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What did 1 February 2022 look like in Donbas?
Summary
A retrospective on a day of frontline accusations in eastern Ukraine and sharp words from Moscow about Washington and NATO.
What was happening along the frontline and in diplomacy on 1 February 2022? The reports from that day point to tension on two levels: accusations over the fighting in Donbas, and a public argument between Moscow and Washington over Ukraine.
On the frontline
The Luhansk People's Republic accused Ukraine of deploying a 9K33 Osa anti-aircraft missile system in a residential area of Popasna, a majority Russian-speaking city near the frontline. The claim came from the self-proclaimed authorities, and the reports of the day did not carry a response in this account.
The same day, the head of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic said a Ukrainian Air Force drone strike had killed a pro-Russian insurgent on the frontline in Donbas. Both items were part of the war in Donbas, which was then still being fought along the line of contact.
In the diplomatic arena
Russian President Vladimir Putin accused the United States of trying to draw Russia into war in Ukraine. In his account, Washington wanted this as a pretext to impose more sanctions in order to contain Russia's development. He also said the United States had ignored Russia's concerns about the expansion of NATO in Eastern Europe.
Taken together, the day's reports show the crisis running on parallel tracks: claims and counterclaims from the frontline, and a public accusation from the Russian president about American motives.
