[Korrespondent] 22:55 The invaders warn entrepreneurs in the occupied territories that from May 1 they will pay taxes to the Russian budget, Arestovich said.
22:47 Following Poland, Gazprom stops gas supplies to Bulgaria: the Russian monopolist informed the Bulgarian gas distribution company Bulgargaz about the cessation of supplies from April 27, the Bulgarian Energy Ministry said.
22:24 Nikolaev does not expect a new offensive of the Russian troops, but the Ukrainian army is preparing for a counteroffensive to liberate Kherson, said the head of the Nikolaev OVA Vitaly Kim.
Earlier today, the mayor of Nikolaev, Alexander Senkevich, said that the city authorities were preparing for an attack or siege, equipping defensive structures.
22:07 At the Ramstein Air Force Base in Germany, a strategic meeting of the Ukrainian Defense Advisory Group was held with the participation of more than 40 countries. Everything that is known about her is in the material Military Support Summit .
22:02 Zelensky on the occasion of the anniversary of the Chernobyl accident: "After everything that the Russian military did in the Chernobyl zone and at the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant, no one in the world can feel safe knowing how many nuclear facilities, nuclear weapons and related technologies they have Russian state. If Russia has forgotten what Chernobyl is, it means that global control over Russian nuclear facilities and nuclear technologies is required."
22:00 Germany will train Ukrainian soldiers to handle the provided weapons on its territory, German Ambassador to the United States Emily Haber said. According to her, the country will not only provide the Ukrainian army with tanks, but will also receive fighters on its land who will learn how to handle them.
21:52 The Netherlands will stop issuing visas to Russian citizens from April 27. Before that, Russia expelled 15 Dutch diplomats. The Dutch Foreign Ministry said that they stopped issuing visas because "there are too few diplomats left to manage the consular department at full capacity."
21:43 Russian troops have not yet thrown all their forces into the "big offensive" in the Donbass, said the head of the Luhansk OVA Serhiy Gaidai. According to him, now they are trying to make a small breakthrough and gain a foothold somewhere, and then throw all their strength in order to develop success.
21:38 Bellingcat investigative journalist Hristo Grozev believes that Moscow's goal is most likely to undermine the situation in Moldova and make it an unacceptable country for NATO and the EU. The Kremlin's other long-term strategies in the region are not yet clear, if they exist at all, he said.
The analyst also admitted that Russia could theoretically use a group of Russian troops located in Tiraspol to attack Odessa, but only if Moscow has a "sensible strategy" for waging war in the future for six months.
"If the thesis that Russia cannot win the war, at least morally, is already accepted, then perhaps there is a desire to involve NATO in this war so that not only Ukraine, but also the global enemy - NATO, the West" will lose, - said Grozev.
The expert also did not rule out that, perhaps, a prelude to the Third World War will unfold before our eyes: it is difficult to imagine a situation in which Romania, a member of NATO, would ignore Russia's attempt to attack Moldova and would not defend it.
21:35 Zelensky today met with Romanian Prime Minister Nicolae Chuka in Kiev. "We appreciate Romania's defense support, humanitarian assistance and a clear position on the sanctions policy," the president said.
21:32 Yermak named the cost of Ukraine's losses from the Russian invasion. The analysis was carried out within the framework of the KSE Institute project with the support of the Office of the President and a number of relevant ministries:
- total losses of the Ukrainian economy (direct and indirect) - from 564 to 600 billion dollars;
- the total amount of direct documented damage to infrastructure - $ 88 billion (data based on public sources);
- direct losses to the Ukrainian economy due to destruction and damage to civilian and military infrastructure increased by $3.1 billion over the past week;
- destroyed or seized at least 23 thousand kilometers of roads, 32 thousand square meters of housing stock;
- damaged or destroyed: 535 kindergartens, 866 institutions of secondary and higher education, 231 medical institutions, 173 factories and enterprises, at least 75 administrative buildings, 277 bridges and bridges, 11 military airfields, one airport.
21:27 VAKS lifted the arrest from $5.95 million, with which they tried to bribe the leadership of NABU and SAP - it was the largest bribe in the history of Ukraine. The money was given to the military. The command of the Special Operations Forces reported that they had already received funds to the accounts of their military units.
For this money, two years ago, the leaders of NABU and SAPO, Sytnik and Kholodnitsky, were supposed to close criminal proceedings against ex-Minister of Ecology Zlochevsky and his gas company. Two intermediaries with bags of cash were detained by Bureau detectives.
