Russian invasion of Ukraine: tanks and rocket attacks on the cities. Breaking news
Early in the morning of February 24, 2022, Russia launched missile strikes on the territory of Ukraine and launched a direct full-scale invasion. Ukraine repulses the enemy. As of April 28, 2022, more than 22800 russian servicemen, thousands of units of military equipment (187 planes, 155 helicopters, 970 tanks, 2389 armored vehicles, 1688 machines, 582 artillery / rocket artillery systems, 8 ships and more) have been eliminated.
Ukrainian activists have launched the Seeds for Ukraine project. The initiative urges foreign businesses to bolster the country’s food security and donate seeds for the Ukrainian agrarians so that the Ukrainians grow more food despite the Russian aggression.
Polish chef Jacek Polewski is on his way to Bucha to bake bread for the Ukrainian military and city residents, journalist Ievhen Klimakin wrote on Facebook.
The chef has been expressing support for Ukraine since the beginning of Russia’s full-on invasion. However, upon seeing the photos of the destroyed city, he decided to pay a visit personally.
The troop units defending Mariupol:
- Azov Special Operations Detachment of the National Guard of Ukraine
- Dmytro Vyshnevetskyi 12th Operational Brigade
- Rear Admiral Mykhailo Belinskyi 36th Independent Marine Brigade
- National Police of Ukraine
- 503th Independent Marine Battalion
- Sea Guard of the State Border Guard of Ukraine
- 109th Independent Brigade of the Territorial Defence Forces
- 56th Independent Motorized Infantry Brigade
Ukrainians have won three medals on Invictus Games: one silver and two bronze ones. In long jump, Artem Lukashuk won silver and Ivan Heretsun bronze. Oleksii Bobchynets won bronze in 1,500 m track heat.
President Zelenskyy has discussed ensuring the financial stability of Ukraine and its preparation for post-war recovery with the IMF’s managing director.
“We currently have a clear plan as well as an understanding of the outlook. I am convinced that Ukraine’s effective co-operation with the IMF will continue going forward,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote on Twitter.
This week, the Joint Forces Operation combat groups have destroyed 37 enemy tanks, 5 helicopters, 61 armoured equipment, 51 motor vehicles, 24 artillery systems, 17 drones, and 2 cruise missiles, repelling 58 attacks in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
No neighbourhood is “totally safe” in Kharkiv now. Evacuation continues on the territories continuously shelled by Russians, Kharkiv mayor Ihor Terekhov informs.
Head of the Chief Directorate of Intelligence on Russia’s threats to resort to nuclear weaponry: “Calm down, everyone, it’s nothing more than threats. Even if Putin blows a fuse and decides to do it... It’s not that easy to do from the technical standpoint,” Kyrylo Budanov said on the air of the national TV marathon.
Ukrainian defenders keep pushing the Russian invaders back from Kharkiv. They have completed a number of successful operations in the Kharkiv Region. Specifically, Bazaliivka, Lebiazhe, and a part of Kutuzivka have been liberated as a result of the counteroffensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Near the village of Mala Rohan, the Ukrainian troops managed to push further to the East, Head of the Kharkiv Regional Military Administration Oleh Synehubov informs.
After the sinking of the Russian cruiser Moskva, Oleh Korostelev, the chief designer of the Luch design bureau, thanked the bureau’s collective for creating the Neptune missile system and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for believing in the team that made it and giving the green light to use it. His statement is published on the design bureau’s Facebook page.
976 installations were damaged in the Sumy Region during Russia’s full-on aggression. Also, two bridges were destroyed, and 364.6 km of public access motor roads and roads of local importance were damaged. The restoration of this infrastructure will cost over UAH 20 billion, Head of the Sumy Regional Military Administration Dmytro Zhyvytskyi wrote.
Andrii Nebytov shows the invaders’ secret documentation, Russian muster rolls, and a map with the plan for capturing Kyiv drawn 10 before Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine.
No Russian soldier that committed atrocities on the occupied territories of Ukraine will go unpunished—they will all pay “eventually”, Head of the Main Directorate of Intelligence Kyrylo Budanov said on the air of the national TV marathon.
