[Korrespondent] 23:29 On the night of April 20, during the rocket attack on Nikolaev, Russian troops attacked the infrastructure of the Nikolaev branch of the Public Broadcaster. This is reported by the management of the branch. There are no dead or injured.
23:15 The heroic defense of Mariupol has been going on for almost two months. The city has been destroyed, but Ukrainian troops are still holding the line at the Azovstal metallurgical plant, where there are about a thousand military personnel and civilians. Details about what is happening there - in the material Hell on Earth: how to save people in Mariupol .
22:50 The Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine received an audio interception of the conversation of the occupiers, which refers to the order to kill all prisoners of war of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Popasna Lugansk region.
22:48 Arakhamia also confirmed that he was ready to arrive in Mariupol together with Podolyak to negotiate with the Russian side on the evacuation of the Ukrainian military garrison and civilians. He also assured that representatives of the Ukrainian delegation are in constant contact with the defenders in Mariupol.
"Today, in a conversation with the defenders of the city, a proposal was made to hold a round of negotiations on the evacuation of our military garrison right on the spot. For our part, we are ready to leave for such negotiations at any time, as soon as we receive confirmation from the Russian side," Arakhamia said.
22:40 The mayor of Zelenodolsk, Dnepropetrovsk region, Dmitry Nevesely, reported on the shelling of the city, according to him, there were no victims.
22:34 Pentagon spokesman John Kirby refuted his statement yesterday that Ukraine received planes from US allies: "I was given to understand that this was actually decided, but it's not. They didn't receive whole planes from other countries" . At the same time, he confirmed that the Ukrainian military nevertheless "increased the size of its fleet" after receiving spare parts and repairing damaged aircraft.
22:30 Podolyak confirmed that he was ready to go to negotiations with representatives of the Russian Federation in Mariupol: "Yes. Without any conditions. We are ready to hold a special round of negotiations in Mariupol. One on one. Two on two. To pick up our guys, Azov people, the military ", civilians, children, the living and the wounded. Everyone. Because they belong. Because they are in my heart. Forever. No options."
22:28 Over the past 24 hours, Russia has introduced four more battalion-tactical groups into Ukraine, and over the past week - 17 BTGs, writes CNN with reference to a Pentagon representative. In total, according to US estimates, there are now 82 Russian BTGs in Ukraine.
22:26 Zelensky: "I am very happy to say with cautious optimism that our partners have begun to better understand our needs, understand what exactly we need. And when exactly we need it all. Not in a week, not in a month, but immediately. Exactly now that Russia is trying to step up its attacks."
He also said that one of the topics in negotiations with Western partners is the restoration of Ukraine: "To resume the export of Ukrainian agricultural products and block the possibilities of Russian exports is a common goal for all of Europe."
22:22 Zelensky said that 934 settlements have already been liberated in Ukraine, the police have resumed work in 435 settlements, local self-government has started working in 431 communities, humanitarian headquarters - in 361 settlements. At the same time, he acknowledged that the situation in the east and south remains difficult: "the invaders are trying to achieve at least some kind of victory."
22:04 The President of the European Council Charles Michel announced that the trust fund for solidarity with Ukraine will begin work on May 5.
22:00 Denisova said that at the moment 878,000 Ukrainians have been forcibly taken to Russia, of which 164,000 are children. According to the Ombudsman, she does not know the whereabouts of these people - perhaps they are in filtration camps or temporary premises.
She also stressed that the International Red Cross "does not fulfill its mandate" - "no matter how much I wrote to the Red Cross, not a single answer came."
21:54 Ukrzaliznytsia reported that on April 20, the second Intercity train from Kiev to Polish Przemysl began to run, which will depart daily at 17:00 and arrive in Poland at 05:00 (departure back at 08:00, arrival in Kiev at 20 :43). Tickets for Ukrainians (except for men from 18 to 60 years old) are free.
21:50 Zelensky said he did not know when the Armed Forces of Ukraine would be able to unblock Mariupol. According to him, the situation in the city is deteriorating, in the hands of the defenders of Ukraine hundreds of wounded who protect women and children. "All the guys in Mariupol want our victory. Nobody is going to surrender to the enemy. These are their inner feelings," the president said.
21:48 Among the NATO countries, "there are forces" that are interested in continuing the war in Ukraine and "weakening Russia," Turkish Foreign Minister Cavusoglu said in a telephone conversation with Lavrov.
21:46 Moscow stated that "Kyiv disrupted the humanitarian operation announced by the RF Armed Forces on April 20 at Azovstal, no one used the open corridor."
21:42 The Maritime Guard of the State Border Service has banned fishing and navigation in nine estuaries of the Danube River because of the danger of undermining ships on drifting mines laid in the Black Sea by the Russians.
21:40 The head of the Turkish Foreign Ministry said that Erdogan's telephone conversations with Zelensky and Putin are planned "in the coming days."
21:37 The United States is concerned that China supports Russia's actions in Ukraine, said Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman.
21:34 The battle for Donbass may not be the last, and a big offensive in the East has not yet begun, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Alexei Danilov said in an interview with NV. According to him, there can still be many different things ahead: "This is not, as they used to say, the last and decisive battle. This is one of the battles on the territory of our country since 2014."
He also believes that for the next two to four weeks the Russian Federation can still pull up new resources and reserves: "In no case should we underestimate the strength of our enemy: a big country, a lot of people, not quite smart."
21:32 The heads of the Senates of the Czech Republic and Poland appealed to the parliaments of all civilized countries with an appeal to urgently provide weapons to Ukraine. "After visiting Bucha, Irpen and Borodianka, the speakers are convinced that the crimes of the Russian invaders in Ukraine are genocide," Ukrainian Ambassador to the Czech Republic Yevhen Perebiynis said.
