentially planted in the elevator shaft. He lost a leg and was in a coma, later dying from shrapnel wounds. Sarkissian was a former crime boss and was the founder of a battalion that recruited prisoners convicted of violent crimes for Russia's war against Ukraine. His bodyguard was also killed in the explosion. During the Ukrainian Euromaidan protests in 2013-2014, he organized "titushki" which engaged in violence that targeted protestors. He was put on the international wanted list by Interpol in 2014.



Ukrainian soldier Muchnoyairborn:

Between the Solona and Vovcha rivers: The village of Sribne has come under enemy control! Our soldiers are targeting them there with FPV drones, while some of the enemy forces have started assaulting from the east toward the settlement of Zaporizhzhia.
The enemy is advancing very intensively because the village is, roughly speaking, nearby, and the fighting is gradually shifting there. Additionally, higher up, they are moving in the direction of Kotlyarivka, with Russian artillery actively engaged!
Serious problems will arise if the enemy reaches the road between Troitske and Kotlyarivka. The Dnipro region is already close, and it may be necessary to evacuate nearby villages since at least FPV drones and, at most, guided bombs (KABs) will start striking there.
The enemy is also clashing with us over Uspenivka, which we still hold, and continues to attack southwest of Novooleksandrivka.
...
Kurakhiv direction: The enemy advanced along the northern bank of the river and moved to take new positions in the eastern part of Andriivka. Some of the enemy positions were eliminated by the FPV! The DShV is doing its job well, the enemy is also attacking the village from the north. In the Dachny area, almost the entire northern part is under the control of the Podars, plus they are advancing in the center, there is still some strength to hold out, but we will have to retreat soon!

Also, the pig bastards are storming the approaches to Constantinople! The enemy's goal is to expand the area in order to force our units in the area of ​​the Volcha River to be operationally surrounded. Gradually, the Russian army is pressing in, while it has tactical successes!
...
Toretska direction: The enemy has completely cleared the village of Krymske east of the mine, by the way, the enemy is storming the Toretska mine and has tactical successes, trying to take it under control, they are also working on the waste heap to the west! In the area of ​​the treatment facilities, the enemy tried to storm but it turned out to be a flank attack, the attack was repelled! Some of the miners were destroyed.”

Ukrainian soldier Stanislav Osman:

The longer we fight, the more fucking brazen the Russians are becoming. Every day - every other day they publish executions, severed heads, destroy innocent civilians, kill their own people in territories under our control... They know what we're capable of, but they play a game: "You're not allowed." We can do gifts, we just won't waste time on small things - we'll do it once, but so painfully that you'll shut your fucking faces.
...
The bastards moved MLRS and artillery closer to the left bank of the Dnipro, firing randomly at the right bank. Bastards
...
On the Pokrovsk direction, the enemy continues infantry assaults, today involving several units of armored vehicles and motorcycles, which were destroyed by cluster munitions and drones.
The enemy continues to bring up reserves around the clock but has not achieved significant results so far.
….
We also have bad weather with snow, the bastards are crawling through pipes near the canal and digging positions in groups of 1-2 people. A couple of them got prescribed a TM pill from Doctor "Vampire."

Quote of the Day:

“Those who have hedgehogs have all:
Fools with all but hedgehogs have nothing.”

― Tiruvalluvar, Kural