The Times has published an illustration with an Easter Rabbit carrying a basket with Easter eggs painted in the colours of the Ukrainian flag, with a military ship sinking in the background. The publication used the work of political cartoonist Morten Morland to announce on Instagram its story about the sinking of the Moskva cruiser and Russian propaganda.
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Austria will be able to cease using Russian gas in a few years because it depends on this gas to cover 80% of local needs, NBS News reports, citing the country's chancellor Karl Nehammer.
Ukraine has filled out the EU membership candidate questionnaire, Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Ihor Zhovkva said on the air of the national TV marathon.
"There is no use in talking to Putin,” Italian PM Mario Draghi said in an extended interview for Corriere Della Sera.
Also, he discussed his conversations with Putin, military support for Ukraine, NATO’s stance, European sanctions, and the ways of tackling Europe’s dependence on Russian gas.
Odesa residents are urged not to enter the city’s and the region’s beaches. “The State Emergency Service of Ukraine is said to have partially demined the beaches of Odesa. However, this information is incorrect,” Head of the Odesa Regional Military Administration Maskym Marchenko emphasized.
The Ukrainian Ground Forces have shared a video showcasing their Pion 203-mm self-propelled gun bearing the KRAKEN lettering.
In the Kherson Region, the Russians are planning to fake the results of the illegal referendum to proclaim the so-called Kherson People’s Republic. They have been gathering personal data of the region’s residents for this purpose while distributing their so-called “humanitarian aid”. The invaders are also spreading among the locals the information about the mobilization to bolster the ranks of the Russian military after the referendum.
In the direction of Southern Buh, the Russians are obscuring the Z letters on their equipment and putting up Ukrainian flags near Vasylivka, Zaporizhzhia Region, presumably to discredit the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The enemy activates in Donetsk and Tavriisk directions. Russian occupant troops shell Mariupol with missiles and bombs, using the Tu-22M3 strategic bombers. Occupants tried to storm the regions of the seaport and "Azovstal" plant.
A distrust to Russian propaganda media is spreading in Crimea. This was facilitated by wide publicity and public resonance of information about the destruction of the "Moskva" missile cruiser by the Ukrainian army, the General Staff of the AFU informs.
The 53rd day of the war. The General Staff informs of a forceful mobilization of the residents of temporarily occupied territories. Thus, compensating for the losses of the Russian army in the war with Ukraine. In particular, men in the city of Izyum are forced to join the AF of the RF.
The curfew in the Dnipro region is shortened. Starting tomorrow the curfew will start at 22:00 and end at 05:00. The information is provided by the head of Dnipro RSA Valentyn Reznichenko.
"Mariupol city doesn’t exist anymore", the Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba on air of CBS News. He describes the situation in the city as "dire and heartbreaking". Russian army decided to level the city to the ground at any cost.
Former Minister for Foreign Affairs of Germany Sigmar Gabriel in the column for Der Spiegel criticized the Ambassador of Ukraine to Berlin Andriy Melnyk for his words addressed to German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, that he allegedly "spun a web of contacts with Russia during the years".
President Zelenskyy in his interview for CNN said that Ukraine will fight for a decade, if necessary, that society doesn't want to negotiate with Russia.
"Since the beginning of the new wave of Russia's aggression against Ukraine, President Biden has demonstrated true leadership", the Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba states on air of CBS News and adds that Ukraine would be happy to have a visit from the American president.
The Center for Countering Disinformation at the NSDC warns of new "throws in" of Russian propaganda creating a narrative of "the weak NATO". Hal Brands, an analyst, informed that Ukraine uses entrusted ammunition and weapons too quickly.
This information was picked up by The Economist. The issue made a statistical cross-section for April 16, according to which Ukraine caused more damage to the Russian army in 24 hours than it suffered during the 8 years of war in Syria.
Trophies and documents of Russian occupants caught by our marines in the Mykolaiv region.
"Some of them got lucky. Some of them are still alive and captured, and some of them will travel home in a bag", — this is how the soldiers of the 35th separate marine brigade named after the Rare Admiral Mykhailo Ostrohradskyy followed their post on Facebook.
Zelenskyy in his CNN interview says that Ukraine will not give up Donbas to end the war. He also reminds that there are no guarantees that Russia will not try to capture Kyiv again if succeeds with Donbas.
The occupants shelled Zolote in the Luhansk region. Two people died, four more were injured, — the head of Luhansk RSA Serhiy Haidai informs.
