|
2023-04-21 Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia
|
|
Ukrainian Perspective: Invasion of Ukraine: April 20th, 2023
|
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[Korrespondent] 22:23 Biden intends to discuss with South Korean President Yun Sok Yel during his visit to Washington issues of support for Ukraine and the situation in Europe, said John Kirby, coordinator of the White House National Security Council. He also expressed gratitude from the United States to South Korea for the support already provided to Ukraine, as well as for the political position against the aggression of the Russian Federation.
21:28 Zaluzhny said that he had met with the Commander of the Armed Forces of Latvia, Leonids Kalnynsh, who visited Ukraine for the first time on an official visit: "He spoke about the current situation at the front. He pointed out the importance of strengthening the air defense system of our state, the supply of shells."
20:53 Zelensky said that he had met in Kiev with the mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, and the president of the EU Committee of the Regions, Vasco Cordeiro, and discussed the Committee's support for initiatives to mobilize EU regions around the restoration of Ukraine.
20:25 Kuleba criticized the delay in the implementation of the EU plan for the joint purchase of ammunition for Ukraine: “The failure of the EU to implement its own decision on the joint purchase of ammunition for Ukraine is disappointing. This is a test of whether the EU has strategic autonomy in making new important decisions in the field of security. For Ukraine, the cost of inaction is measured in human lives."
20:22 Zelensky said that he had a telephone conversation with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, thanked for a new aid package for Ukraine for 274 million euros, for the transferred Patriot system and a joint decision with Denmark to provide 14 Leopard 2 tanks.
20:10 Israel will test a missile warning system in Kiev in the coming weeks, Walla reports. If everything goes well, it will go into service with the Armed Forces of Ukraine by the summer. This will allow faster and more accurate alerts to be sent to citizens' mobile phones and only activate sirens in places where missiles can hit.
19:41 Over the past week, 70 children have been evacuated from the settlements of the Donetsk region, where active hostilities are taking place, Deputy Prime Minister Irina Vereshchuk said. She noted that the forced evacuation of children is being carried out from 21 settlements, now 56 children remain there. People are willing to leave if they know where they are going, Vereshchuk said, but many locals are also influenced by Russian propaganda.
In addition, the mandatory evacuation of children comes from the front-line settlements of the Kherson and Zaporozhye regions.
19:33 Elections to the Verkhovna Rada will take place immediately after the end of martial law, Speaker of the Parliament Ruslan Stefanchuk said: "I think that the elections will take place immediately after the end of martial law. Otherwise, the law needs to be changed. But, again, I very much doubt that now it will be possible to hold high-quality, legitimate elections in Ukraine, the results of which will be trusted by the society."
19:19 This week, the EU will provide Ukraine with an additional 55 million euros for humanitarian needs, European Commissioner Janez Lenarcic said. Thus, according to him, the total amount of humanitarian aid to Ukraine from the EU since the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion will be more than 600 million euros.
19:17 The Estonian government has decided to send a batch of large-caliber 155-mm artillery shells to Ukraine, the country's Defense Ministry said. In addition, Estonia will transfer night vision devices and ammunition for small arms to Ukraine.
18:56 Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjarto spoke in front of a map of the country with pre-World War I borders that included the current territories of Austria, Slovakia, Romania, Croatia, Serbia and Ukraine. Romanian MEP Vlad Gheorghe said that "Hungary - an EU member state - undermines the sovereignty of Romania."
The map was posted at the Peace and Security Forum organized by Hungary's ruling Fidesz party. The banner of the forum depicted Hungary in its current borders and "great Hungary" in the borders that it had before the Treaty of Trianon. Earlier, Orban appeared in public in a scarf with this map, which caused outrage in neighboring countries.
18:45 PMC Wagner at the beginning of 2023 asked China to provide ammunition and equipment, but Beijing ignored the request, writes the Financial Times, citing secret Pentagon documents.
18:32 The Russians fired on Malaya Tokmachka, Zaporozhye region, two people were killed, said the head of the OVA Yuriy Malashko. In addition, one person was wounded during artillery shelling of Kamensky.
18:07 The city council terminated the land lease agreement with the Russian embassy and appealed to the Cabinet of Ministers regarding the return of property to the ownership of the Ukrainian state.
17:48 The Saeima of Latvia has banned any public events on May 9, except for those related to Europe Day or intended to express solidarity with the Ukrainian people. The deputies explained this decision by the need to protect the interests of the country and society, as well as to avoid unrest.
17:35 Almost all inhabitants of the Nikolaev area returned home, the head of OVA Vitaly Kim reported. According to him, more than 400 thousand people now live in Nikolaev. For those whose housing has been destroyed, modular houses are being deployed. In total, about 14 thousand objects were destroyed in the region.
