Russian invasion of Ukraine: tanks and rocket attacks on the cities. Breaking news

Great Britain will provide more artillery weapons for Ukraine since the war with Russia enters a new phase, the Prime Minister of Great Britain Borys Johnson states speaking in the  Parliament, Reuters informs.

Russians do not take the bodies of their soldiers but hold their funerals, the General Staff informs. On April 19 in the city of Totma, Volohodska region of the RF, a funeral of Lieutenant Menshykov Danyil Andriyovych took place. At the same time the body of the occupant is in the Kyiv region, Bucha district near Moshchun village.

Ukrainian army should be strengthened to the point where it would be able to reflect Russian offense. Germany will continue to support Ukraine although it had nearly exhausted its own stockpile of weapons and turned to private industrial companies. The information is provided by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz after his telephone conversation with the allies, according to Reuters.

The first target of the occupants during the invasion was the Air Forces of Ukraine: radar units, anti-aircraft missile forces, military airfields, command posts, the Deputy Minister of Defense Hanna Malyar informs.

However, the Air Forces were ready and successfully removed from the attack almost all equipment and people who continue to perform combat missions.

As for now, after having suffered serious losses, the enemy aviation tries not to enter the zone of our AAW action and also avoids direct contact with Ukrainian fighter aircrafts.

Mariupol plant Azovstal is bombed and almost completely destroyed. This was stated by the deputy commander of "Azov" Regiment Svyatoslav "Kalyna" Palamar in a comment to Radio Svoboda. According to him, "heavy bombs" are dropped on the plant, and "a lot of people" are under the rubble.

As a result of today's shelling in the Donetsk region three people died: in Kramatorsk, Avdiivka, and Blahodatne, the head of Donetsk RSA Pavlo Kyrylenko informs. Five civilians were injured, one child included.

The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valeriy Zaluzhnyy spoke to the head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley. He shared information on the difficult situation in eastern and southern Ukraine, reminded that Ukraine needs weapons. He also assured that Ukraine will be sure to keep all the experience of this war and share it with partners.

An official of Stanytsya-Luhanska village military and civil administration sided with the occupant under martial law, the Prosecutor's General Office informs. She decided to cooperate with occupants in the structure of the so-called "Prosecutor's Office of LPR". She persecutes citizens who remain loyal to Ukraine.

The Prime Minister of Great Britain Boris Johnson stated after the video meeting of the NATO states leaders that NATO's long-term goal should be to strengthen Ukraine to such a level that a new Russian invasion would be impossible. The information is provided by the head of the Presidential Administration of Ukraine Andriy Yermak.

In Lysychansk, Luhansk region, a 42-year-old resident threw a grenade at the police, then opened fire on them with a pistol. One policeman was killed,  two were injured. The information is provided by the press service of the National Police.

The Parliament of Lithuania voted for the public demonstration ban of the letter "Z", the black and orange ribbon of Saint George, and other symbols expressing support for the Russian invasion to Ukraine, Reuters informs.

Canada put sanctions on two daughters of Putin, Maria Vorontsova and Kateryna Tykhonova, the head of the RF Central Bank Elvira Nibibullina, the wife and daughter of the head of the MFA RF Lavrov. 

Russian army stroke Kramatorsk with missiles, the head of Donetsk RSA Pavlo Kyrylenko informs on air of the telethon. As a result, one person died, three more were injured. The evacuation in the Donetsk region continues, 49 people have already been saved today. 300 000 residents of the region remain in danger, excluding Mariupol.

As a result of today's shelling of Kharkiv 4 people have already died, 14 more are injured, the Regional Prosecutor's Office of Kharkiv informs. According to investigative data, Russians shelled the Moskovskyy district of the city using "Urahan" ("Hurricane") multiple rocket launchers. More than 10 residential buildings, garages, and a supermarket were damaged.

Border Guards caught a traitor of Ukraine who tried to leave for Poland and then move to Russia. An official of one of the so-called "Ministries of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea" carried out subversive activities to the detriment of Ukraine. The woman also openly supported the crimes of the Russian military and the aggression against Ukraine.

The invaders face major problems with manpower in the units that have already been in Ukraine, according to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. There is information that in the 200th Separate Motor Rifle Brigade of the 14th Army Corps of the Coastal Troops of the Northern Fleet, two battalion tactical groups have been killed. Three companies of the 51st Guards Parachute Regiment and a company of the 137th Guards Airborne Regiment, which are part of the 106th Guards Airborne Division, have also been killed.

In Russia, a total of 130 contract servicemen have been selected to serve in 42 military units of the Southern Military District, according to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Among them, 22 have already refused to take part in the so-called “special operation” in Ukraine.

The enemy continues to partially besiege Kharkiv and has tried to assault to the south of Izium, to no avail, General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine informs. The Armed Forces of Ukraine have regained Marinka in the Donetsk Region; hostilities near Oleksandrivka, Kherson Region, are ongoing. The invaders are trying to reach the administrative border of the Kherson Region, but have had no success.

The Russian military is preparing a series of pseudo-”referenda” to "legalize" the occupation administrations, the Chief Directorate of Intelligence reports. In particular, the occupiers are trying to establish their authorities in the Kherson region, in the town of Snihirivka in the Mykolaiv region (a "referendum" on joining Crimea), and in the village of Snihirivka in the Zaporizhzhia region (announcing the establishment of the Russian administration).

A conscript of the National Guard shot down a Russian drone in the Luhansk region. The soldier with the call sign "Klapan" shot down an enemy UAV using his standard AK-74 rifle. The downed device was capable of transmitting video over a distance of up to 120 km.