21:26 Putin said at a meeting with the UN Secretary General that Russia will not sign security guarantees for Ukraine without resolving the issue of Crimea, Sevastopol and the so-called "DNR" and "LNR".
21:24 By striking the bridge across the Dniester estuary in Zatoka, Russia tried to cut off part of the Odessa region and create tension against the backdrop of events in the unrecognized Transnistria, said the head of the Odessa OVA Maxim Marchenko.
21:07 The office of the UN Secretary General said that Putin agreed to involve the UN and the ICRC in the evacuation of civilians from Azovstal.
20:59 British Foreign Minister Liz Truss said that the agreements on Ukraine's security guarantees "should take into account the security issues of Europe as a whole."
20:51 In Kiev, near the Arch of Friendship of Peoples, a statue erected in 1982 "to commemorate the reunification of Ukraine with Russia" was dismantled. Klitschko said that he would submit a proposal to the Kyiv City Council to rename the arch to Freedom of the Ukrainian people.
20:42 The Armed Forces of Ukraine are beginning to switch to NATO weapons, which until recently was out of the question, Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba said.
He also said that Zelensky was able to convince Biden that it was time to do this: "And first howitzers went to us. But this is just the beginning, much more will come to us. This is a historic moment."
20:35 Washington is ready to accept a possible peace agreement between Kiev and Moscow, as a result of which Ukraine will become a neutral country, Blinken said. He also added that if Ukraine concludes an agreement with the Russian Federation on renunciation of NATO membership to end the war, "the United States will respect him."
20:32 Putin said that the situation in Mariupol is "simple": "There are no hostilities, they are over. Almost 1,300 people have surrendered. They are in absolutely normal conditions ... The Azovstal plant is completely isolated, there are no hostilities there" .
20:22 The Russian army has nothing to do with the events in Bucha, and Moscow knows "who is behind this provocation," Putin told the UN Secretary General. He also claims that the Russian Federation launched a "special operation" in accordance with the UN Charter. Guterres, in turn, noted that there was an invasion of Ukraine.
20:18 The bridge across the Dniester estuary, which was damaged as a result of a Russian missile strike, is open for reverse travel, Suspilne reports.
20:15 Polish PGNIG reported that it had received a notification from Gazprom about the complete suspension of gas supplies from April 27. Earlier, Polish media reported that Russian gas had stopped flowing into the country.
20:13 Guterres told Putin that it was necessary to resolve the issue of evacuating people from Azovstal, and noted his readiness to assess the situation with Russia and Ukraine in 2-3 days. Putin, in turn, replied that it was the Ukrainian military who should release the civilians. He also assured that the Russian side "is in contact with those who sit on Azovstal."
20:09 Putin said at a meeting with Guterres that Russia hopes to reach agreements with Ukraine on the diplomatic track. He also noted that at the talks in Istanbul, they initially managed to achieve a serious breakthrough, but later Kyiv's position changed - "they moved away from their previous intentions, put aside the issues of security guarantees, Crimea and Sevastopol."
19:42 Arestovich connects missile strikes in the Belgorod-Dnestrovsky region with a possible Russian offensive in Bessarabia. According to him, Ukraine is in touch with Moldova on this issue.
19:38 Ukraine in the future may again try to enter NATO, said Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin. He stressed that NATO will not abandon the open door policy.
19:36 The UN General Assembly will now check every fact of the use of the right of veto by a country member of the UN Security Council. The General Assembly adopted the corresponding resolution on April 26. The draft resolution, informally referred to as the "veto initiative", was developed by Liechtenstein with the participation of dozens of co-sponsors, including the US and the UK.
Now the procedure for vetoing decisions of the Security Council will be changed. This right has five countries that are its permanent members - the United States, Great Britain, France, China and Russia. From now on, when one of them uses these powers, there will be no automatic blocking of the decision of the Security Council. To impose a veto, it will be necessary to convene a meeting of the General Assembly, where all UN members will be able to express their opinion on this matter.
The adoption of the resolution was due to the fact that Russia over the past few years, at least since the beginning of hostilities in the Donbass, has regularly abused the privilege of vetoing. Unlike the resolutions of the General Assembly, the decisions of the UN Security Council are binding.
19:32 Russian troops in the unrecognized Transnistria are on full combat readiness, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reports. The power structures there have been transferred to an enhanced mode of service.
19:29 Since the beginning of 2022, five cases have already been recorded when people closely associated with the Russian gas business suddenly pass away. More about this in the article Gas suicides .
