Wednesday, April 19

Russia’s war against Ukraine

Damage caused to a home by a Russian artillery attack on the village of Richky in Ukraine’s northeastern Sumy Oblast on April 18, 2023. (Photo: Prosecutor General’s Office/ Telegram)

Zelensky visits military positions near front-line city of Avdiivka. President Volodymyr Zelensky met with Ukrainian servicemembers in Avdiivka, the President’s Office reported on April 18. During Zelensky’s visit to Donetsk Oblast, the commander of the Donetsk operational-tactical group informed him of the situation on the frontline.

Kremlin claims Putin visits Luhansk, Kherson oblasts. An April 18 brief released by the official Kremlin website and widely reported by state media claims that Russian dictator Vladimir Putin recently visited the occupied territories of Kherson and Luhansk oblasts in Ukraine.

UK Defense Ministry: Russia likely diverting resources away from Donetsk sector to Bakhmut. There is a “realistic possibility” Russia has diverted troop resources around Donetsk city toward Bakhmut, the U.K. Defense Ministry wrote in its April 18 intelligence update.

Ukraine’s Air Force: 10 out of 12 Iranian-made Shahed drones downed over Odesa Oblast. Ukraine’s Air Force reported shooting down ten out of twelve Iranian-made Shahed “kamikaze” drones Russia launched at Odesa Oblast overnight on April 19. Two of the drones struck a “public infrastructure facility,” according to the Odesa Oblast Military administration.

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Ex-Wagner fighter who confessed to killing POWs: ‘I only said 10% of what could be said.’ Alexey Savichev, a former mercenary of the Russian state-backed Wagner Group, said that his confession about murdering dozens of Ukrainian civilians, including children, was “only 10%” of what he could share, Russian Vertska reported on April 18.

Zelensky: 2,235 Ukrainian POWs have been returned since Feb. 24, 2022. Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 20222 Ukraine has brought back 2,235 POWs from Russian captivity, President Volodymyr Zelensky reported on April 18.

Official: Over 7,000 Ukrainian soldiers considered missing. According to Oleh Kotenko, the commissioner for missing persons, about 60-65% of missing persons usually turn out to be in captivity, while the rest might no longer be alive.

Ombudsman: Russia must be prosecuted for destruction of Ukrainian culture, heritage. Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets said on April 17 that Russia’s destruction of Ukrainian cultural heritage and its violation of cultural rights breaches the norms of international humanitarian law.

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Ukraine war latest: Zelensky visits front-line Avdiivka, Putin reportedly visits occupied territories.

President Volodymyr Zelensky visited the front-line city of Avdiivka, some five kilometers north of Russian-occupied Donetsk, the President’s Office reported on April 18.

Photo: President’s Office

Human cost of Russia’s war

One person killed, 9 injured in Russian shelling of Kherson. Nine people were injured and one person was killed during the Russian shelling of the area around Kherson’s central market, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin wrote in an update on April 18.

One person killed, 8 wounded in Russian shelling of Sumy, Donetsk oblasts. Russia shelled the village of Richky in Ukraine’s northeastern Sumy Oblast on April 18, killing an 83-year-old woman, Prosecutor General’s Office reported. Russian forces also struck Donetsk Oblast’s town of Ukrainsk, injuring at least eight civilians, said Governor Pavlo Kyrylenko.

Former member of parliament killed on frontline. Former People’s Deputy of Ukraine Oleh Barna was killed in combat on the frontline on April 18, Oleksii Dmytrashkivskyi, a spokesperson for Ukraine’s Tavriisk defense forces, reported.

General Staff: Russia has lost 183,130 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022. The General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces reported on April 18 that Russia has lost 183,130 troops in Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24 last year. This number includes 470 casualties Russian forces suffered just over the past day.

International response

Bloomberg: Macron wants China to help bring Ukraine, Russia to negotiating table. French President Emmanuel Macron wants China to help bring Ukraine and Russia to the negotiating table, Bloomberg reported on April 18.

G7: Third parties aiding Russia’s war against Ukraine to ‘face severe costs.’ The foreign ministers of the Group of Seven countries issued a joint statement on April 18 saying that third parties aiding Russia in its all-out war against Ukraine will “face severe costs.” According to the statement, both undermining and evading sanctions as well as supplying weapons to the Russian military amount to assisting Russia.

Germany delivers Patriot air defense system to Ukraine. Germany has delivered a Patriot air defense system and missiles for it to Ukraine, according to the German government’s weekly update. In addition, Berlin has reportedly handed over 16 Zetros trucks and two border protection vehicles.

Poland agrees to resume transit of Ukrainian grain. Poland has agreed to resume the transit of Ukrainian grain through its territory following April 18 negotiations between the countries, according to Ukraine’s Agriculture Ministry.

Lukashenko meets in Minsk with leader of Russian proxy regime in Donetsk. Belarusian dictator Aleksandr Lukashenko met in Minsk with Denis Pushilin, the so-called leader of Russian-occupied Donetsk, according to a Belarusian state media report on April 18. Lukashenko allegedly asked Pushilin how Belarus could provide “assistance in the restoration and normalization of people’s lives.”

In other news

Russian state media: May 9 celebrations to be held without Immortal Regiment. march Russian state media reported on April 18 that May 9 celebrations to commemorate the victory against Nazi Germany will not include the Immortal Regiment March this year.

CNN: Moscow court denies US journalist Gershkovich’s appeal, remands him in custody. Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, arrested in Russia on espionage charges, appealed his pre-trial detention terms at a hearing on April 18, according to CNN. Gershkovich asked to be placed under house arrest rather than in jail, but the Moscow City Court denied his appeal.

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Today’s Ukraine Daily was brought to you by Francis Farrell, Kate Tsurkan, Dinara Khalilova, Olena Goncharova, Teah Pelechaty, and Lili Bivings.

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