Worth noting, korrespondent.net has compiled its Invasion of Ukraine series into separate months, beginning May 9th, 2023. Linked in the title.
[Korrespondent] 22:13 In Krivoy Rog, one person was injured as a result of an enemy attack, said the head of the Dnepropetrovsk OVA, Sergei Lysak.
21:45 The Greek government is preparing to send a large batch of artillery ammunition to Ukraine from its army warehouses via the Czech Republic in the amount of 150 million euros. But this requires the approval of the relevant parliamentary committee, reports local publication iEidiseis.
21:28 The production of long-range drones in Ukraine in 2024 has increased tenfold compared to last year, said the head of the Ministry of Digital Development, Mikhail Fedorov, in an interview with Die Welt. According to him, most of the drones that attacked Russian refineries have a range of 700 to 1,000 km, “but now there are models that can fly more than 1,000 km.”
20:32 During the day, air defense forces destroyed the Russian reconnaissance drone Outpost over the Black Sea, as well as the X-59 guided aircraft missile in the Krivoy Rog region of the Dnepropetrovsk region, the Air Force reported.
19:44 Zelensky said in an evening video message that he held a special meeting today on working with NATO regarding compatibility and prospects for this year. “This year raises several fundamental issues for relations between Ukraine and NATO. In particular, this applies to the summit in Washington and many other aspects of interaction. Only with Ukraine in the Alliance can we count on real security in Europe,” the president emphasized.
18:27 According to The New York Times, Ukrainian authorities gave Russian pilot Maxim Kuzminov $500,000 for hijacking a helicopter, and also provided him with a Ukrainian passport under a false name. Kuzminov was killed on February 13, 2024 in Spain. Spanish intelligence services have no doubt that one of the Russian intelligence services is behind the murder. NYT told the details of the high-profile murder. Read more in the material Dissolute Life.
18:18 Governor of the Belgorod region Vyacheslav Gladkov said that nine people were injured as a result of the shelling of Belgorod. According to him, 17 air targets were allegedly shot down over Belgorod and the Belgorod region.
17:43 Defense Express analysts estimate that Russia could have already accumulated from 245 to 285 Caliber cruise missiles. Experts refer to the words of the representative of the Main Intelligence Directorate, Vadim Skibitsky, that as of November 2023, the Russians had a stock of 165 Calibers. The production rate ranges from 20 to 35 units per month. If we take into account that the Russian Federation almost did not use these weapons for about four months, then the stockpile could increase by 80-120 missiles.
17:27 On March 29, a petition appeared on the website of the Office of the President calling for restrictions on the gambling business. It was created by a soldier of the 59th brigade, Pavel Petrichenko. The author emphasizes that military personnel who have been at the front for three years under stressful conditions are especially psychologically vulnerable. Therefore, for many of them, gambling becomes the only way to cope with stress and, as a result, quickly causes dopamine addiction and weakens self-control. Read more about the problem and ways to solve it in the article Will online casinos be regulated in Ukraine ?
16:59 Border guards planted the flag of Ukraine almost over the positions of the Russian troops - between Kurdyumovka and Ozoryanovka near Bakhmut, the State Border Service reported. They managed to raise the Ukrainian flag using a drone.
16:26 Attacks on the village of Tonenkoe near Avdeevka have actually been going on for two years, but on March 30, the Russians launched one of the largest tank assaults during a full-scale invasion. The RF column consisted of 48 units of heavy equipment - 36 tanks and 12 infantry fighting vehicles. About how events developed further, see the material Large-scale assault on Russia near Avdeevka.
15:48 In the occupied Starobelsk of the Lugansk region, “deputy head of the Center for servicing educational organizations of the LPR” Valery Chaika was killed in an explosion, local “authorities” reported. Public accounts write that a collaborator’s car was blown up.
15:37 Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur said that European soldiers will not fight in Ukraine, but there is a possibility of sending them to speed up the training of the Ukrainian military. According to him, now “every NATO country” already has military personnel in Ukraine - “for example, military attaches or people who come to Ukraine from time to time.”
15:13 Zelensky said that he held a “maximum specific” meeting about drones with the military and officials. "Important decisions: on simplifying the procurement procedure, importing components, increasing the production of projectiles for drones and training operators. The project to build an integrated system for managing electronic warfare equipment to protect our soldiers and equipment from Russian UAVs. The system is already being tested in certain areas. We have planned to scale the project throughout front," the president said.
14:58 The Russians attacked residential buildings in Volchansk, Kharkov region, one person was wounded, said Oleg Sinegubov, head of the OVA.
14:45 Russian planes dropped two more FABs on the Belgorod region, reports the opposition Russian publication Astra. So, on March 31, a FAB-500 was found in the area of the Nina farmstead, and in the area of the village of Kryukovo they found a crater, in which, preliminary, there was also a FAB-500.
In addition, fragments of the Russian X-101 missile were discovered in Krasnoarmeysk, Saratov region. Local media wrote that it was allegedly a “downed Ukrainian drone.” However, the publication found out that during the launch, the warhead of the strategic missile detonated in the air, and the debris fell on the territory of Krasnoarmeysk. Local authorities did not comment on the situation.
13:47 In the southern direction, Russian troops are actively using reconnaissance drones, trying to compensate for the lack of A-50 long-range radar reconnaissance aircraft, said Natalya Gumenyuk, speaker of the Southern Defense Forces.
