Page 35 - RusRPTFeb24

Some POWs from Russian list of Il-76 crash victims had already been exchanged. The list of prisoners of war claimed by Russian propagandists to have been on board the Il-76 aircraft that crashed on Jan. 24 includes those who had already been swapped before, Ukraine's chief Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets told Sky News on Jan. 25.
Russia says Ukraine had 15-minute warning before Il-76 flight, Kyiv denies claim. Senior Russian lawmaker Andrey Kartopolov claimed on Jan. 25 that Ukraine was given a 15-minute-warning ahead of the flight of the Il-76 plane that crashed in Belgorod Oblast on Jan. 24, though Ukrainian officials deny receiving any such notification.
Lukashenko arrives in Russia to meet Putin. Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko arrived in Russia's Saint Petersburg for an official visit on Jan. 27, according to his press service.
● War
NATO general: Alliance must be prepared for potential 'Russian missile strikes in Europe'. Lieutenant General Alexander Sollfrank and other NATO generals cautioned that a direct military confrontation with Russia could occur as soon as within the next three years.
Polish foreign minister: Berlin within range of Russian missiles. When asked if Poland is in danger, Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said, "(Russian President Vladimir) Putin threatened Poland, Latvia and Finland. When he threatens a country, he is serious. Too often we have not taken him seriously."
Putin insists an invasion of Nato is ludicrous: “Russia has no reason, no interest — no geopolitical interest, neither economic, political nor military — to fight with NATO countries,” he said in December.
Since the beginning of the full-scale war, the Russian Federation has lost 2,600 tanks and 4,900 other self-propelled guns in Ukraine, according to British intelligence. Last year, the Russian army lost approximately 40% less equipment than in 2022. This is because the war took on a more positional nature, and Russian troops spent much of the year on the defensive. At the same time, Russia can produce at least 100 tanks per month, retaining the ability to replace losses and continue its offensive activity.
Germany’s military has sketched out an “exercise scenario” for its planner to contemplate. It envisions a Russian attack into the Suwałki Gap between Poland and Lithuania in the period between this year’s U.S. presidential election and early 2025. Such an assault would cut the Baltics off from the rest of mainland Europe.
35 RUSSIA Country Report February 2024 www.intellinews.com