Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
Worth noting, korrespondent.net has compiled its Invasion of Ukraine series into separate months, beginning May 9th, 2023. Linked in the title.
[Korrespondent] 22:24 Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Olga Stefanishina confirmed that the United States and Germany oppose inviting Ukraine to NATO: “Absolutely all allies support this decision, except two. Since this information has become public, now the United States and Germany are trying "pay attention to other skeptical allies such as Hungary and Slovakia. But the key position is precisely these two countries."
21:33 The delay in providing American assistance to Ukraine has received a new explanation. The head of the US House Foreign Committee, Michael McCaul, said that President Joe Biden and his national security adviser Jake Sullivan “bought” the idea that the Russian Federation could use nuclear weapons if the United States provided Ukraine with “too many” weapons. Read more in the article Russian Nuclear Intimidation.
21:25 Umerov said that, together with Syrsky, he had a telephone conversation with Pentagon head Lloyd Austin. We briefed the US Secretary of Defense on the current situation and recent Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities and civilian infrastructure. “I emphasized once again: Ukraine needs more air defense systems and missiles. We must together stop the enemy of the free world - and do it here in Ukraine,” Umerov noted.
20:48 In Zaporozhye, the number of deaths as a result of the Russian attack has increased to four, more than 20 people were injured, said the head of the OBA Ivan Fedorov.
20:11 In two territorial communities of the Sumy region, a decision was made on the mandatory evacuation of children by force, the Ministry of Reintegration reported. In total, it is planned to remove 297 children from 52 settlements in the region.
19:52 Journalists from Mediazone and the Russian Air Force Service confirmed, based on open data, the death of 50,016 Russian military personnel since the beginning of a full-scale war against Ukraine.
19:00 Ukrenergo reported that this evening it will again limit electricity consumption in the Dnepropetrovsk, Zaporozhye, Kirovograd, Poltava and Sumy regions. The reason is the lack of sufficient generating capacity due to recent Russian attacks on power plants.
18:51 Russia has switched to “two waves” of shelling tactics, in which rescuers and police officers are killed, said the head of the Kharkov OVA Oleg Sinegubov. He explained that first the enemy strikes, and later, when rescue services and police arrive at the scene, he strikes a second time.
18:43 South Korea will provide Ukraine with a medium- and long-term assistance package worth $2.3 billion, and will also contribute $12 million for the rehabilitation of the military through the NATO Trust Fund, said the country's Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yeol.
18:38 In Zaporozhye, the number of deaths as a result of the Russian strike has increased to three, 13 people were injured, said the head of the OVA Ivan Fedorov. Among the wounded, four are in serious condition. According to Fedorov, two missile strikes were first carried out on Zaporozhye, and 40 minutes later, when rescuers, police and reporters were already working on the site, there were three more - in the same place. Two journalists were among the wounded.
18:32 The “authorities” of the unrecognized Transnistria stated that a kamikaze drone attacked a military unit in the Rybnitsa region. Allegedly, “minor damage” was caused to the radar station, but there were no casualties.
18:23 Zelensky said that today he was on a working visit to Chernihiv and the Chernihiv region. In particular, he checked the progress of the construction of fortifications and listened to reports from the military leadership of the region. “In all border areas, the problems are the same. Constant Russian bullying - shelling, terror. For the 15 thousand residents of the border communities of the Chernihiv region, who are subject to constant such attacks from Russia, terrorists fired 15 thousand shells over the past year,” the president noted.
18:06 Blinken told European allies that China is increasing its support for Russia, the Financial Times writes, citing sources. According to them, the US Secretary of State said, in particular, that Beijing is providing assistance to Moscow’s military-industrial complex “on a worrying scale” and providing “tools, materials and technical expertise.”
Blinken said Chinese assistance was particularly focused on Russia's manufacturing of optical equipment and fuel, as well as its space sector, which "not only facilitates Russian aggression in Ukraine, but also threatens other countries."
17:34 As a result of the attack on Zaporozhye, two people were killed and six were injured, said the head of the OVA Ivan Fedorov. Among the wounded is a nine-year-old child.
17:13 The Main Intelligence Directorate and the Armed Forces of Ukraine attacked airfields in Engels, Yeysk and Kursk, Ukrainian media report citing sources in the special services. As a result of the drone attack, at least three Tu-95MS strategic bombers at the Engels-2 military airfield were seriously damaged. At the same airfield, explosions killed seven Russians, among whom, according to preliminary information, there could have been bomber pilots.
In Yeisk, two Su-25s completely burned out, killing at least four Russians. The consequences of the attack on the airfield in Kursk are being clarified.
16:51 In Pokrovsk, Donetsk region, the Russians bombed the office of Doctors Without Borders tonight, the organization reported. Mission representatives were not injured, but five local residents who were near the office were injured.
16:45 Russian troops attacked Zaporozhye - according to preliminary data, six people were injured, said City Council Secretary Anatoly Kurtev. Three high-rise buildings, one private house, a hostel and a retail establishment were damaged.
16:12 The Russians struck Kharkov and the populated area of the Kharkov region, preliminarily with KABs. Details are being established, at the moment there is no information about casualties, said Oleg Sinegubov, head of the OVA.