19:25 The separatist "PMR" has its own army, the KGB, the police, which can be mobilized for the war against Ukraine. More about what is happening there - in the material "PMR" is drawn into the war .
19:19 US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said that the Ukraine Defense Advisory Group will meet every month to coordinate assistance to Kiev.
18:47 The Cabinet of Ministers sent an additional 400 million hryvnia to restore the country's critical infrastructure. Of these, 250 million are intended for the Kharkiv region, another 150 million - for the Chernihiv region to resume water supply. In total, the government has already allocated UAH 1.4 billion for the restoration of five regions.
18:45 In Volnovakha, the director of the school was declared suspected because of the lessons on the educational program of the Russian Federation, the prosecutor's office of the Donetsk region reported.
18:43 The level of radiation in the area of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant is "normal". The AFP agency has corrected its previous report, in which the radiation level was called "anomalous" with reference to the head of the IAEA.
18:41 Canadian Defense Minister Anita Anand, speaking at the Ramstein Air Base in Germany, said that her country would send an "undefined number" of 155-mm M777 howitzers to Ukraine. She added that Canada would also send thousands of rifles, hand grenades and rocket launchers.
18:37 For the first time since the start of a full-scale war, the United States is returning diplomats to Ukraine. They have arrived in Lvov and will evaluate the possibility of opening an embassy in Kyiv, Blinken said.
18:32 The Russians are trying to attract cadets from Libya and combatants in Syria and Chechnya to the war with Ukraine, the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry reports. In particular, students of the Mikhailovskaya Military Artillery Academy (St. Petersburg), who are undergoing training in Libya, may soon replenish the composition of the occupying army. The command of the academy is taking measures to return students to the territory of the Russian Federation and involve them in military operations against Ukraine.
Also, the Russians are going to reduce the composition of their group in Syria. In recent days, organizational and staff changes have been carried out there - 200 posts have been reduced in the Aleppo tactical group. Upon their return, the reduced servicemen will immediately be sent to the combat areas.
Also, the Russian Federation is trying to conduct a mobilization campaign in the Krasnodar Territory, Perm Territory, Dagestan, Ingushetia, Kalmykia. Among other things, the information is confirmed that the participants in the hostilities in Ukraine are additionally "motivated" by the opportunity to improve their financial situation at the expense of trophies.
18:25 Russia is preparing a missile attack on the "PMR" with casualties among the civilian population. As reported by Ukrainian intelligence, residents of the unrecognized Transnistria receive SMS allegedly on behalf of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the special services of Ukraine with a warning about a "rocket and artillery" strike on the territory of the "MRT" and a call to evacuate the civilian population. The shelling is supposed to start "exactly at 19:00".
The Ministry of Defense emphasizes that the state of Ukraine has nothing to do with this and similar provocations. And such fakes and incidents that are supposed to take place on the territory of the PMR" are nothing more than another provocation by the Russian special services against Ukraine and Moldova.
18:19 German Economy Minister Robert Gabeck said that the country's complete independence from Russian oil is a matter of a few days. According to him, the share of Russian oil in the German market is only about 12%, and it accounts only for supplies to the PCK refinery in Schwedt an der Oder. "Here we are looking for an alternative. This alternative is the task of the next few days," the minister said.
18:15 The Russian Ministry of Defense accused London of "provoking Kiev" to strike at objects on the territory of Russia and threatens with an "immediate proportional response": "The Russian Armed Forces are in round-the-clock readiness to deliver retaliatory strikes with high-precision weapons at the relevant decision-making centers in Kiev. Western advisers based in Ukrainian decision-making centers will not necessarily be a problem for Russia's response."
18:07 Kiev is not ready to break economic ties with Minsk in the near future, Arestovich said: "Belarus provides essential, critically necessary resources for us, the same diesel fuel, electricity, etc. We are not ready to break these ties yet."
The adviser to the head of the Presidential Office assured that economic ties with Minsk would be maintained, among other things, by pursuing a "cautious policy" towards Belarus by Zelensky's team: "Any careless step in the Belarusian direction throws Lukashenka into the arms of Russia."
It is this policy of Ukraine towards Belarus that has become the reason why the meeting between the leader of the Belarusian opposition Svyatlana Tikhanovskaya and the Ukrainian president has not yet taken place, Arestovich noted.