Romania is preparing to transfer the Soviet-made weapons from the reserves of its national defense system to Ukraine. Romania Liberta, a local media, reported it, citing an emergency decree of the Romanian Ministry of Defense.

The Russians are planting landmines all over the temporarily occupied territories, the Chief Directorate of Intelligence reports. The occupiers mined fields, forests, and country roads along the route Kherson - Snihurivka (the section between Naddniprianske - Oleksandrivka). In the Kharkiv region, the residents of the Velykoburlutskyi district can move only toward the territory of the Russian Federation. All side roads (including country roads) are mined.

Today, another nine houses have been destroyed in the Luhansk region. A coal mine wall has caught fire, and a gas pipeline has been damaged, Serhiy Haiday, the head of the Luhansk Regional State Administration, reports. The enemy shelled the towns of Sieverodonetsk, Lysychansk, Rubizhne, Kreminna, and Novodruzhesk.

Petro Andriushchenko, adviser to the Mariupol mayor, said that no one had been hiding in the area around Azovstal steel plant, and in particular in the destroyed hospital building, for a long time. This is how he responded to the statement of Serhiy Taruta, who claimed that 300 people were buried under the rubble after that territory was bombarded.

A truck was destroyed by a landmine on its way to Irpin, a town outside Kyiv recently liberated from the Russian occupation. The driver died. Irpin mayor Oleksandr Markushyn published the video from the location of the tragedy.

The US President Joe Biden held a video conference with the leaders of several countries, the EU, and NATO. The participants of the meeting discussed further assistance to Ukraine and new sanctions against the Kremlin.

40,000 soldiers from the whole world are already in. The International Legion of Ukraine to fight Russia: how to join.

The police have found more than 1,000 bodies of civilians murdered in the Kyiv region, Andriy Nebitov, head of the regional police department, reported. He suspects that this number will grow, because the police officers keep finding new victims in basements, houses or wells.

The occupants’ military leaders claim that they ceased fire in Mariupol and opened a humanitarian corridor so that the defenders of the city and civilians could leave Azovstal steel plant. An hour earlier, a powerful bombardment of the plant was reported.

Russian businessman Oleg Tinkov stands against the war with Ukraine. On his Instagram page he expresses his confidence that 90% of Russian people share his opinion, the others are “Z drawing morons”.

Arestovych informs that the main attention of the occupants is focused on the direction of Izyum in order to surround the Ukrainian troops in Donbas and reach the administrative borders of Donbas and Luhansk regions.

Artillerymen of the 10th Mountain Assault Brigade destroyed the ammunition depot of the Russian occupants:

Starlink company is preparing to open a representative office in Ukraine, the head of the Ministry of Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov informs.

Occupants dropped a powerful bomb on a hospital near Azovstal. About 300 people are now under the blockage, including children, Serhiy Taruta informs.

Diia (state mobile app) launched a complex service for people forced to leave their home within Ukraine because of the war. Ukrainians can apply for TDP status and receive payment from the state.

Lithuania bans public demonstration of the Ribbon of Saint George and other symbols of the Russian war against Ukraine like "Z", "V" letters, and others. The fine for violating this ban for individuals is up to 900 euros, for companies - up to 1,500 euros.

Nova Poshta restores courier delivery and parcel collection in Bucha, Irpin, Hostomel, Stoyanka, Makariv (city and district), the press service of the company informs.

The Netherlands is ready to ship heavy weapons to Ukraine, armored vehicles in particular, the Prime Minister of the Netherlands Mark Rutte informs.

Occupants shell residential areas of Kharkiv again, Kyivskyy, Industrialnyy, Derhachivskyy and Chuhuivskyy districts included. As of now, 3 persons died, 16 are injured, the head of the Kharkiv RMA Oleh Synyehubov informs.

The first modular town for people who lost their homes due to the war was opened in Lviv, the head of Lviv RMA Maksym Kozytskyy informs.

The police conducted new searches of the property of Medvedchuk's wife Oksana Marchenko. In Kyiv city and region following subjects were found: 100 paintings, antiques, weapons, 20 Swiss clocks, "Fabergé" eggs, and golden figurines. The Prosecutor General's Office is already preparing a petition for arrest.

The head of the MFA of Hungary Péter Szijjártó believes that "Hungarian people should not pay for the war" and stands against sanctions on oil and gas from Russia. He said this at a briefing in Turkey.

Ukraine conducts the 5th prisoner exchange with Russia. 60 military servicemen were exchanged, including 10 officers. 16 civilians are also headed home, — Iryna Vereshchuk informs.

The "Azov" regiment continues to eliminate occupant equipment.

Mykhailo Podolyak states that the war in Ukraine has become another Netflix series for a great part of the world. He also emphasizes that "every new episode is written in the blood of the Ukrainian army".

He highlights that western countries know what will stop the evil: arms supplies and oil embargo.

The European Union intends to bear the most part of costs for the post-war restoration of Ukraine - Bloomberg.

The bill of the continuation of the martial law has been proposed to the Ukrainian parliament Verkhovna Rada.  

Great Britain plans to submit to Ukraine the armored rocket systems Stormer that can launch Starstreak rockets, the Sun informs. As of now the information about the supply is yet to be officially confirmed. These rockets can shoot down aircrafts and helicopters of the enemy that fly low. 

The aftermath of the missile strike in Mykolaiv at night of April 19th 2022. Occupants shelled  several residential areas of the city with high-explosive shells and rocket launch systems.

Two Russian shells hit the territory of Mykolaiv zoo at night - the director of the zoo Volodymyr Topchyi.