17:26 Poland is building its multilayer air defense / missile defense system taking into account the experience of Ukraine, said Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak, who visited the air defense exercises in Radom. They used Patriot air defense systems, iLauncher launchers with CAMM missiles (Narva system), as well as elements of the Pilica system.
"We also have Piorun MANPADS, which means very short-range air defense / missile defense systems. In addition, we are integrating a drone countermeasures system. Our goal is to form separate layers of the air defense / missile defense system and integrate them in such a way that they are a single system" Blaschak noted.
16:51 Zaluzhny said that on the eve of the next meeting in the Ramstein format, he had a telephone conversation with the Supreme Commander of the NATO Allied Forces in Europe and the Commander of the US Armed Forces in Europe, Christopher Cavoli: "We discussed the priority areas for Ukraine in terms of weapons, equipment and ammunition. I informed General Cavoli about the operational situation at the front.
16:17 Photo of the year according to World Press Photo was a picture of the Russian attack on Mariupol. Its author is Evgeny Maloletka, together with photographer Mstislav Chernov, they arrived in Mariupol just before the start of a full-scale war and worked under shelling for 20 days so that the world could see the real "special operation" of the Russian army.
15:48 The United States and G7 allies are discussing a complete ban on exports to Russia ahead of the leaders' summit in May, Bloomberg writes, citing sources. They would like to change the existing sanctions regime, by default prohibiting all exports, except for those for which exceptions are made. The current approach assumes that any export is allowed, as long as it is not prohibited. In the event of a change in approach, only medicines and food will remain allowed for export to Russia.
At the same time, the sources acknowledge that the idea will be difficult for the EU countries to implement, since the new criteria must be accepted by all members, and this will cause heated debate.
15:25 Russia for Hungary is not a friend, but a partner, and Budapest remains on the side of Ukraine when it comes to the war unleashed by Moscow, Gergely Guyash, head of the office of the Hungarian Prime Minister, said: "We are among those who support Ukraine. Russia is our partner, not a friend, America is our ally, and our allies are our friends. For Russia to be our friend, international law must be respected."
15:22 Stoltenberg said that at the July summit in Vilnius, NATO member countries are preparing to discuss issues of Ukraine's membership and security guarantees for it. "Ukraine chooses its future in the Euro-Atlantic family, the future of Ukraine in NATO, and the members of the alliance agree with this... Ukraine's rightful place is in NATO. And over time, our support will help you make this possible," the Secretary General assured.
According to him, NATO members have already provided Ukraine with support for 150 billion euros.
15:16 The SBU is investigating the circumstances of the rocket attacks on the Kanatovo airfield in the Kirovograd region, which occurred on July 23, 2022 due to unauthorized actions of individual servicemen. According to the investigation, a number of servicemen decided to conduct their own "special operation" without the consent of the relevant government agencies and take possession of the Russian aircraft. The pilot of this plane allegedly agreed to go over to the side of Ukraine.
But during this "operation" the enemy received information about the deployment of personnel of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and Ukrainian aircraft. As a result, the Russians fired on the airfield, as a result of which the commander of the military unit was killed and 17 Ukrainian defenders were wounded. Also, two combat fighters of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were completely destroyed, and the runway and other equipment and buildings were significantly damaged.
14:58 The most combat-ready part of the Russian army has been destroyed, now the Russian Federation can plan and try to implement tactical operations, but in general it is moving to strategic defense, said Andrei Yusov, spokesman for the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense. According to him, Russia today does not have the strength to repeat the attempts that it made a year ago at the beginning of a full-scale invasion.
"But this does not mean that the enemy is defeated or does not pose a danger to Ukraine. There is a large amount of manpower, a mobilization potential, a significant amount of equipment, even if often outdated. But the most combat-ready part of the Russian army was destroyed in Ukraine. Putin actually destroyed it , sending it to a meat grinder," Yusov added.
14:52 Zelensky said that during the meeting with Stoltenberg he discussed four main issues:
- the meeting in the Ramstein format, which will take place tomorrow, and the decisions that Ukraine expects from partners - first of all, this concerns armed support;
- the President asked the General Secretary to help "overcome the restraint of partners in the supply of long-range weapons, modern aviation, artillery, armored vehicles";
- Vilnius NATO summit, which, according to Zelensky, "may become historic." "I am grateful for the invitation to attend the summit, but it is important that Ukraine also receive a corresponding invitation," the president stressed.
- security guarantees for Ukraine on the way to NATO.
14:39 Zelensky commented on his meeting with Stoltenberg: "We interpret this visit of Jens Stoltenberg - the first in a full-scale war - as a sign that the alliance is ready to start a new chapter in relations with Ukraine - a chapter of ambitious decisions."