21:28 The United States has introduced a new package of sanctions against Russia, which includes about 30 individuals associated with Otkritie Bank and another 40 legal entities.
21:25 Director of the Central Naval Museum Sergei Voronov told TSN that the cruiser Moskva sank in the exclusive economic waters of Ukraine - 50 miles from the coast, therefore, according to the UNESCO International Convention of 2006, it is now officially considered Ukrainian property, and appears in registers under titled Underwater Cultural Heritage Site No. 2064.
According to Voronov, Ukrainian specialists will study the cruiser after the war. Of particular interest is a part of the cross on which Jesus was crucified, which was allegedly kept in Moscow as a talisman. They will not raise the ship from the bottom, because there are too many explosives and fuel on it, but even novice divers will be able to see it, because it sank at a depth of about 50 meters, being itself 45 meters high.
21:18 G20 finance ministers and central bank governors left the meeting today as Russian officials began speaking, writes Bloomberg.
21:16 The head of the patrol police of Mariupol, Mikhail Vershinin, said that several hundred civilians are hiding on the territory of Azovstal.
21:05 Deputy commander of the Azov regiment Svyatoslav Palamar announced the conditions for the withdrawal of the Armed Forces of Ukraine from the territory of Azovstal. According to him, the military do not agree to surrender, but are ready to evacuate to a third country or with its assistance, keeping personal small arms. Also, one of the conditions is the opportunity to pick up the bodies of the dead.
Podolyak and Arakhamia agree to come to Mariupol if their Russian colleagues Medinsky and Slutsky arrive there to resolve the issue of the exit of the garrison and civilians, he added.
21:02 Gaidai denied the information spread in Russia that Ukrainian troops are retreating from Lisichansk and Severodonetsk, and the army of the Russian Federation and the "LNR" completely took Rubizhne. "The line of defense is from Rubizhne to Popasna," the head of the Luhansk OVA said.
20:59 The head of the Kiev OVA Oleksandr Pavlyuk signed an order to transfer three churches from the UOC to the OCU. Another such order, which will affect three parishes, he plans to sign by Easter.
"If there are legal grounds and the desire of the religious community to move, we will do it. The regional military administration acts exclusively in the legislative field in the interests of its residents and the Ukrainian state," Pavlyuk stressed.
20:51 The humanitarian corridor from Mariupol did not work as planned today, Vereshchuk said. According to her, due to the lack of control over their own military on the ground, the invaders were unable to ensure a proper ceasefire.
"Also, due to the inherent disorganization and slovenliness, the occupiers were unable to ensure timely delivery of people to the point where dozens of our buses and ambulances were waiting. Tomorrow morning we will resume our efforts in the Mariupol direction. I appeal to our people in Mariupol: we will fight for everyone of you!" Vereshchuk emphasized.
20:41 Some of the planned buses with evacuated residents of Mariupol are moving towards Zaporozhye along a route determined by Russia, said the head of the Donetsk OVA Pavel Kirilenko. According to him, compared with the declared number of buses, there were much fewer of them. People gathered at the collection points, but few people got on the indicated buses. Now some of these buses go along a route determined by the Russian Federation.
20:30 Military equipment with V marks appeared in Mariupol, which probably used to take part in the battles near Kiev, said the deputy commander of the Azov regiment Svyatoslav Palamar: "This indicates that they transferred fresh forces here and, probably, this is the same bastard , which was near Kiev, because their equipment had the identification of the letter V".
20:22 About 85 percent of Russian military equipment has been withdrawn from Belarus, and there are almost no planes and helicopters of the Russian Armed Forces left at Belarusian airfields, reports Belaruski Gayun.
In recent days, only single trucks have been observed in Osipovichi, Kolodishchi, Khoiniki, Rechitsa, Kalinkovichi, Kozenki (Mozyr). However, the loading of broken equipment on platforms at the railway station in Yelsk continues. At the same time, there are practically no Russian aircraft at the airfields, but single attack aircraft, bombers and drones could remain, so it is too early to announce a complete withdrawal of troops.
The publication notes that Russia was forced to transfer almost all military equipment from Belarus to the Donbass.
20:15 Japan expelled eight Russian diplomats, NHK reports.
20:07 Zelensky said that Ukraine is ready for any format of exchanging its civilians and military blocked by Russia in Mariupol for Russians: "We are ready for various formats of exchanging our people for Russian people, Russian military, whom they abandoned. Both the corpses were thrown and the wounded they abandoned people. Therefore, for the sake of our people, both military and civilian, we are ready for any format of exchange."
20:04 American shells for Howitzer howitzers arrived in Europe to be sent to Ukraine, writes CNN with reference to the Pentagon. In total, they plan to send 40,000 pieces. The US Department of Defense also reported that the training of Ukrainians in howitzer handling has begun - 50 people are being trained outside of Ukraine.
20:02 Since the beginning of the war, Ukrzaliznytsia has evacuated 500,000 Ukrainians abroad. At the same time, the company is seeing an increase in demand for return flights. So, from April 1 to 9, 4,000 people returned to Ukraine from Poland by rail, while from April 10 to 18 - 50% more, 6,000 passengers.
After the end of hostilities, Ukrzaliznytsia promises to organize routes for the return of Ukrainians home.
20:00 About 80 percent of the territory of the Lugansk region is under the control of the Russian Federation, the governor of the region Serhiy Gaidai said on CNN. He also stressed that "Russia, of course, is not going to stop there and will try to move on."
19:58 The European Commission will publish its opinion on Ukraine's accession to the EU at the end of June, European Council President Charles Michel said.
19:56 The "DNR" reported that 127 residents of Mariupol were "evacuated" from the area of the Azovstal plant to Bezymennoye, which is under the control of militants, along the gum corridors.