15:58 Russian cities where military airfields are located were attacked by several dozen drones on the night of April 5. In particular, explosions occurred at the Morozovsk airbase in the Rostov region. Su-34 and Su-35 are stationed there and carry out daily strikes on Ukraine. It was also loud at the military airfield in Engels. For more details, see the article Attack on large Russian air bases: what is known.
15:21 The tribunal against Putin will probably be created before the end of this year, European Commissioner for Justice Didier Reynders told DW. According to him, two main options are being considered - an international tribunal based on a multilateral agreement or a simplified solution based on a bilateral agreement between Ukraine and the Council of Europe. The Netherlands proposed holding a special tribunal in The Hague. Since July 2023, an international team of prosecutors has been analyzing evidence submitted by different countries to a database created specifically for this purpose by Eurojust.
14:55 Germany is modernizing its army to be ready for war, Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said: "With Russia challenging the European peace order, a special threat situation has arisen for Germany and its allies. The analysis has focused on military capability and operational readiness." Pistorius noted that Germany faces the task of reforming the Bundeswehr in order to make it “optimally positioned, especially in a defense situation.”
14:49 Over the past few weeks, Russia has disabled 6 gigawatts of Ukraine’s energy capacity, 80% of thermal power plants have been destroyed, Shmygal said in an interview with the Estonian National Broadcasting. He clarified that the destroyed capacities also included hydropower and coal power.
14:36 At night, the Russians fired five missiles at an idle airfield in the village. Korotich, Kharkov district, said the head of the investigative department of the regional police, Sergei Bolvinov. The hangars were damaged and there was a fire at the site. According to preliminary data, the shelling was carried out from the S-300 complex; no people were injured.
14:02 Governor of the Rostov region Vasily Golubev said that in the Morozovsky district, where, according to him, “an explosive device from a fallen drone detonated not far from the airfield,” eight people were injured - they carried out “investigative actions” with the drone.
13:57 Japan has expanded sanctions against Russia, banning the export of another 164 types of goods to the Russian Federation. The new restrictions apply to lithium-ion batteries, gas pipes, motor oil for automobiles, thermostats, nitrocellulose products and woodworking machines. In addition, the export of photographic equipment, hand-held power tools, tungsten powder, molybdenum, cobalt, zirconium and rhenium is prohibited. The sanctions will come into force on April 17. Also, Japan will ban the import of Russian non-industrial diamonds from May 10 - the G7 countries made a corresponding decision in December last year.
13:45 Lithuania will allocate another 5 million euros for education and 12 million euros to help veterans, restore schools and kindergartens, and arrange shelters, Shmygal said.
13:34 The Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation stated that in the phone of the person accused of the terrorist attack in Crocus City Hall, “photo images of people in camouflage uniforms with a Ukrainian flag against the background of destroyed houses and a Ukrainian postage stamp with an obscene gesture were allegedly found.” The Russian Investigative Committee claims that “the data may indicate a connection between the terrorist act committed and the conduct of a special military operation.”
12:48 Russian public pages write that a drone was discovered in the Moscow region on the afternoon of April 4, 150 meters from the Novoselki oil loading base, owned by Lukoil. The wing of the drone was torn off, it did not detonate - perhaps the device caught its wing in the trees and did not reach the target.
12:43 Lithuania will allocate 2 million euros for the purchase of 3,000 FPV drones for Ukraine, Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte said during a joint press conference with her Ukrainian counterpart Denis Shmygal. She added that drones should arrive at the front this year. Simonyte also reported that Lithuania has allocated 35 million euros for the Czech initiative to purchase artillery ammunition for Ukraine.
12:37 Russian troops attacked Berislav, Kherson region, from a drone, three people were injured, OVA reported.
12:16 Public accounts write that Russian troops allegedly entered the suburb of Chasova Yar, Donetsk region, but the representative of the eastern group of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Andrei Zadubinny, in a comment to Reuters, denied these rumors and urged “not to believe Russian reports.” According to him, the situation there is very difficult, fighting continues, but there are no Russian troops in the city.
12:09 Ukraine will not be invited to NATO at the July summit in Washington, writes The New York Times, citing sources among diplomats. According to them, this is opposed, in particular, by the United States and Germany, who fear that the Alliance will be drawn into war. At the same time, NATO partners are looking for a middle ground to demonstrate that they intend to support Ukraine in the long term.
11:43 In the morning, Russian troops shelled the Dnieper district of Kherson, three people were injured, the OVA reported.
11:20 The attack on the Morozovsk airfield was a joint operation of the SBU with the military and Defense Forces. As a result of the attack, at least six aircraft were destroyed and eight were significantly damaged, Ukrainian media reported, citing sources. At the same time, about 20 Russian soldiers were killed or wounded. Front-line bombers Su-24, Su-24M, Su-34 were based at the airfield. It is them that Russia uses to drop KABs on the positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and Ukrainian front-line cities.
11:07 At night, the Russians attacked energy infrastructure facilities in the Odessa region, part of the equipment was damaged, Ukrenergo reported. There was no loss of power to consumers. In the Kharkov region, hourly shutdown schedules apply; in Kharkov, emergency shutdowns are used.