17:33 The UN is asking donors to allocate $2.25 billion to support the country's 8.7 million most vulnerable Ukrainians, half of whom are women. The figure is twice the amount that the UN asked for at the beginning of the war, March 1.
17:09 The head of the IAEA, Rafael Grossi, said that the level of radiation in the Chernobyl zone "abnormally" increased after Russian troops seized this territory.
17:07 Over the past day from Mariupol to the village. Nameless, 474 people, including 69 children, were deported to the filtration camp, Andryushchenko said.
16:51 Lavrov called Ukraine's proposal to hold talks in Mariupol "a theatrical gesture."
16:29 Moldovan President Maia Sandu said that Chisinau is not planning a blockade of Transnistria, but stands for peaceful dialogue and diplomatic solutions. Moldova also increases the level of readiness and strengthens the security of public institutions. No talks with Putin are planned, she added.
16:27 The "president" of Transnistria said that "traces of terrorist attacks lead to Ukraine", and allegedly "Ukrainian combat groups" carried them out.
16:23 Podolyak: "Russia is trying to destabilize the situation in the PMR and is hinting to Moldova to wait for the" guests ". Bad news: if Ukraine does not resist, tomorrow the enemy will be at the gates of Chisinau. The good news is that Ukraine will provide strategic security in region. However, we must work as a team."
16:21 In the captured city council of Kherson, the invaders and collaborators held a meeting at which they introduced the so-called "chairmen" of the Kherson Regional State Administration Volodymyr Saldo and the Kherson city administration Oleksandr Kobets.
Saldo was the mayor of Kherson from 2002 to 2012, a people's deputy from the Party of Regions in the Verkhovna Rada of the VIII convocation. Since the beginning of a full-scale war, he supported the Russian occupation of Kherson.
16:19 The Center for Counteracting Disinformation under the National Security and Defense Council names three reasons for Russia's provocations in Pridnestrovie:
- Russia's provocations in Transnistria were carried out by the FSB of the Russian Federation in order to open an additional front in the Odessa region. This situation will force the Armed Forces of Ukraine to pull forces in this direction, weakening them in the Nikolaev region. Transnistria will follow the Belarusian scenario - support for Russia without entering the active phase of the war.
- Justifying their actions in Ukraine. Having blamed the Armed Forces of Ukraine for shelling in Tiraspol, Russia, saving its own people, justifies the invasion of Ukraine and the deaths of thousands of its soldiers.
- A diversion of attention from Mariupol, where regular mass graves were found in the pictures. Thus, Russia is covering up the traces of its war crimes and the genocide of the Ukrainian people.
16:03 China is not interested in World War III, a spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry said: "We hope that all parties remain calm and restrained, do not allow the situation to escalate, achieve peace as soon as possible and do not force Europe and the world to pay a heavy price."
16:00 Explosions in Transnistria are connected with the opposing forces within the region, said Moldovan President Maia Sandu.
15:59 The IMF has created a special administrative account through which Ukraine will receive $5 billion monthly, Shmyhal said.
15:57 Ombudsman Lyudmila Denisova said that more than 16 thousand Ukrainians are considered missing.
15:56 Guterres proposed the creation of a UN-Russia-Ukraine contact group to address humanitarian issues in Ukraine.
15:54 An evacuation medical train has started running in Ukraine. It consists of several wagons, including an intensive care wagon, the Ministry of Health said.
15:51 Since the beginning of the Russian invasion, residents of Ukraine and non-residents have withdrawn 3 billion euros worth of foreign exchange funds and valuables from the country, Vadim Melnyk, director of the Economic Security Bureau, said during an online meeting with representatives of the customs authorities of Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Moldova.
"From February 24 to this day, citizens of Ukraine and foreigners are transporting cash, precious accessories and bank metals in especially large amounts across our state border. They often act by prior agreement with unidentified persons, according to an agreed criminal plan, without the appropriate customs declaration," he added.
15:48 Arestovich said that Ukraine will launch a counteroffensive as soon as it receives weapons from the West. So far, this is impossible, since the Armed Forces of Ukraine do not have a large amount of heavy equipment: "We do not have heavy weapons. We need them. The West will provide them to us, and we will launch a counteroffensive. There will be no delays."
15:46 Lavrov doubts the achievement of a positive result of peace talks with Ukraine. He stated this after a meeting with UN Secretary General António Guterres. The head of the Russian Foreign Ministry stressed that Russia is in favor of a negotiated solution to the situation in Ukraine, but the behavior of the Ukrainian side "depresses" him.