19:53 The Russian invasion of Ukraine has been going on for almost two months. Bloomberg found out how Putin made the decision to attack Ukraine and why he does not abandon his absurd idea. Read more about this in the article How Putin Decided to Attack Ukraine .
19:48 US NATO allies may be involved in the operation to safely exit civilians from Mariupol, US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland said in a comment to CNN. According to her, "there was a certain hope that the Russians could allow" a safe exit for civilians and wounded soldiers from Mariupol. In her opinion, "NATO allies can be involved in this if this happens."
19:33 The UN Secretary General submitted a request to the Russian Permanent Mission to receive him in Moscow, a similar request was sent to the Ukrainian side about a visit to Kiev, the office said. In particular, he would like to discuss with Zelensky and Putin any "urgent steps" to end hostilities in Ukraine.
19:05 Kadyrov said that the city of Rubizhne, Luhansk region, has come under the final control of Russian troops. The Russian media are publishing a video where the militants set the flags of the Russian Federation and the "LPR" at the entrance to the city. Earlier, the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine reported that the Russians tried to gain a foothold in the western and northwestern parts of Rubizhne, but failed.
18:59 Zelensky does not confirm that Ukraine received a draft document from Russia as part of the negotiations. He also commented on Peskov’s words that now “the ball is on the side of Kyiv”: “I, in principle, played football well before. What are the rules there: you need to have two teams and have a ball. Here it seems to me that Peskov he plays football with himself.<...> We will definitely show how we hit the goal as soon as they give us the ball. "
18:57 Germany will stop importing Russian oil until the end of 2022, Reuters reports citing German Foreign Minister Annalena Burbock.
18:54 The Ukrainian military portal Defense Express reports, citing its own sources, that the remains of the cruiser Moskva are in approximate coordinates 44°56' N 31°44' E, at a depth of 50-60 meters. The publication also became aware of the anomalous activity of rescue and diving ships of the Russian Black Sea Fleet 75 km southwest of Cape Tarkhankut.
18:46 Zelensky said that about a thousand civilians are hiding at Azovstal in Mariupol. The president also said that he was still ready to exchange Russian prisoners of war for safe passage for civilians and Ukrainian troops in Mariupol.
18:43 Ukraine supports the initiative of the UN Secretary General to introduce a four-day Easter humanitarian pause in Ukraine, the Foreign Ministry said.
18:41 Kiev took advantage of the opportunity of the presidency in the European Energy Community, which Ukraine received for 2022, and formally submitted a proposal to the organization to introduce a ban on the purchase, import, transfer and transportation of energy products produced or processed in Russia. We are talking about all oil and oil products, coal and other types of solid fuels, liquefied natural gas.
According to Yermak, this means that now the EEC, on the basis of Ukraine's proposal, must make a decision that will be sent to all members of the organization.
18:35 In the Zaporozhye region, the Russians, with the support of artillery fire, resumed their offensive in the direction of the village. Temirovka, according to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
18:33 According to the General Staff, the Russians are reconnoitring advance routes and preparing for further offensive operations in the direction of the settlement. Estuary and exit to Slavyansk from the northeast. In this direction, the enemy continues to increase the grouping of troops: units from the 90th Tank Division, the 41st Combined Arms Army and the 232nd Rocket Artillery Brigade of the Central Military District have been moved from the territory of the Russian Federation.
Meanwhile, the BTG from the 150th motorized rifle division lost its combat capability and was withdrawn to the recovery area. The enemy also tried to gain a foothold in the western and northwestern parts of Rubizhne, but failed. Assault actions in the direction of Novotoshkovsky were also unsuccessful.
18:27 On the territory of the Belgorod region of the Russian Federation, the equipment of helicopter landing sites has been completed, where more than 90 attack and multi-purpose helicopters are concentrated, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reports.
The enemy regrouped troops in the Izyum direction. In the area of the settlement of Dibrovnoye, Chernihiv region, the Russians carried out offensive operations, achieved partial success. In the area of N. p. Staraya Gnilitsa, Kharkov region, the offensive was not successful; as a result of a fire defeat, the enemy suffered losses and retreated.
In addition, the attempt to take control of the village of Dovgenkoye in the Kharkov region failed: the enemy retreated with losses. In this direction, the Russians were dressed in Ukrainian military uniforms. At the Kupyansk-Sortirovochny railway station, an unloading of a Russian echelon with weapons and military equipment and the movement of artillery units was recorded.
18:24 The enemy is trying to continue the offensive in the Eastern Operational Zone, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reports in the evening call. In particular, the enemy stepped up the use of operational-tactical aviation and air reconnaissance. Inflicts systematic air strikes on military and civilian targets, including long-range aircraft.
18:08 Zelensky is confident that the West will impose an oil embargo on Russia - he told reporters about this after a meeting with Charles Michel. The President of Ukraine stressed that without oil, the sixth sanctions package "will not be powerful, but will be empty."
17:49 The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation announced the successful test launch of the Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile, "which has no analogues in the world." Putin said that the Sarmat missile system will ensure the security of Russia and "make those rabid who are trying to threaten her think."
The Russian Defense Ministry also stated that Sarmat has "unique characteristics" that allow it to "guaranteedly overcome any missile defense systems."
17:45 All Ukrainian military, police and rescuers during martial law and a year after its end will be able to be treated free of charge in medical institutions of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Ministry of Defense - this decision was made by the Cabinet of Ministers.
17:41 The international expert group of Yermak-McFaul presented the Action Plan to increase sanctions pressure on the Russian Federation. A group of Ukrainian and international experts analyzes the real impact of anti-Russian sanctions. The document will become the basis for the further work of the Ukrainian government to increase sanctions pressure on Russia.