10:59 Bild writes, citing sources, that Ukraine will soon use long-range UAVs that can attack the Urals and the Arctic. According to the publication, already this year Ukraine will be able to use UAVs with a range of up to 2000 km or more - they should make up for the shortage of medium- and long-range missiles. In particular, by the end of the year, ten manufacturers will supply the Ukrainian Armed Forces with drones with a range of up to 2,500 km, and the Kiev design bureau Luch has developed the Sokol-3000 UAV, which can fly up to 3,300 km, the newspaper’s source claims.
10:34 One of the Chinese companies with headquarters in Hong Kong controls a key part of the Polish port of Gdynia. It turns out that the Chinese have access to a dock that is used to offload American and NATO military aid for Ukraine. Read more in the article How China monitors aid for Ukraine.
10:12 The head of the Presidential Office, Andriy Yermak, said in an interview with Politico that the attacks that Ukraine has been subjected to in the last three weeks are part of the Russians’ preparation for a major offensive. In particular, he noted that Kharkov suffered particularly severe attacks, and large-scale Russian attacks knocked out its power plants. In this regard, Ermak called on the United States to unblock military assistance as soon as possible: “The problem for us is time. I want to emphasize that now is a critical moment. It is very important that the package is approved this month.”
09:18 The General Staff announced the estimated losses of the Russian Federation as of the morning of April 5:
- personnel - about 445,900 (+860) people,
- tanks - 7033 (+15),
- armored combat vehicles - 13,459 (+73),
- artillery systems - 11 221 (+50),
- MLRS - 1029 (+3),
- air defense systems - 747 (+1),
- aircraft - 347 (+0),
- helicopters - 325 (+0),
- UAV of operational-tactical level - 8847 (+30),
- cruise missiles - 2059 (+0),
- ships/boats - 26 (+0),
- submarines - 1 (+0),
- automotive equipment and tank trucks - 14,922 (+61),
- special equipment - 1849 (+4).
09:10 Over the past 24 hours, 65 military clashes took place at the front, the General Staff reported in its morning report. In particular, in the Bakhmut direction, the Defense Forces repelled 30 attacks in the areas of the settlements of Belogorivka, Verkhnekamenka in the Luhansk region, as well as Spornoe, Chasov Yar, Ivanovskoye, Stupochki, Kleshcheevka, Andreevka in the Donetsk region. Also, the enemy tried more than 20 times to break through the defenses of Ukrainian troops in the Novopavlovsk direction - in the areas of Krasnohorivka, Georgievka, Konstantinovka, Novomikhailovka, Velyka Novoselka and Urozhayny, Donetsk region.
In the Kupyansk direction over the past 24 hours, the enemy has not carried out offensive actions. In the Liman direction, four enemy attacks were repelled in the area of Ternov and Yampolevka, Donetsk region; in Avdeevsky - two attacks in the Pervomaisky and Nevelsky districts of the Donetsk region; on Orekhovsky - four attacks in the areas of Staromayorskoye, Donetsk region and north-west of Verbovoye, Zaporozhye region; on Kherson - five attacks on the left bank of the Dnieper.
08:49 At night, the Russians fired at the private sector in Pokrovsk, Donetsk region - five people were wounded, including a 14-year-old child, the prosecutor's office reported.
08:35 On the evening of April 4, the Russians shelled Kharkov, hitting the ground near a civilian service station was recorded. Four cars and the glazing of the windows of a five-story building were damaged, but no people were injured, said Oleg Sinegubov, head of the OVA. Meanwhile, the Kharkov Metro reported that in the morning the work of the metro was suspended due to the situation in the energy system.
07:43 The Russian Ministry of Defense announced the “destruction and interception” of 44 drones over the Rostov region by air defense systems overnight, one each over the Saratov, Kursk and Belgorod regions, and six over the Krasnodar Territory. Governor of the Rostov region Vasily Golubev said that air defense forces allegedly destroyed more than 40 air targets near the military airfield in Morozovsk. According to him, as a result of the attack, an electrical substation was damaged and dozens of residential buildings were left without electricity.
Meanwhile, Russian public pages write about a series of explosions and a fire in the area of the airfield in Morozovsk. In addition, explosions were reported by residents of Engels, Saratov region, where there is also a military airfield from which the Russians launch their strategic aircraft to bombard Ukrainian cities. Governor Roman Busargin said that in Engels “the UAV was allegedly destroyed, there were no casualties or destruction of infrastructure.”
07:14 Air defense at night destroyed all 13 attack UAVs of the Shahed-131/136 type, which Russia attacked from the Crimean Cape Chauda, the Air Force reported. Drones were destroyed in Zaporozhye, Odessa and Dnepropetrovsk regions. In addition, at night the enemy attacked with two S-300/S-400 anti-aircraft guided missiles and three Iskander-M ballistic missiles (launch areas - Belgorod region).
05:32 NATO member countries intend to redouble their efforts to find air defense systems, artillery and ammunition for Ukraine, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said. According to him, NATO partners will strengthen the defense potential of the Ukrainian armed forces.
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