15:39 Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said that at the moment he sees no reason for the war in Ukraine to escalate into a nuclear one: "I agree with Mr. Lavrov that there can be no winners in a nuclear war and it should not be started. There are no reasons in order for the current conflict in Ukraine to reach this level.As I said earlier, we are monitoring the situation very closely.We do not see anything that would force us to change the readiness of our strategic nuclear deterrence forces, our readiness to defend our country and our allies."
15:37 The Russian Foreign Ministry said that "Russia would like to avoid a scenario in which Moscow would have to intervene in the conflict in Transnistria."
15:36 A source in the "leadership" of Transnistria told the Russian media that yesterday's shelling of the "MGB" building was carried out by "unidentified persons who arrived from the territory of Ukraine, other terrorist attacks are connected with this."
The source also said that "Ukraine seeks to draw Moldova and Transnistria into the conflict, this is evidenced by the shelling and terrorist attacks."
15:28 Bulgarian Prime Minister Kiril Petkov said that there is no social and political unity in the country regarding the supply of weapons to Ukraine. And before this unity appears, he called on citizens to help Ukraine financially. The prime minister announced that he had already donated his salary to Ukraine.
15:24 The Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation states that on April 25, the Ukrainian military allegedly fired more than 50 mortar rounds at the Troebortnoye checkpoint in the Bryansk region, as a result of which a power line pylon was damaged.
15:20 Erdogan, following a telephone conversation with Putin, repeated his proposal to organize a meeting of the presidents of Ukraine and Russia in Istanbul. Erdogan told Putin that "maintaining the positive momentum achieved in the talks between the delegations of the Russian Federation and Ukraine is in the interests of all parties."
15:11 The UN predicts that 8.3 million people will leave Ukraine because of the war. As of April 25, about 5.2 million people have already left the country.
15:09 The bridge from Zatoka towards Belgorod-Dnestrovsky is closed. According to OK Pivden, a missile attack was carried out on the bridge: "There is a damage to the bridge of the Dniester Estuary. The circumstances and information about the wounded are being clarified. For security reasons, traffic on the bridge is blocked. We ask drivers to choose alternative routes in advance."
15:07 As early as this week, the EU may adopt the sixth package of sanctions against the Russian Federation, which includes an oil embargo. Experts estimate the effect of this decision differently. More about this in the article The EU oil embargo will hit the Russian Federation more than the gas embargo .
15:04 The invaders are plundering the archival and cultural funds of the Mariupol museums right now. They report about the intention to take everything to Donetsk, and then, after evaluation, "send the most valuable exhibits to the exposition in Russia," Andryushchenko said.
14:46 Podolyak about "the capture of Mariupol" by Russia: "After two months of fighting in the Russian Federation, they say that they took Mariupol. With the amendment:" except for Azovstal ". But here's the thing, guys: Azovstal is 1/5 of Mariupol. Or 22 The Vatican, or three Central Parks NY. They took the city? Yeah. Fake country, fake victories. And real Ukrainian defenders. Made of steel."
14:22 In Mariupol, the invaders break into the surviving houses and draw the letters Z on the houses that they will use to resettle their military. As Piotr Andryushchenko, adviser to the mayor of Mariupol, said, "searches and cleansings" are now taking place in the Primorsky district of the city, close to the exit to the village of Melekino.
Rashists rob houses that are unsuitable for resettlement, leave them open, and they are planned for further compact resettlement in the "conditional security" zone of Mariupol residents.
14:03 In the Donetsk region, as a result of shelling by Russian invaders, two people were killed, six more were injured, said the head of the OVA Pavel Kirilenko. According to him, shelling continues along almost the entire front line.
14:01 At least three people were killed and seven were injured as a result of Russian shelling of Kharkov on April 26, the head of the OVA Oleg Sinegubov said.
13:59 During the occupation of the Kiev region, the Russians abducted at least 200 civilians. They were used for "exchange funds," said the Human Rights Media Initiative.
According to the hostages who managed to return home, the prisoners were kept in the Bryansk, Kursk, Belgorod and Rostov regions. They were beaten, some were tortured with electric shocks during interrogations. All the detainees were fingerprinted and had their blood tested. They were forced to sign documents with their eyes closed.
13:35 The evacuation corridor from Azovstal promised by the invaders for Ukrainian defenders and civilians turned out to be another trap - the Russians not only did not stop shelling the plant, but also fired at the conditional exit corridor, said Mariupol Mayor's adviser Petr Andryushchenko.