17:37 In the Kiev region, 1045 bodies of dead civilians have already been found , said the head of the regional police department, Andrei Nebitov. According to him, 50-75% of these people were shot with automatic weapons, or with a sniper rifle, or shot in evacuated cars from machine guns. Others died from mines, explosions, hail, etc.
The final number of deaths in the cities of the Kiev region previously captured by the Russians is unknown. The bodies of the dead are found in wells and cellars, sometimes up to ten bodies at once.
17:33 The Russian Foreign Ministry said that Moscow handed over to Kiev its proposals for an agreement on April 15, but has not yet received a response.
17:20 Israel will provide Ukraine with helmets and body armor, said the country's ambassador to Ukraine Mikhail Brodsky. According to him, the ministers of defense of Israel and Ukraine agreed on this today during a telephone conversation.
17:13 The procedure for compensating Ukrainians for damaged or lost housing has not been finally determined, but it is possible and necessary to record losses and report them now. More about this in the material Compensation for destroyed housing: what needs to be done .
17:11 The state debt of Ukraine in 2022 will grow by 37% due to the war, the IMF predicts. According to his data, by the end of the year, the public debt will increase to 86.2% of GDP after falling from 61% to 49% of GDP last year. In subsequent years, public debt will remain at a high level due to a sharp expansion of the state budget deficit and a fall in GDP.
17:09 Servicemen of the 36th Separate Marine Brigade, together with other units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the National Guard, successfully carried out a special operation to evacuate border guards and policemen to the Azovstal plant, one of the officers of the 36th Marine Brigade told Crime.NO .
According to him, the Nikolaev marines and the military personnel of Azov went out on armored vehicles to the territory of the seaport, where there were fighters of the State Border Service and several units of the National Police, who were running out of ammunition. The servicemen fought their way to the fighters of the State Border Service and the National Police and transported about 500 fighters of the State Border Guard Service and the NPU to the territory of Azovstal. During the implementation of the special operation, the manpower of the invaders was seriously damaged.
17:04 Zelensky said that he had discussed with the President of the European Council Charles Michel sanctions against Russia, defense and financial support for Ukraine and answers to the questionnaire on compliance with EU criteria.
16:54 A bomb weighing 250 kg was defused in Irpen without casualties or destruction, Mayor Alexander Markushin said.
16:50 Andryushchenko told how the Russians organized the "evacuation" of civilians from the territory of Azovstal on April 19. According to him, the occupiers announced a "silence regime", rounded up the press along the conditional evacuation route and began to publish a video where they were allegedly "waiting for civilians from Azovstal."
"At the same time, artillery was brought up and shelling of the Azovstal zone was launched. Under such conditions, even if desired, the evacuation of civilians was impossible. But at the end of the day, propaganda showed that "no one wanted to evacuate because the Ukrainian military would not let him in," he said. advisor to the mayor of Mariupol.
16:45 Ukrainian border guards have reached the state border in all directions in the Kiev, Sumy and Chernihiv regions and are restoring the arrangement of positions, press secretary of the State Border Guard Service Andriy Demchenko said.
16:39 Since the beginning of the intensification of the Russian offensive in the Donbas, according to the United States, Russia has not received any significant territorial gains, writes CNN, citing two officials. According to one of them, Washington has recorded several new attacks by Russian troops, which are apparently test attacks to test the Ukrainian defense.
16:28 The IMF is discussing with partners assistance to Ukraine, whose economy, according to the Ukrainian government, requires $5 billion a month to function.
16:24 The Russian Foreign Ministry admitted that "with the help of the weapons supplied to Ukraine by the West, the territory of Russia will also be shelled." They also said that the United States supplied Ukraine with Russian Mi-17 helicopters, which were previously ordered for the Afghan army.
16:21 The Russian Foreign Ministry said that negotiations with Kiev are ongoing, but the Ukrainian negotiators "are trying to drag out the negotiation process, refusing to be constructive on priority issues." Moscow calls on Kyiv to "start looking for realistic options for agreements with the Russian Federation."
16:17 In the Kharkiv region, the SBU found a secret warehouse with ammunition and components for military equipment worth $200 million. According to preliminary data, the spare parts were intended for damaged Russian equipment, which the enemy was going to repair during the offensive. All equipment has already been transferred to the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
16:15 In the forest of the Kiev region, two foresters were blown up by an anti-tank mine, which the Russians hid on a forest road. One of them died, the second was hospitalized. Rescuers ask Ukrainians to be extremely careful and, if possible, avoid hiking in the forest, since the invaders left a lot of mines and stretch marks.
16:08 The decision to invade Ukraine was made by Putin in a narrow circle of "hawks", among whom were Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov and Secretary of the Security Council Nikolai Patrushev, writes Bloomberg.
According to the publication, a growing number of officials in Moscow believe that the continuation of the war will lead to a long-term isolation of Russia and destroy its economy. But officials do not believe that Putin will change course. He is isolated in a small circle of advisers, they say, and rejects any attempt to warn him of the consequences of the war in Ukraine.
15:59 Russia will increase the production of Caliber missiles. According to InformNapalm analyst Anton Pavlushko, the UEC-Saturn plant in the Russian city of Rybinsk, Yaroslavl Region, is recruiting up to 500 new employees due to "growth in production volumes." It is at this plant that engines for Caliber rockets are produced.
15:53 The manufacturer of kamikaze drones Switchblade donated one hundred Quantix Recon drones to Ukraine, the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense reported. The UAVs will be provided independently of other company systems supplied to Ukraine by the US government. The drones will be shipped out during the current week, with other deliveries to follow.
15:50 Hundreds of people remain under the rubble in Mariupol, said the deputy commander of the Azov regiment Svyatoslav Palamar. According to him, the Russians dropped a super-powerful aerial bomb, according to some reports weighing up to three tons, in the area of the field hospital and in places where civilians, including children, were located. As a result, people were left under the rubble, how many of them - it is impossible to determine.