14:18 Switzerland announced the imposition of sanctions against PMC Wagner and the Russian news agency RIA FAN, owned by Prigozhin.
13:55 Almost 60 countries around the world are helping Ukraine rebuild cities and villages after Russian attacks, Shmyhal said. He specified that more than 300 territorial communities have signed 1,500 partnership agreements on restoration. "We consider such a mechanism of cooperation to be particularly effective. Patronage, on the one hand, will accelerate the restoration of communities, on the other hand, it will contribute to Ukraine's European integration," the prime minister emphasized.
13:29 In the Kherson region, the Russians fired at the village of Kizomys, one person died, said the head of the OVA Alexander Prokudin.
13:24 The Russians fired from a mortar at Galaganivka, Chernihiv region - one person died, two were injured, OK Pivnich reported.
13:19 The city council took away the land and actually began the procedure for creating the National War Memorial Cemetery in Bykovna, Klitschko said.
12:53 The French Senate called on EU institutions and countries to collect evidence of the forcible removal of Ukrainian children to Russia and impose sanctions against Russian officials involved in these crimes, said Senator Andre Gattolen in an interview with Euractiv.
The Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defense and Armed Forces of the Senate adopted a resolution on deported Ukrainian children. The document condemns the deportation of Ukrainian children to the Russian Federation and the actions of the Russian authorities, which administratively and massively carry out naturalization, name change and adoption of children moved to the territory of Russia.
12:47 Governor of the Belgorod region Vyacheslav Gladkov announced the death of 30 people since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, allegedly "due to Ukrainian attacks."
12:33 Peskov said that preventing Ukraine from joining NATO "is still one of the goals of the NWO."
12:06 It is difficult to keep Bakhmut, the Russians are simply destroying the city, Deputy Defense Minister Anna Malyar said in an interview with ICTV: "The situation there is very difficult. They completely destroy the city, in such conditions it is difficult to hold positions. In some areas they manage to move forward, but Bakhmut is standing , we are inflicting incredible losses on the enemy both in infantry and in equipment." According to Malyar, Ukraine is forced to use the maximum resources for defense, but also conducts active assault operations.
11:45 Russia took a conditional break in order to accumulate forces for attacks on objects important for the Ukrainian counteroffensive, Andrey Yusov, a spokesman for the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense, said: "Today, tactics are changing, and this conditional break is used for accumulation, only the tasks will be different - this is largely not energy infrastructure facilities, and, for example, everything related to logistics, preparation of military targets in the context of attempts to disrupt Ukrainian offensive actions.
At the same time, Yusov is convinced that the enemy will not be able to restore the potential for delivering massive strikes.
11:16 European soldiers will never set foot on Ukrainian territory, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, head of the Bundestag Defense Committee, said: "There will be no ground forces in Ukraine. Not a single German soldier or European soldier will set foot on Ukrainian soil. Point." She also claims that the Tornado and Eurofighter fighters will not be delivered to Ukraine, since their use requires long-term pilot training.
11:01 NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg arrived in Kiev , reports The Kyiv Independent. Journalists noticed him on Mikhailovskaya Square, where he honored the memory of the dead Ukrainian soldiers.
10:55 The next package of sanctions against Russia will not include any new restrictions, but will be aimed at preventing circumvention of those already introduced earlier, the Financial Times writes, citing sources. Most officials admit that sectors of the Russian economy not affected by sanctions will not be subject to restrictions, since one or several EU states depend on them.
Thus, France, Hungary and a number of other countries oppose the sanctions against Rosatom, which are supported by Germany. "We are done. If we introduce more sanctions, there will be more exceptions than measures," the source said. The next, already the 11th package of European sanctions against the Russian Federation will be discussed on Friday, April 21.
10:44 Denmark, together with the Netherlands, will transfer 14 Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine, the Danish government said. The tanks are expected to be delivered in early 2024. Denmark also intends to transfer to Ukraine at least 80 Leopard 1 tanks by the end of 2023, "which would help support the fight for freedom."
10:35 a.m. The SBU has identified a battalion commander of the Russian Guard who brutally tortured Ukrainian patriots, in particular, gave the order to poison them in "gas chambers". The attacker is the battalion commander of the 96th operational regiment of the 46th separate brigade of the Russian Guard troops, Lieutenant Colonel Ayuba Eldarov. He formed punitive detachments that were looking for pro-Ukrainian local residents. In addition to other types of torture, in particular by electric current, the use of asphyxiating gases in specially equipped "chambers" where Ukrainian prisoners were kept was documented.