According to him, the occupants from the armored car to the big loudspeakers offer to surrender and leave within 10-15 minutes. After that, they make a short pause and begin shelling from artillery on a residential area within the boundaries of a conditional exit from Azovstal.
13:07 Germany will officially approve the supply of Gepard anti-aircraft systems to Ukraine, Bundestag deputy Johannes Vogel from the Free Democratic Party said. Thus, he confirmed the message of the Sueddeutsche Zeitung, writes Reuters.
Scholz, who has faced criticism at home and abroad for his government's failure to provide Ukraine with heavy weapons, has pledged anti-tank and anti-aircraft weapons from German military stockpiles, which he called "defensive weapons."
13:05 The Azov Regiment reports that Azovstal continues to be covered with enemy fire. Last night alone, 35 airstrikes were carried out, during which one of the workshops caught fire. Civilians, who are now under the rubble, suffered. Servicemen of the Azov Regiment provide them with first aid and make every effort to free civilians from the rubble.
13:02 The State Border Service announced temporary restrictions in the Sumy region: in the Akhtyrsky, Sumy, Konotop and Shostka regions, civilians are prohibited from wearing military uniforms during martial law.
In addition, within these border areas, it is prohibited to move people and vehicles, stay in forests and forest belts, work outside settlements from 21:00 to 07:00, make any flights of aircraft, conduct various kinds of leisure activities, hunting, fishing .
13:00 The head of the Lugansk OVA, Serhiy Gaidai, said that in the Rubizhne area, where fighting continues, Russian invaders are forcing women to scout the whereabouts of the Ukrainian military, threatening to shoot their children.
12:59 The Russian military in Mariupol do not give food to men until they are involved in the work, among which is the removal of rubble, the arrangement of mass graves, etc., said Mariupol Mayor's adviser Petr Andryushchenko.
12:36 In the unrecognized Transnistria, they also announced explosions in a military unit near the village of Parkany - the city is located 35 km from the Ukrainian border.
Also, local "authorities" reported that checkpoints would be set up in the cities of the "PMR" - they would selectively inspect those entering the cities during the day, as well as everyone who would enter at night. The power structures have been transferred to an enhanced mode of service, the parade on May 9 has been cancelled.
12:20 A red level of terrorist danger has been introduced in the "PMR", it provides for the adoption of "additional measures to ensure security," said the "leader" of the unrecognized republic.
12:15 Poland imposed sanctions against Russian companies Gazprom, NOVATEK and a subsidiary of Novatek Green Energy Sp. z oo, Interior Minister Mariusz Kaminski said.
12:13 The "authorities" of the unrecognized "Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic" will soon make decisions in defense of the interests of the "PMR", the Joint Control Commission for managing the peacekeeping operation said: "We cannot ignore what is happening near the security zone . In the near future, the leadership will make decisions to protect the interests of Pridnestrovie."
12:10 Moldovan President Maia Sandu convenes a meeting of the Security Council due to the tense situation in the occupied Transnistria.
12:04 In Chechnya, prisoners are sent to war with Ukraine, including relatives of oppositionists.
| Really? Fascinating. |
According to Chechen oppositionists, such actions have two goals: to replenish the "human resource" of the units that suffered significant losses in battles with Ukrainian defenders, and also to suppress any protest moods in Chechnya, where the practice of condemning oppositionists' relatives is widespread. Now they are threatened with forced dispatch to the hottest points of the front. In particular, the brother of the well-known Chechen opposition leader Khasan Khalitov has already been taken to one of the units on the front line. Other relatives of Khalitov were abducted, their whereabouts are unknown.
11:43 Advisor to the Minister of Internal Affairs Vadim Denisenko explained why Russia began shelling the railway: "If at first they were shooting at oil depots, trying to destroy the fuel supply chain, and they failed to do it, now they have changed their strategy and are shooting at the railway infrastructure, believing that this will allow them to stop the movement of goods, and in both directions, both to the center and to the east, where food, manufactured goods and everything that is needed for the army go, and from east to west.
Denisenko stressed that such actions of the Russian Federation only slow down the work of the railway, but do not stop exports.
11:27 The city authorities of Nikolaev prepare for an attack or a siege of the city , equip defensive constructions, the mayor of the city Alexander Senkevich reported. According to him, Russia is transferring weapons and resources through the Crimea, accumulating them in the Kherson region.