15:44 Italy will accept 500 Ukrainian athletes in 20 sports and provide them with training grounds until the end of the war. According to the National Olympic Committee, all expenses will be covered by the Italian side.
15:41 In the Kherson region, the Russian occupiers are preparing a pseudo-referendum, which they plan to hold in early May, said the head of the OVA Gennady Laguta: "Unfortunately, there have been such conversations that the occupiers are preparing something for the first days of May - either a "referendum", or how else to call it..." At the same time, he assured that "the entire Kherson region is waiting for liberation, it is Ukrainian."
15:39 Podolyak, in a commentary to the UP, said that the state has a strategy for the de-occupation of all cities and villages in southern Ukraine: "Firstly, the army. Briefly and clearly. Secondly, more than 90% of ordinary people in the occupied territories clearly declare their pro-Ukrainian position. Therefore, there will be no freezing of the conflict, there will not even be a temporary occupation, there will be no fake "KhNR" or something like that. There will be only the Kherson region of Ukraine."
15:35 Johnson urged Russia to treat British prisoners in Ukraine "humanely and with compassion".
15:33 The war in Ukraine has upset the market balance, so you need to be prepared for the fact that food prices will rise, warned the Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine Mykola Solsky. According to him, today the supply on the world grain markets has fallen significantly, and it is possible that high prices for grain will remain for another 3-5 years.
He also said that the most important support that the Ukrainian agricultural business expects from the EU countries is the revision of export quotas and their maximum reduction. In addition, Ukraine requested to simplify transit conditions in order to be able to use ports in the Baltic Sea and Romanian ports in the Black Sea.
15:20 In three cities of Poland, three monuments to the Red Army were dismantled. The monuments were dismantled with the participation of the President of the Institute of National Remembrance in Sedlec, Greater Poland Voivodeship.
15:17 The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine now has requests for more than 20,000 dead or captured Russians - these are personal requests from relatives who contact hotlines and telegram channels. And there is only one official request - for the return of the bodies of six military men, said Viktor Andrusiv, adviser to the Minister of Internal Affairs.
"These six dead were not identified by us. We published on telegram channels, their relatives recognized them and apparently began to put a lot of pressure on their departments, and now we received this request. In fact, this is how a certain channel is established," Andrusiv said.
15:08 The mayor of Irpin, Alexander Markushin, said that a powerful air bomb was found in the area of a military hospital, which cannot be taken away. Around 16:00, sappers will neutralize it, so all residents are asked to leave this part of the city.
15:06 The State Special Communications Service spoke about the recent decrease in the number and quality of Russian cyber attacks on Ukraine. The department attributes this to the fact that the enemy now spends most of his time on defense, and not attack.
15:02 The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation decided to classify data on the families of servicemen who died in the war against Ukraine. Data on the soldiers who died during "special operations" have been a state secret since 2015, but officials of district administrations issue benefits to members of their families. Now it is proposed to transfer these powers to the military registration and enlistment offices, which will make information about the dead soldiers even more closed, writes the BBC.
15:00 German Foreign Minister Annalena Berbock promised that Germany would help Ukraine with military instruction and maintenance of military equipment.
14:58 In Berdyansk, the occupiers appointed Nikita Samoylenko, a janitor, who positions himself as a creative person and claims to see patterns in his sleep and talks with stones, as a "deputy mayor", Zaporozhye OVA reports.
Immediately after the invasion of the Russian Federation, he voluntarily went over to the side of the occupying forces and agreed to cooperate. At the direction of his boss, the self-proclaimed "mayor" Saulenko, the former janitor is preparing the city for the May 9 Victory Day celebration - he decorates the flower beds and paints the borders.
14:54 France is ready to provide Ukraine with security guarantees that Kiev asks for in exchange for a neutral status and refusal to join NATO, writes Politico, citing a source in the Elysee Palace.
According to the publication, this option was supported by Paris on April 19 during a video conference of G7 leaders. Macron's diplomatic adviser said the leaders discussed security guarantees for Ukraine that would be "solid enough to avoid another war." He added that this "will require an international structure."
14:48 Since the beginning of the war, Russia has lost 3.5 times more military equipment than Ukraine, analysts of the Oryx project, which collects information about military losses from photo and video materials, have calculated. So, for 56 days of the invasion, the Russian Federation lost 2998 pieces of equipment, Ukraine - 845.
Of the Russian equipment, 1558 units were destroyed, 46 damaged, 244 abandoned, 1120 captured by the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Of the Ukrainian equipment, 389 were destroyed, 22 were damaged, 36 were abandoned, and 398 were captured.
14:31 Podolyak said that the "second phase of the special operation" announced by Moscow is the same as "we will take Kiev in 72 hours." He added that it does not matter for Ukraine what phases the Russian invaders divide the war into. "It's just that Russians love to tell fairy tales. But in reality, there will be only what Ukraine needs," he stressed.
14:28 In Berdyansk, Zaporozhye region, the Russian invaders have appointed a "director" of the house of culture and demand to prepare concerts for Victory Day. As told v.i.o. Mayor of Berdyansk Alexander Svidlo, people are outraged, and the invaders "make fake statements and insist on collaborations."
14:24 In Irpin, at least 2,000 families were left without apartments, said the governor of the Kiev region Alexei Kuleba. According to him, work is now underway to clear mines and clean up the city, it is too early to return.
14:21 The situation in Kharkov remains tense, the enemy is shelling the city from the air and the ground. As mayor Igor Terekhov said, the geography of shelling has shifted slightly: if earlier shelling was in areas adjacent to the ring road, now they are shelling the center as well. He asks the residents of the city not to go outside.