10:24 Macron's desire to enlist the support of China in the Ukrainian issue has provoked criticism from allies who consider his efforts premature and fear undermining European unity by the actions of the President of France, writes Bloomberg citing sources. Also, a number of European politicians have expressed skepticism that China can serve as a neutral intermediary, given its "limitless friendship" with Russia.
09:57 Russia has used Iranian drones from a new batch in Ukraine, said Natalya Gumenyuk, speaker of OK Pivden. According to her, the new batch was identified by the appropriate markings that the drones that attacked the Odessa region on April 19 had. "It is possible that such attacks will be repeated, since, having received the shipment, they begin to use it to maintain the terrorist state and tension of the local population," Gumenyuk added.
09:31 South Korea does not supply weapons to Ukraine in order to maintain stable relations with Russia, a senior official of the country's presidential administration said at a briefing, Yonhap reports. "We are not doing this because, while South Korea actively supports the international community to protect the freedom of Ukrainian citizens, we must maintain a stable relationship with Russia," he explained.
According to the official, the statement of the country's President Yoon Sok-yeol about the possible supply of weapons to Kyiv was "hypothetical."
09:17 The West will continue to provide military assistance to Ukraine, but there is no talk of new types of weapons yet, Scholz said. "Now Kyiv needs basically the same weapons, but more," he added. According to the chancellor, one must be prepared for the fact that Kyiv's need for military assistance "may persist for a long time."
09:11 In the Donetsk region over the past day, as a result of Russian shelling, one person was killed (in Konstantinovka), two more people were injured. In the Kherson region, six were wounded, according to the IVA.
08:46 The General Staff announced the approximate losses of the Russian Federation as of the morning of April 20.
- personnel - about 184,420 (+670) people liquidated,
- tanks - 3667 (+2),
- armored fighting vehicles - 7120 (+10),
- artillery systems - 2825 (+6),
- MLRS - 539 (+1),
- air defense systems - 285 (+0),
- aircraft - 308 (+0),
- helicopters - 293 (+0),
- UAV operational-tactical level - 2386 (+10),
- cruise missiles - 911 (+0),
- ships/boats - 18 (+0),
- automotive equipment and tankers - 5707 (+15),
- special equipment - 332 (+2).
08:28 The General Staff clarified that over the past day, the Russians launched three missile and 57 air strikes on the territory of Ukraine, in particular, they used 26 Shahed-type UAVs, 21 of which were destroyed.
The army of the Russian Federation focuses its main efforts on conducting offensive operations in the Limansky, Bakhmutsky, Avdeevsky, Maryinsky and Miner directions. Over the past 24 hours, units of the Defense Forces repulsed more than 55 enemy attacks in the indicated sectors of the front. The most fierce battles are going on for Bakhmut and Marinka, the General Staff reported in the morning report .
According to the General Staff, in the units of the Russian "volunteer" formation Nevsky, participating in the hostilities in the Donetsk region, there is a very low level of moral and psychological state. The reason is heavy losses, untimely provision of ammunition, uncertainty with the timing of the replenishment of personnel. The number of those wishing to leave their units and leave the areas of combat operations in the Russian Federation is increasing.
In the Crimean Izyumovka, about 400 conscripts of the Russian troops stationed at the Dolina Skifov recreation center are planned to be moved to defensive positions in the Vladimirovka area.
02:13 The Russian Foreign Ministry said that the supply of weapons by Seoul to Kiev will negatively affect relations between Russia and South Korea, they will be regarded as a "hostile anti-Russian act" and may affect "the position of the Russian Federation on the situation around the Korean peninsula."
01:24 The Air Force reported that this night, units of the anti-aircraft missile forces of the air command Skhid destroyed 10 out of 11 enemy Shahed-136/131 drones.
01:07 Office of the Prosecutor General recorded about 80 thousand cases of potential war crimes committed by Russians in Ukraine. As of today, 31 enemy soldiers have been convicted, Prosecutor General Andrei Kostin said. According to him, 310 war crimes suspects have been identified and cases against 152 potential perpetrators have been completed. A number of cases are ongoing.
00:12 In Russia, the mention of Kiev in the paragraphs devoted to Kievan Rus was removed from the new history textbooks , writes Mediazona. In addition, the new textbook changed the date, which is considered the moment of the founding of Kievan Rus. Methodological materials are also being prepared, in which "the role of Kyiv" in the history of Russia is specified.
|
Posted by badanov 2023-04-21 00:00||
||
Front Page|| [14 views ]
Top
|
|
02:45 Grom the reflective
02:44 Grom the reflective
02:42 Grom the reflective
02:41 badanov
01:37 Angealing+B.+Hayes4677
00:50 DarthVader
00:01 Skidmark
|