11:10 The EU intends to reduce dependence on Russian oil and gas by two-thirds by the end of this year and completely abandon them by 2027, said Energy Commissioner Paolo Gentiloni.
11:06 Russian publics write that in Pridnestrovie, in addition to shelling towers, a military airfield located near Tiraspol was also attacked. RosSMI claims that supposedly "NATO-style" mines were dropped from 60-mm drones.
Meanwhile, eyewitnesses report that queues have formed at the exit from Transnistria.
11:03 Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Alexei Danilov spoke about the danger from Russia to Moldova and Kazakhstan: "Lavrov said that the Moldovans are their brothers. Moreover, the Kazakhs are brothers. Therefore, they need to prepare, this could be the beginning of such a" brotherhood "on the territory Moldova".
Danilov noted that Moscow's statements about its intention to go to Transnistria can be regarded as the beginning of an intensification of the offensive in southern Ukraine. Currently, about 1.5 thousand Russian military personnel are stationed on the territory of the unrecognized "MRT".
10:54 British Minister of the Armed Forces James Hippie said that Ukraine "is completely legitimate" to attack objects in Russia: "The fact is that Ukraine was a sovereign country that lived peacefully within its borders, and then another country decided to violate these borders and bring 130,000 troops into their country. This started a war between Ukraine and Russia, and in a war, Ukraine has to strike deep into the enemy to attack his logistics lines, fuel supplies, ammunition depots, and this is part of the war."
He stressed that "it is perfectly legal for Ukraine to aim deep into Russia in order to disrupt logistics, which, if not disrupted, would directly contribute to the deaths and massacres on Ukrainian soil," The Guardian quoted the minister as saying.
10:50 Zaporizhzhya District Police Department clarified information about the morning explosions: two Russian guided missiles hit the territory of one of the enterprises of the city, the third missile exploded in the air. Infrastructure facilities of the enterprise were damaged and destroyed. According to preliminary information, it is known about one dead and one wounded.
10:44 Pushilin said that after reaching the borders of the Donetsk region, it is necessary to start "the next stage of the operation, taking into account what is happening in Transnistria and shelling of the regions of the Russian Federation bordering Ukraine."
10:43 In the central regions of the Russian Federation, they are lured into contract service with promises of high salaries, social benefits and the possibility of robbery and looting with impunity. According to the military intelligence of Ukraine, only in the Central Military District of the Russian Federation for the period January-April 2022, 2861 contracts for military service were concluded. At the same time, the majority of Russians, despite the high probability of death in Ukraine, are encouraged to military service by their parents and relatives.
10:33 Russian Foreign Ministry threatens Warsaw with "asymmetric measures" in response to the seizure of Russian diplomatic property in Poland.
10:31 The General Staff named the estimated losses of the enemy on the morning of April 26:
- personnel - about 22,100 (+200) people liquidated,
- tanks - 918 (+34),
- armored combat vehicles - 2308 (+50),
- artillery systems - 416 (+5),
- MLRS - 149 (+0),
- air defense systems - 69 (+0),
- aircraft - 184 (+3),
- helicopters - 154 (+0),
- automotive equipment - 1643 (+77),
- ships/boats - 8 (+0),
- tanks with fuel and lubricants - 76 (+0),
- UAV operational-tactical level - 205 (+4),
- special equipment - 31 (+3),
- OTRK/TRK launchers - 4 (+0).
10:24 In the Donetsk region, the police documented 18 Russian attacks per day, four civilians were killed, two of them are children of nine and 14 years old. 11 people were injured. Over the past day, the Russians shelled 16 settlements.
10:20 Sky News reports that black smoke was noticed over Azovstal this morning:
10:09 This morning, two enemy cruise missiles flew at low altitude over the site of the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant in the direction of Zaporozhye. Subsequently, explosions from missiles were recorded in Zaporozhye. Energoatom announces the growing threat of nuclear terrorism from Russia.
09:46 The Russians have stepped up shelling in the Kherson and Nikolaev regions, the Operational Command Pivden reports. The Ukrainian units managed to repel two enemy attacks in the Kherson region with the destruction of a tank and an infantry fighting vehicle, the rest of the forces retreated to their previous positions under the fire of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
09:42 "Ministry of Internal Affairs" of the unrecognized Transnistria reported two explosions in the village of Mayak, Grigoriopol region. As a result, the two most powerful antennas of the radio center were disabled.