14:19 According to the UN, the number of Ukrainians who left the country due to the Russian invasion has exceeded 5 million people. Of these, more than 2.8 million people crossed the border with Poland.
14:17 Putin said that "the tragedy in the Donbas forced Russia to launch a special military operation in Ukraine." According to him, Russia will act consistently and ensure that "life in Donbas returns to normal."
14:15 The Ministry of Health refused to purchase vaccines against COVID-19 due to the war in order to direct resources to purchase goods for wartime medical needs, Health Minister Viktor Lyashko said. However, he added that vaccination in the country continues.
14:11 Arestovich said that the aircraft fleet of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine "slightly increased." Also at the briefing, he said that fighting was going on in the Kharkiv region, several settlements had been liberated. The enemy tried to storm Rubizhne and Popasnaya, but was repulsed. In the Zaporozhye direction, the Armed Forces of Ukraine are "conducting an active mobile defense," and in the Kherson direction, the enemy is trying to advance towards Nikolaev. Equipment from Western partners continues to arrive.
14:07 The National Commission for Regulation of Electronic Communications, Radio Frequency Spectrum and Postal Services has made the first decision to fully legalize the use of Starlink technology in Ukraine. For the period of martial law, the use of SpaceX Starlink terminals is allowed for all categories of users, said Mikhail Fedorov, head of the Ministry of Digital Development.
13:58 Podolyak commented to the country on Peskov's statement that Moscow handed over to Kiev a draft document on a peace agreement and is waiting for an answer: "The Russian Federation loves to make loud statements in order to put pressure on this or that process. This is their traditional tactic. The essence is always simpler "During the Istanbul round, the opponents were given the formulaic position of the Ukrainian side. They studied it and now they just gave their counter positions. Nothing more."
13:53 Bloomberg writes that instead of direct deliveries of heavy weapons to Kiev, Germany will transfer modern tanks to Eastern European countries that are ready to send Soviet-era weapons to Ukraine.
13:50 Over the week, Russian oil supplies by sea fell by 25 percent, flows through the Black Sea decreased the most, writes Bloomberg.
13:43 Russia plans to carry out forced "mobilization" in the occupied territories of Zaporozhye and Kherson regions. According to the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, pseudo-referendums in these areas are aimed at announcing forced "mobilization". Then the FSB of the Russian Federation plans to throw "mobilized" Ukrainians to storm the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine under the control of barrage detachments. In fact, this is an attempt to destroy Ukraine with the hands of Ukrainians.
To conduct "referendums", personal data of the inhabitants of the occupied territories are collected in advance, ostensibly to receive "humanitarian aid" or social benefits. On the day of "voting" FSB officers will fill out the ballots, using the information received, without the consent and physical presence of the Ukrainians themselves.
13:26 The head of the European Council, Charles Michel, visited Borodianka, Kiev region, destroyed by the Russians. "History will not forget the war crimes that were committed here. There can be no peace without justice," he wrote.
13:22 About 40 percent of the population left Nikolaev, the mayor of the city Alexander Senkevich reported. At the same time, he clarified that such statistics are not kept on purpose, "but in terms of the amount of garbage collected and the use of drinking water, 40% of the inhabitants have already left the city."
13:20 Kuleba visited Bulgaria, discussed the need to strengthen agricultural supply chains to maintain global food security.
12:58 Russia's offensive on the Dnieper is unlikely, as well as repeated attempts to capture Kiev, spokesman for the Ministry of Defense Colonel Oleksandr Motuzyanyk said in an interview with RBC-Ukraine: "I don't want to make any assessments. But, obviously, the enemy will focus on the goals that have now been officially announced Russian authorities. At least in the near future. The seizure of new territories will lead to numerous dispersal of forces, which will become more difficult to manage and more difficult to provide."
12:53 Ukrposhta has stopped selling stamps with the "Russian warship" in the offices. In total, about 700,000 units were sold. Another 100,000 stamps will be allocated to the online store, the rest of the circulation will be sent to official delegations, museum funds, as well as philatelic subscriptions. In addition, every employee of Ukrposhta will be able to receive a stamp.
12:49 Peskov said that Russia handed over to Ukraine a draft document "with clear wording worked out, the ball is on the side of Kiev." He also added that the work of the Ukrainian side "leaves much to be desired, they do not seek to intensify the process."
12:47 A square of Ukraine will be created in Tallinn. Most likely, she will appear in Lembitu Park, which is located behind the Foreign Ministry building, local media write.
12:44 The Ministry of Justice will return the possibility of conducting transactions and registering the purchase and sale of real estate within a month, said the head of the department, Denis Malyuska, in an interview with Radio Liberty.
12:36 In Estonia, from April 26 to May 10, public gatherings with the use of St. George ribbons, flags of Russia and the USSR were banned in order to avoid provocations on May 9.
12:27 Residents of Odessa heard explosions, OVA speaker Sergei Bratchuk said that it was the air defense forces that were working.
12:21 In the Luhansk region, the occupiers are taking out the corpses with KAMAZ vehicles and abandoning the equipment, Gaidai said. According to him, hospitals are filled with wounded Russians. On the night of April 20, fewer enemy attacks and shelling were recorded in the region. This is probably due to the fact that the invaders are suffering huge losses among the personnel.
12:13 Energy, gas and water supply in the cities of Popasnaya, Rubizhne and parts of the villages of the community in the city of Gorskoye, Lugansk region, will not be restored before the end of the war, said the head of the OVA Serhiy Gaidai.
12:10 The court issued permission for a special pre-trial investigation against Kiva, suspected of public calls for a violent change of power, encroachment on the territorial integrity and inviolability of Ukraine, treason and war propaganda. The former People's Deputy is on the international wanted list, the Office of the Prosecutor General said.
