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What the war's edges looked like in mid-February 2023
Summary
A look back at the days before 16 February 2023, when fighting near Bakhmut, a strike near Odesa and pressure in Moldova showed how far the war's effects reached.
What did the war look like at its edges on 16 February 2023? Reports from the preceding days point to pressure on the front line, on southern infrastructure and on a neighbouring state.
Bakhmut
On 14 February 2023, Ukrainian forces blew up a bridge between Bakhmut and Kostiantynivka. Russian troops and Wagner Group fighters were advancing on Bakhmut at the time, and the demolition came as part of the battle for the city.
Near Odesa
On 10 February 2023, a Russian Navy drone boat struck the Zatoka railway bridge on Highway H33 near Odesa. It was believed to be the first use of that naval weapon by Russian forces in the war.
Moldova
The same day, Moldova said Russia had fired missiles over its territory at targets inside Ukraine. Chisinau condemned the flyover as a violation of its sovereignty and summoned the Russian ambassador for an official explanation.
Also on 10 February 2023, Moldovan prime minister Natalia Gavrilița resigned. The resignation came amid an economic crisis and the collateral effects of the war in neighbouring Ukraine.
Taken together, these reports from 10 and 14 February 2023 show a conflict that was shaping events well beyond a single front: a bridge destroyed on the approach to a contested city, a new weapon used against a bridge in the south, and a neighbouring government under strain.
