LIVE: Day 348 of Russian aggression against Ukraine

Ukraine is set to replace Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov with the chief of its military spy agency, Kyrylo Budanov, a close ally of President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Sunday, in a reshuffle at the forefront of Ukraine's war campaign. Reznikov had been under pressure over a corruption scandal in the ministry.

22:26 CET

⚡️Prosecutor General's Office: Landmine explosion kills 1 person, injures another in Kharkiv Oblast.

One civilian was killed, and another was wounded in a landmine explosion while riding a motorcycle in the village of Verbivka, Kharkiv Oblast.

— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) February 6, 2023

22:04 CET

Almost 8 million Ukrainians have left the country since the beginning of the war

According to the #UN another 5.3 million Ukrainians were forced to leave their homes, but remained to live in #Ukraine. About 40% of the population is dependent on humanitarian aid. pic.twitter.com/JRddwBW2s2

— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) February 6, 2023

21:32 CET

⚡️Russia shells Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, damaging houses, civilian infrastructure.

Russian troops shelled two districts in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast with heavy artillery on the afternoon of Feb. 6, according to Mykola Lukashuk, the head of the regional council.

📷Mykola Lukashuk pic.twitter.com/HxOo6Gp5Rw

— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) February 6, 2023

21:11 CET

European Council President Charles Michel has invited Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to take part in a future EU summit, Michel's spokesman tweeted on Monday.

“For security reasons, no further information will be provided,” the spokesman, Barend Leyts, added.

20:42 CET

The death penalty could be introduced for those who leave and criticize Russia, because it is "betrayal of the motherland," said Andrei Kolesnik, a deputy of the State Duma. According to him, it is necessary to think about lifting the moratorium on the death penalty in #Russia. pic.twitter.com/xuGxwLrXHI

— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) February 6, 2023

20:20 CET

⚡️General Staff: Ukrainian forces hit 13 Russian military positions.

Ukraine’s Armed Forces struck 11 temporary bases and two anti-aircraft positions of Russian troops in the past 24 hours, the General Staff reported in its Feb. 6 update.

— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) February 6, 2023

19:32 CET

⚡️ Bloomberg: US plans 200% tariff on Russian-made aluminum to be announced 'as soon as this week.'

The move, if approved by U.S. President Joe Biden, would effectively end Russian aluminum imports to the U.S., Bloomberg reported, citing unnamed sources privy to the information.

— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) February 6, 2023

19:13 CET

Seventy Australian personnel came to the U.K. in late January to join a U.K.-led multinational mission named Operation Interflex, which has already trained about 10,000 Ukrainian soldiers, according to the ABC.

— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) February 6, 2023

19:09 CET

Ukrainian church makes a historical decision to celebrate Christmas on 25 Dec, not with Russia on 7 Jan

The long-awaited reform of Church calendar was made in Ukrainian 2nd-largest Greek-Catholic Church & is expected in Ukrainian biggest Orthodox Church. https://t.co/2dLCqLRUGm

— Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) February 6, 2023

18:41 CET

⚡️Polish official wants decision on fighter jets for Ukraine to be made at Munich conference.

The Feb. 17-19 Munich Security Conference will be the right format for making a decision on sending fighter jets to Ukraine, Dariusz Pawlos, Poland's ambassador to Germany, said.

— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) February 6, 2023

17:44 CET

The Novoselivske settlement in the Luhansk region was completely destroyed by the occupiers. pic.twitter.com/0PL2Xsa5KP

— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) February 6, 2023

17:36 CET

60 US Bradley IFV for Ukraine arrived in Southampton, Great Briton, today. pic.twitter.com/liGMlWRPni

— Julian Röpcke🇺🇦 (@JulianRoepcke) February 6, 2023

17:29 CET

⚡️Parliament exempts drones, other equipment from VAT, customs duties.

These taxes no longer apply to the import of drones, thermal imagers, collimators, night vision devices, and walkie-talkies to Ukraine, lawmaker Yaroslav Zhelezniak reported on Feb. 6.

— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) February 6, 2023

17:28 CET

Volodymyr Zelenskyy submitted to the Verkhovna Rada the proposal to appoint Vasyl Maliuk as the head of the Security Service of Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/RukykTZMMV

— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) February 6, 2023

16:44 CET

⚡️Pope Francis wants to meet with Zelensky, Putin.