12:06 Podolyak said in an interview with NV that the agreement on security guarantees for Ukraine is being finalized by legal subgroups that take part in negotiations with Russia.
11:53 Mayor of Mariupol Vadim Boychenko called on Mariupol residents to evacuate the city. He once again confirmed that the evacuation from Mariupol to Zaporozhye would begin on April 20 at 14:00. The route of the column: Mariupol - Mangush - Berdyansk - Tokmak - Orekhov - Zaporozhye.
11:36 In Ukraine, agricultural production will be reduced by 40-70 percent, said the Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food Mykola Solsky: "Now we already understand that the sowing will decrease by 20-30 percent. Accordingly, this will lead to a lower quality of sowing, and hence According to preliminary estimates, 20-30 percent of the sown area will remain unsown.
11:34 The Russian Foreign Ministry said that Moscow "through bilateral channels warned Sweden and Finland about the consequences of their entry into NATO."
11:32 According to the UN, 12 million people left their homes in Ukraine. Another 13 million people are in need of urgent humanitarian assistance. About 7 million became internally displaced persons, 5 million went abroad.
11:30 Sergei Gaidai announced the detention by the counterintelligence of the SBU of an agent of the FSB of the Russian Federation, who was surrendering positions to the Armed Forces of Ukraine and correcting fire on cities.
11:28 Abramovich's main task in the peace talks with Ukraine is "smoothing the corners", as the Russian side continues to claim that it is engaged in "denazification", Podolyak said in an interview with NV.
11:26 Russia is trying to completely seize the territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions and not only by May 9, says the speaker of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, Colonel Oleksandr Motuzyanyk.
11:04 Hundreds of Ethiopian men were seen queuing in front of the Russian embassy in the capital Addis Ababa. According to The Addis Standard, this may indicate the recruitment of local mercenaries by Russia for the war in Ukraine. The Russian Embassy assures that African men are standing in line to "express solidarity with Russia."
11:00 The Russian Defense Ministry announced the strikes on the areas of Novovorontsovka and Kiselevka in the Kherson region - they report the destruction of "up to 40 Ukrainian soldiers, seven units of military equipment."
10:56 The Russians forcibly resettled more than 500,000 Ukrainians, including 121,000 children, to the territory of the Russian Federation, Ukraine's Permanent Representative to the UN Serhiy Kislitsa said at a meeting of the UN Security Council. At the same time, according to him, Ukrainians are given documents prohibiting them from leaving the Russian regions for two years.
10:53 Israel confirmed its readiness to host a possible meeting between Zelensky and Putin in Jerusalem, the Israeli ambassador to Russia said.
10:51 It is planned to evacuate 6,000 people from Mariupol along the agreed humanitarian corridor, Mayor Vadim Boychenko said. At the same time, he added that this is a preliminary figure, and "more work is needed to make the corridor work." According to him, there are now more than 100,000 people left in the city who are waiting to be evacuated.
10:48 Ex-Minister of Foreign Affairs and ex-Minister of Economy of Germany Sigmar Gabriel admitted that he was wrong in promoting the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline project . It was a mistake, he said, not to listen to Eastern European objections to the pipeline. Gabriel explained that many then hoped to integrate it into European institutions through close trade relations with Russia. But that was an illusion, he admitted.
10:46 Cyber police blocked about 2,000 enemy resources with a total audience of over 17 million users, the Ministry of Internal Affairs reported.
10:44 Against the background of failures at the front, Moscow began purges of the leaders of the "LNR". According to the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, "Minister of the Interior of the LPR, Major General" Igor Kornet was arrested by the FSB and is currently being held in the FSB detention center in Rostov-on-Don.
The arrest of the "Minister of Internal Affairs of the LPR" caused a negative reaction in the power structures and the political leadership of the "republic", which regarded this step as the beginning of changes in the power bloc of the quasi-state. The leader of the "LPR" Leonid Pasechnik is making every effort to release Kornet and reinstate him in his post.
10:32 The General Staff named the estimated losses of the enemy on the morning of April 20:
- personnel - about 20,900 people liquidated,
- tanks - 815,
- armored combat vehicles - 2087,
- artillery systems - 391,
- MLRS - 136,
- air defense systems - 67,
- aircraft - 171,
- helicopters - 150,
- automotive equipment - 1504,
- ships/boats - 8,
- tanks with fuel and lubricants - 76,
- UAV operational-tactical level - 165,
- special equipment - 27,
- launchers OTRK / TRK - 4.
10:28 Russia's statements about several stages of the "special operation" in Ukraine were false, spokesman for the Ministry of Defense, Colonel Alexander Motuzyanyk said in an interview with RBC-Ukraine: "A lightning offensive, the capture of large Ukrainian cities including the capital, the overthrow of the Ukrainian and the establishment of a government controlled by the Russian Federation and, finally ", the return of Ukraine to the sphere of Russian control. That is, the destruction of Ukrainian statehood as such. This, in fact, was the main goal of the aggressor. And they planned to do this in one stage."
10:24 The command of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine stated that Ukraine did not receive new aircraft from partners. With the assistance of the US government, Ukraine received only spare parts and components for the restoration and repair of the existing fleet of aircraft.
10:19 In the Zaporozhye region, Russian soldiers staged a riot and wanted to escape, but the instigators were killed by the Kadyrovtsy, said Ivan Arefiev, speaker of the Zaporizhzhya OVA. According to him, the Russian servicemen under Pologa refused to fight and rebelled because they did not receive the money promised by the state. Three rebels, who were ready to hand over their weapons and go home to Russia, were brutally killed by the Kadyrovites.
10:14 President of the European Council Charles Michel announced that he had arrived on a visit to Kiev.
