Day 717 of the invasion of Ukraine. Summary of key events in the last 24 hours:

• A baby, two children and four civilians died in a Russian attack on Kharkiv
• Russia says it repulsed Ukrainian drone attack in Briansk region; three injured in Belgorod region
• Poland reacted sharply to the distortion of the truth about World War II in Putin's interview
• 15% of the gas in the EU is imported from Russia
• Zelensky also replaced the Chief of the General Staff
• Danish Defense Minister: Russia could attack NATO in 3-5 years

A baby, two children and four civilians died in a Russian attack on Kharkiv

Seven civilians, including three children, died in a Russian drone attack on the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, regional governor Oleg Sinegubov announced, quoted by BTA.

According to the governor, the city was attacked by Russian forces last night with Shahed drones.

"Seven people died in the strikes. Among them are three children: seven and four years old and a baby about six months old," he pointed out in Telegram.

The head of the district prosecutor's office in Kharkiv, Oleksandr Filchakov, said that a man was hospitalized with severe burns, Ukrinform reported.

The kamikaze drones with which Russia attacked the city were launched from Russia's Belgorod region. Three unmanned aerial vehicles struck Kharkiv's "Nemyshlyanski" district, destroying a critical infrastructure site and causing a large fire.

According to the prosecutor's office, a total of 15 private homes were destroyed.

"There was a large amount of fuel in the site of the critical infrastructure, which is the reason for these terrible consequences of the fire," said Filchakov.

Earlier, Kharkiv Mayor Igor Terekhov said the drone strike caused a large fuel spill, resulting in a fire that spread over an area of 3,700 square meters.

Russia says it repulsed Ukrainian drone attack in Briansk region; three injured in Belgorod region

Russian air defense intercepted and destroyed three Ukrainian drones over the southwestern Briansk region in the early hours of today, the Russian Defense Ministry said, as quoted by DPA.

So far no reports of casualties and destruction. The information cannot be independently verified.

The Russian authorities also announced that three people were injured during Ukrainian shelling in the Belgorod region, TASS reported.

These are workers who were injured by shrapnel and were taken to hospital.

Poland reacted sharply to the distortion of the truth about World War II in Putin's interview

Poland reacted strongly to Russian President Vladimir Putin's words about the start of World War II in his interview with former Fox News journalist Tucker Carlson.

According to Putin, the Poles provoked Adolf Hitler because they were intransigent, and Hitler had no choice but to start a war.

"It is not the first time that Russian dictator Vladimir Putin has blamed Poland, invaded by the USSR on September 17, 1939, for the outbreak of World War II. We are used to paranoid justifications for Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The shocking thing is that this time they are introduced by an American journalist".

This is what the Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs, Radosław Sikorski, wrote on the X social network.

15% of the gas in the EU is imported from Russia

After the start of the war in Ukraine, the European Union has significantly reduced the import of Russian gas, as well as its consumption, a spokesman for the European Commission announced. He noted that in 2021 the share of Russian imports was 45 percent, in 2022 it fell to 24 percent, and in 2023 - to 15 percent. At the same time, the EU has reduced gas consumption by 20%.

Since the start of the invasion, the EU has found other sources and today the leading supplier is Norway. In the case of liquefied gas, the first place goes to the USA, the spokesperson pointed out. He added that the EU maintains its aspiration for a complete cessation of gas supplies from Russia.

The spokesperson also noted that efforts to reduce the share of fossil fuels and improve energy efficiency are also ongoing, which is expected to further help achieve the goals.

Zelensky also replaced the Chief of the General Staff

The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, made another change in the leadership of the armed forces.

Major General Anatoliy Barhylevych was appointed to replace Serhiy Shaptala as Chief of the General Staff of the Ukrainian Army, Reuters reported, citing BTA.

In his traditional evening address to the nation, Zelensky described Barhylevych as "an experienced person who understands the tasks in this war and Ukrainian goals." He said the appointment was on the recommendation of the new Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi.

Zelensky appointed Syrskyi two days ago to replace Valerii Zaluzhnyi. The new commander-in-chief said success depends on a change in approach.

In October of last year, the Ukrainian president appointed Barhylevych to the post of head of the Territorial Defense Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, from which he fired Ihor Tantsyura.

Danish Defense Minister: Russia could attack NATO in 3-5 years

Denmark must speed up its military investment, Denmark's defense minister said on Friday, after new intelligence showed Russia was rearming faster than expected and could attack a NATO country within three to five years.

In recent weeks, similar warnings have been issued by other European countries that are members of the alliance.

"Russia's capacity to produce military equipment has increased enormously," Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen told Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten.

"It cannot be ruled out that within three to five years Russia will test Article 5 (of the North Atlantic Treaty) and NATO's solidarity. This was not NATO's assessment in 2023. This is new knowledge that is now emerging on foreground," said Poulsen, quoted by Reuters.

In late January, Denmark sent the frigate to the Red Sea as part of a US-led coalition to protect commercial traffic from Iran-backed Yemeni Houthis, who have launched exploding drone and missile attacks on merchant and naval vessels in response to Israel's military operations in Gaza. This has forced shipping companies to divert hundreds of ships from their optimal route to the Cape of Good Hope for a journey that takes up to two weeks longer and is more expensive than crossing the Red Sea and the Suez Canal.

Earlier this month, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said there was currently no immediate military threat from Russia against a NATO member, highlighting the alliance's enhanced defense capabilities. In an interview with German public broadcaster AER, De Stoltenberg rejected claims that Russia would attack an alliance member if it won the war in Ukraine.

According to him, NATO has recognized and adapted to the new reality and changed circumstances resulting from the illegal annexation of Crimea by Russia in 2014.

"Since last July, NATO has negotiated about $10 billion worth of industrial deals for munitions, including $5.5 billion for 1,000 more Patriot air defense missiles last month alone. A deal that will build more manufacturing capacity in Europe for this vital capability," Stoltenberg said in a statement published on NATO's official website.

"The world has become more dangerous, but NATO has become stronger," notes the Secretary General. And he adds: "With more forces, increased readiness and increased investment in defense. We can never take peace for granted. But we see no immediate threats against any NATO ally."

Nevertheless, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said in January that the alliance should prepare for a Russian attack on a NATO country within five to eight years.

Poulsen believes there is no direct threat against Denmark, but the alliance could face hybrid attacks in Russia's efforts to destabilize a member state.

"Russia potentially has the will to do it. Also, now they may also have the ability to build military capacity sooner than we expected. There is reason to be genuinely concerned," Poulsen stressed.

Assessing the potential impact on NATO if former US President Donald Trump is re-elected, in the same interview, Stoltenberg expressed confidence that the US will remain a reliable and loyal NATO ally for various reasons related to security interests.

Regarding Trump's previous criticism that members were not contributing enough to NATO's capabilities, he clarified that this was more a criticism of insufficient spending by NATO allies, stressing that with increased spending and unity, NATO remains secure.

Novinite remains the sole Bulgarian media outlet consistently delivering daily updates and key insights concerning the conflict. Our reporting commenced on the first day, 24th February 2022, and will persist until the conflict's resolution. Despite challenges, our independent journalism remains committed to offering precise, current news to our audience. We appreciate your ongoing support in staying informed! #stayinformed #WarInUkraine

Follow Novinite.com on X and Facebook