09:33 The US State Department approved the sale of ammunition to Ukraine in the amount of $165 million, writes AP. Legislators can still block the deal, but are unlikely to do so due to the strong support of Ukraine, the newspaper notes. The sale is made at the request of the Ukrainian government and includes ammunition for mortars, automatic grenade launchers and howitzers.
09:26 24th OMBR them. King Danila announced that she had liquidated a group of mercenaries of the Russian PMC Liga near Popasnaya - the former Wagner.
“Mercenaries armed to the teeth, in the most modern equipment, behind whose backs operations in Syria and other hot spots, found their inglorious death on Ukrainian soil,” commented Serhiy Gaidai, head of the Luhansk OVA.
09:17 In Kherson, local residents tomorrow are going to go to a peaceful rally against the "referendum" that the occupiers intend to hold.
09:00 At least 217 children have already died at the hands of the Russian occupiers, the Office of the Prosecutor General said.
08:44 In Germany, the defense ministers of 40 countries today will discuss the provision of military assistance to Ukraine. According to General Mark Milley, head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the US Armed Forces, the main task of the negotiations is the synchronization and coordination of military assistance to Kyiv. The meeting should take place on the territory of the Ramstein airbase.
08:33 In the Luhansk region, the Russians fired at the civilian population 17 times over the past day, fighting continues in Popasna and Rubizhne. According to the head of the OVA, Sergei Gaidai, Popasnaya, Lisichansk, and the Mountain Community suffered the most.
08:31 British intelligence reports that Russian troops are trying to surround well-fortified Ukrainian positions in the east. The city of Kremennaya has fallen, and heavy fighting is underway south of Izyum, where Russian troops are trying to push into the cities of Slavyansk and Kramatorsk from the north and east. Also, Ukrainian forces are preparing Zaporozhye for a possible Russian attack from the south.
08:14 This morning, the invaders shelled Zaporozhye, the OVA reported. Details are being specified.
08:13 Foreign investors will be able to enter the Ukrainian financial market under a simplified procedure and buy Ukrainian securities, Yermak said. The NBU, in cooperation with the National Commission for Securities and the Stock Market, unified approaches to accounting for the rights to securities of residents and non-residents on aggregated accounts of depository institutions and made appropriate changes to regulatory documents.
08:10 European parts supplied by the Russian Federation by the EU countries in circumvention of the embargo of 2014 were found in Russian equipment knocked out in Ukraine, writes The Telegraph. 78% of illegal deliveries are made by German and French companies. The scandal will gain momentum and become another lever of US pressure on European allies, the newspaper notes.
07:38 In the Donetsk and Tauride directions, Russian troops are moving command posts closer to the line of combat collision and are shelling the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine from mortars, cannon artillery, multiple launch rocket systems along the entire line of collision, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reports in the morning report .
Near the village of Bolshaya Aleksandrovka, Kherson region, the Armed Forces of Ukraine destroyed an ammunition depot and a large number of enemy personnel (more than 70 people were killed). Also, the units of the invaders suffered losses in personnel in the area of the settlements of Novodmitrovka and Belousovo.
07:17 Western intelligence agencies know where the hideout is where Putin is hiding. Avakov said in an interview with Natalya Vlashchenko that Putin does not dare to "press the button" precisely because he is afraid of a retaliatory strike on his hideout.
07:02 The governor of the Belgorod region of the Russian Federation announced new explosions and shelling of the village of Golovchino, allegedly from Ukraine. According to him, there is damage, there were no casualties.
06:33 In Kherson, 58 children have been hiding in the basement of a local church for more than a month. According to Lyudmila Denisova, we are talking about orphans and deprived of parental care.
04:55 The UK will reduce tariffs on all goods from Ukraine to zero as part of a free trade agreement with Ukraine, the British government has announced.
04:30 In Ukroboronprom, two spotters of fire on armored enterprises were found, among them the leading engineer of the concern, the company said.
01:37 Kuleba on Lavrov's statements: "Russia is losing its last hope of scaring the world away from supporting Ukraine. Hence the talk about the "real" danger of the Third World War. It only means that Moscow feels defeated in Ukraine. Therefore, the world must support us even more so that we won and defended European and global security."
00:33 Georgian Defense Minister Juansher Burchuladze urged the Ukrainian authorities to return the ambassador and not demand the imposition of sanctions against Russia. According to him, the wording that Georgia does not join the sanctions is incorrect, since the country has joined "all critical sanctions" - the UN, the Council of Europe and others.
He also said that Georgia is doing its best "to show its support to the government of Ukraine and the Ukrainian society."