09:58 The decisive battle for Ukraine has already begun, spokesman for the Ministry of Defense Colonel Oleksandr Motuzyanyk said in an interview with RBC-Ukraine: "Now we can say that this decisive battle has already begun, judging by the activity and nature of the invaders' offensive in the East and South of Ukraine."
According to him, the goal of the Russians is clear: to push the Ukrainian forces beyond the administrative borders of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions and to keep the land corridor to the Crimea. It is also obvious that in the future they will try to develop the offensive in other areas, in particular in Kherson, in order to capture as many territories as possible.
09:53 The Government of Latvia has finally decided on the date of the complete refusal to purchase Russian gas and will stop buying it until January 1, 2023.
Estonia also plans to phase out Russian gas from 2023.
09:50 The leaders of the United States, Britain, Poland, Italy, France, Germany, Canada, Romania, as well as the leaders of the EU and NATO discussed the issue of security guarantees for Ukraine after the war with Russia, Reuters reported.
09:33 Britain has allocated 400 million pounds of aid to Ukraine and guarantees a World Bank loan of $1 billion. London will also provide 220 million pounds for humanitarian needs to countries hosting Ukrainian refugees.
09:12 Vereshchuk said that today they managed to tentatively agree on a humanitarian corridor in Mariupol for women, children and the elderly.
09:07 Norway will send about 100 Mistral anti-aircraft missile systems to Ukraine, the country's Ministry of Defense said.
09:05 One of the surviving sailors of the cruiser Moskva told his mother that the ship was heading to Odessa to participate in the operation to land paratroopers who were supposed to capture the city, Radio Liberty writes.
09:03 British intelligence warns that Russian attacks on the cities of Ukraine indicate the intentions of the Russian Federation to prevent the movement of Ukrainian reinforcements and weapons to the east of the country. The Russian military presence on the eastern border of Ukraine continues to grow.
08:55 Occupants in Mariupol have moved from "soft" proposals to wear white ribbons to civilians as a mark of "friend or foe" to direct threats to open fire to kill anyone who will be on the street without such ribbons, said adviser to the mayor of the city Petr Andryushchenko .
08:46 There are already more than 500 wounded and hundreds of civilians at Azov, said the commander of the 36th marine brigade Sergei Volyn. He called on Ukraine, the United States, Turkey and Britain to save the remnants of the Armed Forces of Ukraine at the plant.
08:42 In the area of Izyum, Kharkiv region, 12 Ukrainian soldiers had breathing problems and reddened eyes after an attack by the Russian army, Arestovich said. According to him, it was "some kind of chemical substance", but they cannot determine it, because there is no laboratory there.
08:29 In the Lugansk region, the enemy continues offensive operations in order to move deep into Popasna. After attempts by the Russian invaders to storm Rubizhne and Severodonetsk, about 130 wounded Russian military personnel of the enemy were admitted to the hospital in the city of Novoaydar, said the head of the Luhansk OVA, Sergei Gaidai.
At night, the enemy fired at Novodruzhesk, located close to Lisichansk. After midnight, the Russians opened fire on residential buildings. Several times during the night, the enemy also fired at. Mining.
08:16 The United States does not rule out that Russia will attack the routes of arms supply, CNN reports citing a Pentagon spokesman. Russian troops don't often strike moving targets like convoys or railroads, he said, but they may try to destroy bridges, roads and rails that are used to transport weapons and supplies to Ukraine.
The Pentagon noted that even if the Russians manage to attack these routes, they will not be able to completely stop the supply, because there is a lot of cargo coming in.
08:02 Wikipedia has an article on rashism translated into 25 languages.
07:59 Relatives of the Ukrainian servicemen began to receive suspicious phone calls and messages. The attackers offer to facilitate their release from captivity for a monetary reward. They are also trying, allegedly for the purpose of clarifying, to find out the personal data of Ukrainian defenders.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine states that representatives of the Marine Corps Command or other military command or government agencies do not collect funds. Issues of the release of prisoners of war are within the exclusive competence of state authorities. There can be no collection of funds from family members and relatives.
07:45 The United States regularly monitors the nuclear threat from Russia and believes that there is no reason to change the readiness status of its nuclear forces yet, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said.
"We monitor this every day, we saw no reason to change the approach to the use of strategic deterrence. We remain confident that we have the ability, if necessary, to protect the territory of the country, our allies and partners with the current state of the strategic deterrence forces," he said.
07:33 Russian troops are trying to continue the offensive in the Eastern Operational Zone in order to establish full control over the territory of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, and also do not stop inflicting missile and bomb attacks on military and civilian infrastructure facilities throughout Ukraine, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said .
06:36 The IAEA can again contact the Chernobyl nuclear power plant when necessary and fully control the situation. According to the head of the IAEA, Rafael Grossi, by the end of this month, a mission of experts will visit the station to assess the situation.
06:19 An Ipos survey conducted in 27 countries showed that 61% of the world's inhabitants believe that Russia's actions in Ukraine directly threaten their country. At the same time, 17% of respondents support sending their own troops to Ukraine, from 57% to 77% of respondents regularly follow the news from Ukraine: most of all in Japan (89%) and Sweden (83%).
00:05 The EU plans to create a solidarity trust fund to finance the reconstruction of war-torn Ukraine. More about this in the article How Ukraine will be rebuilt .
00:03 The Biden administration will announce a new military aid package for Ukraine this week, NBC News reports. Its size will be similar to 800 million dollars - as in the previous time. The aid will include "more artillery and tens of thousands of shells" "which will likely be critical to the upcoming battle in Donbas."
00:01 Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Denis Monastyrsky said that the proceeds from the arrest and sale of Viktor Medvedchuk's property will be transferred to the needs of the army.