Zelenskyy invites Macron to visit Ukraine after his refusal to call the actions of the RF a genocide. "I want him to understand: this is not war, this is nothing but genocide", Zelenskyy says in his interview to the CNN.
According to the German police, 354 663 refugees from Ukraine arrived in Germany after the beginning of the Russian invasion — mostly women, children, and the elderly.
Bis heute hat die #Bundespolizei 354.663 #Geflüchtete aus der #Ukraine in Deutschland festgestellt. Überwiegend sind es Frauen, Kinder und alte Menschen. pic.twitter.com/3KU9OFebjj
— Bundesministerium des Innern und für Heimat (@BMI_Bund) April 17, 2022
The head of Zhaporizhzhia DSA Oleh Buryak says in his video address that the Russian military abducted his son at a checkpoint. It was also confirmed by the deputy head of Zaporizhzhia RMA Zlata Nekrasova.
Valeriy Zaluzhnyy, the Commander-in-Chief of the AFU: "Unfortunately, I don't have time to coordinate volunteer activity, but I am ready to support any initiative in favor of our army. One of such initiatives is a charity fund that bears my name. I trust the founders of the fund and hope that their active work aimed at comprehensive assistance to the Armed Forces will be successful. "
Excerpt from the interview of Volodymyr Zelenskyy with CNN journalist Jake Tapper on why the victory in Donbas is crucial to Ukraine.
CNN's @jaketapper asks Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to give some clarity on the sinking of an important Russian warship in the Black Sea. #CNNSOTU
— CNN (@CNN) April 17, 2022
See more from the CNN exclusive interview: https://t.co/rPT8k2pNEG pic.twitter.com/AgTR8R1zxx
Total forceful mobilization is performed on the occupied territories of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, minors including, the advisor of the OP Mykhailo Podolyak. The mobilized are sent into battle without training and equipment, losses among them are unthinkable.
The OSINT expert H.I. Sutton analyzes the video of the "parade" of the "Moskva" drowned cruiser crew in Sevastopol, estimated the square in the Cossack Bay of Sevastopol, where the "parade" took place, and states that there were only 90 officers and 150 sailors on the video, which equals around a half of staff crew of the cruiser.
In the Odesa region the SSU has caught three Russian agents who previously staged sabotages and pro-Russian rallies, and then retrained as informants.
According to the previous data (at 15:00), 5 people died, 13 were injured as the result of today's shelling of Kharkiv.
From Bild Interview with Ursula von der Leyen: "Exports to Russia fell by 70 percent. 700 Russian airplanes lost their license due to the absence of spare parts. Hundreds of big companies and thousands of specialists are turning away from the war. According to current forecasts, GDP in Russia will fall by 11%. The national bankruptcy of Russia is only a matter of time. Putin destroys his own country and the future of its people with this war".
CNN journalist asks NSDC secretary what happened to "Moskva" cruiser.
Brovary mayor Ihor Sapozhko informs that no people suffered as a result of this past night’s shelling. Only unspecified city infrastructure installations were damaged, and electricity and running water supply was disrupted.
Vitaliy Kim: “Yesterday, a gunfight broke out between the LPR/DPR mercenaries and the Russian military or the Russian Guard—I don’t know for sure. I’m kinda on the fence who to root for in this situation.”
General Staff informs:
The United Centre for Search and Release of Prisoners of War has been set up in Ukraine to gather and check the information about the persons lost in action.
The Ukrainians can contact it 24/7 by phone:
- +38 (067) 650-83-32
- +38 (098) 087-36-01
or email at [email protected]
Ukraine has asked the G7 countries for financial aid to fund its state budget amid the Russian invasion. The economic advisor to the President of Ukraine Oleh Ustenko said on the air of the national TV marathon that our country needs $50 billion over the next six months.
Russia’s Ulyanovsk Mechanical Plant has virtually stopped making air defense missile systems on the back of the shortage of import parts, which are not coming in any more because of sanctions, Ukrainian intelligence reports.
US Major General Dana Pittard told CNN: “NATO and US need to send an unequivocal message to Russia that any use of a nuclear weapon will start a nuclear war, even the use of the ‘tactical’ nuclear weapon would be considered an act of nuclear war.”