13:18 From January 1 to March 31, 2024, Russia used more than 180 weapons of destruction in the direction of Kiev, including five 3M22 Zircon missiles, KGVA reported. In addition, the enemy launched 11 Kh-47M2 Kinzhal missiles, six Iskander-M missiles, three Kh-69 units, one Caliber, 113 Kh-101 missiles and 48 Shahed attack UAVs towards the capital.
13:10 Russia received from Iran a batch of components for kamikaze drones, said Natalya Gumenyuk, spokesperson for the Southern Defense Forces: “In recent days, we have observed cargo flights from Tehran to Moscow, which indicates that they are ready to produce more drones. The enemies continue to raise funds defeats on their territory, they are actively working." According to her, in this regard, the number of attacks in Ukraine may increase in the near future.
12:54 The Russian army may launch a large-scale offensive in the west of the Donetsk region in late spring or early summer, predicts the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW). At the same time, analysts believe that Russian troops will be able to launch a coordinated large-scale offensive operation only in one operational direction due to the limitations of their own resources.
ISW experts note that the Ukrainian Armed Forces repelled a Russian battalion mechanized attack near Avdievka on March 30 - the first battalion mechanized attack since Russian troops began their campaign to capture Avdievka in late October 2023.
12:22 The Russians attacked civilian infrastructure in the Lyubotin community of the Kharkov region. Preliminarily, there are no wounded, but there is a threat of a second strike, said the head of the OVA, Oleg Sinegubov.
11:40 Almost all critical infrastructure in Kharkov has been destroyed, city mayor Igor Terekhov said in an interview with Liga. According to him, the Russians began to attack the city with new ammunition, which covers a distance of up to 90 km. There have already been two such strikes over the past week. Strikes from S-300 systems also continue; these shells fly in 40 seconds. In addition, the enemy began to use attack drones more often.
At the same time, Terekhov emphasized that so far there is no reason for evacuation: “So far, neither we nor the military see any reason to evacuate from Kharkov. The city has gone through more difficult times. There was a time when out of almost two million population only 300 thousand remained.” According to him, 1.3 million people now live in the regional center.
11:33 Speaker of the US House of Representatives Mike Johnson said that he will put a bill to help Ukraine to a vote immediately after the holiday break, which ends on April 9. According to him, the document will contain “important innovations,” in particular, it is possible that assistance will be provided to Kyiv in the form of a loan or income from frozen Russian assets.
11:24 On March 31, a Russian drone damaged equipment at one of Ukrenergo’s substations, emergency restoration work continues, the company reported. This morning, consumption restrictions were applied for all consumers in the Kharkov region and for industrial consumers in the Krivoy Rog region.
10:39 France expects Beijing to send very clear signals to Moscow regarding the war in Ukraine, said the country's Foreign Minister Stephane Sejournet: “We expect China to send very clear signals to Russia. China obviously plays a key role in ensuring the independence of Ukraine and respect for international law, including its sovereignty."
10:26 The head of the Intelligence Committee of the US House of Representatives, Republican Mike Turner, said that the issue of providing assistance to Ukraine will be a priority after congressmen return from the holiday break.
09:42 In the Zaporozhye region, one person was wounded as a result of Russian shelling of the Pologovsky district, said the head of the OBA Ivan Fedorov.
09:10 The General Staff announced the estimated losses of the Russian Federation as of the morning of April 1:
- personnel - about 442,880 (+710) people,
- tanks - 6986 (+20),
- armored combat vehicles - 13,321 (+17),
- artillery systems - 11,082 (+32),
- MLRS - 1023 (+0),
- air defense systems - 744 (+1),
- aircraft - 347 (+0),
- helicopters - 325 (+0),
- UAV of operational-tactical level - 8757 (+26),
- cruise missiles - 2057 (+9),
- ships/boats - 26 (+0),
- submarines - 1 (+0),
- automotive equipment and tank trucks - 14,752 (+35),
- special equipment - 1826 (+3).
08:39 Late in the evening of March 31, the Russians struck Kharkov KAB, said Oleg Sinegubov, head of the OVA. Two buses, a truck and a car were damaged. The building of the educational institution was partially destroyed, the dormitory building and a residential building were damaged. No people were hurt.
In addition, the State Emergency Service reported that at night the enemy struck a fire and rescue unit in one of the border settlements of the Kharkov region. As a result of the shelling, a third of the fire station building was destroyed. Six rescuers were on duty and were not injured.
07:54 At night, Russian troops attacked Ukraine with three Shahed-type UAVs, two of which were destroyed, the General Staff reported.
07:45 Over the past 24 hours, 53 military clashes took place at the front, the General Staff reported in its morning report. In particular, the enemy tried 22 times to break through the defenses of Ukrainian troops in the Novopavlovsk direction - in the areas of Georgievka, Novomikhailovka and east of Vodyanoye, Donetsk region. Another 13 attacks were repulsed in the Avdeevsky direction - in the areas of the settlements of Berdychi, Semenovka, Umanskoye, Pervomaiskoye and Nevelskoye in the Donetsk region.
The enemy did not conduct offensive actions in the Kupyansk direction. In the Liman direction, the Defense Forces repelled three enemy attacks in the Ternov area of the Donetsk region; in Bakhmutsky - eight attacks in the Belogorivka districts of the Lugansk region, as well as Verkhnekamensky, Ivanovsky, Kleshcheevka, Andreevka of the Donetsk region; on Orekhovsky - two attacks in the districts of Staromayorsky, Donetsk region and Rabotino, Zaporozhye region; on Kherson - two attacks.