Pope Francis said in a Feb. 5 interview with Corriere della Sera that he was open to meeting both Russian dictator Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) February 6, 2023

16:29 CET

In 2021, Maliuk attended a birthday party held by Tatarov, according to an investigation by the Ukrainska Pravda news outlet.

— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) February 6, 2023

15:58 CET

⚡️Financial Times: EU may host Zelensky at Brussels summit.

The EU is preparing to host President Volodymyr Zelensky at a summit in Brussels on Feb. 9-10 but security concerns could obstruct it, the Financial Times reported on Feb. 6, citing its sources.

— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) February 6, 2023

15:49 CET

⚡️PM: Norway plans to give Ukraine $7 billion over 5 years.

Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere said on Feb. 6 that Norway aims to provide $7.3 billion to Ukraine over five years, Reuters reported.

— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) February 6, 2023

15:25 CET

Soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine arrived in Great Britain to practice operating the AS90 armoured self-propelled artillery, the Ministry of Defense of the country reported. pic.twitter.com/xRBNwAMols

— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) February 6, 2023

14:40 CET

Residents of Tuva and Buryatia refions of Russia are addressing Putin and complaining that local military is oppressing them in "DPR" pic.twitter.com/KZhXjpGSdi

— Anton Gerashchenko (@Gerashchenko_en) February 6, 2023

13:57 CET

Grateful to the Norwegian people, ���� government & personally @jonasgahrstore for announcing a new unprecedented 5-year assistance package to ���� for the sum of NOK 75 billion. It is a significant contribution to our future victory over the aggressor & successful post-war recovery.

— Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) February 6, 2023

13:21 CET

Almost 900,000 Ukrainian refugees have found legal work in Poland under simplified employment regulations, Marlena Maląg, the family and social policy minister said on Monday.

12:37 CET

⚡️UK intelligence: Russia aims to russify illegally annexed regions via sham elections in September.

Russia plans to hold sham regional “elections” in illegally “annexed” occupied territories of Ukraine on Sept. 10.

— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) February 6, 2023

10:47 CET

Ukrainian forces repelled assaults in the areas of Verkhnokamyanske, Vasyukivka, Paraskoviivka, Bakhmut, Ivanivske, Kamyanka, Severne, Pervomaiske, Vesele, Nevelske, Krasnohorivka, Marinka, Pobieda and Novomykhailivka overnight.

— WarMonitor���� (@WarMonitor3) February 6, 2023

10:08 CET

⚡️First Leopard tank from Canada arrives in Poland.

Canadian Defense Minister Anita Anand on Feb. 5 shared photos of the first Leopard 2 battle tank from Canada arriving in Poland, where Ukrainian soldiers will be trained on its use.

Photo: Anita Anand/ Twitter pic.twitter.com/QPbiD6ENpb

— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) February 6, 2023

09:45 CET

Russia's deputy foreign minister, Sergei Ryabkov, said on Monday that the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, will visit Moscow this week, state media reported.

The meeting is to focus on the creation of a safety zone around Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.

09:26 CET

President #Zelenskyy submitted to the Verkhovna Rada for approval decrees on the extension of martial law and mobilization. pic.twitter.com/gU05Jc63kH

— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) February 6, 2023

09:01 CET

These are the indicative estimates of Russia’s combat losses as of Feb. 6, according to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/y4ikr2qR6s

— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) February 6, 2023

08:25 CET

Ukrainian Defenders right after they were free from Russian captivity. Their first words and emotions.

��: Coordination Center on Prisoners of War pic.twitter.com/OjQBe3nX6C

— Anton Gerashchenko (@Gerashchenko_en) February 6, 2023

08:07 CET

⚡️Russian occupying forces raid teachers' homes, confiscate electronics in Melitopol.

In Russian-occupied Melitopol, Russian forces are reportedly taking away teachers' electronic devices to prevent them from teaching remotely, Melitopol Mayor Ivan Fedorov said on Feb. 5.

— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) February 6, 2023

07:33 CET

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said that his country was ready to provide necessary assistance to "friendly" Turkish people in the aftermath of the earthquake that struck the country earlier on Monday.