Brief facts:
- EU has adopted the fifth sanctions package: ban on coal import, closure of ports and roads
- Australia sent 20 Bushmaster armored vehicles to Ukraine, three of them are already heading to Europe
- G7 countries, the EU are ready to provide Ukraine with further assistance, including military equipment and financial means.
- Russians shelled a railway station in Kramatorsk city with a Tocka-U missile, 50 civilians were killed
Sources
Read more: US Airlift to Enforce Ukraine: 17,000 Anti-Tank Weapons in 6 Days and More Support
- Verkhovna Rada: the parliament of Ukraine and its social media (Facebook, Telegram)
- President Zelenskyy: the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his social media (Twitter, Facebook, Telegram)
- Presidential Office: the Official website of the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his social media (Facebook, Twitter, Telegram); advisers to the Office: Oleksiy Arestovych and Mykhailo Podoliak; Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Reintegration of Temporary Occupied Territories Iryna Vereshchuk
- General Staff: the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
Latest news:
Thank you for your attention! This feed is closed. But Defense Express has already started a new one. Find the latest news on Day 45th of the Russian invasion of Ukraine here.
23:30 The Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba calls for setting up procedure to suspend Russia from OSCE.
Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba has called for creating a procedure to suspend Russia's membership in the OSCE, which poses a threat to security and cooperation in Europe.
He wrote about this on his Twitter account, Ukrinform reports.
“Russia’s unjustified aggression and atrocities shattered the very basics of the Helsinki final act. Russia’s participation in the OSCE is a threat to security and cooperation in Europe. If OSCE lacks appropriate suspension mechanisms, then set up a procedure and get them out,” he wrote.
23:15 The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Boris Johnson: Britain to send another £100M worth of weapons to Ukraine.
The United Kingdom will soon send a new batch of modern anti-tank and anti-aircraft weapons to Ukraine.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced this at a press conference in London, Ukrinform reported.
The prime minister said that to support Ukraine, the UK will send another £100 million of weapons, including Starstreak anti-aircraft missiles, “which fly at three times the speed of sound, another 800 anti-tank missiles and precision munitions capable of lingering in the sky until directed to their target”.
22:50 The Joint Forces Operation press service in the past 24 hours: Ukrainian defenders repulse seven enemy attacks, destroy nine tanks in JFO area.
Ukrainian defenders successfully repulsed seven attacks by Russian invaders in the area of the Joint Forces Operation in the past 24 hours.
The JFO press service wrote this on Facebook, Ukrinform reports.
In particular, Ukrainian defenders destroyed 9 tanks, 7 units of armored vehicles and 5 units of enemy vehicles.
Ukrainian air defense units shot down two helicopters and one enemy cruise missile over Ukraine’s Donbas.
22:20 The President of the European Commission Ursula Von der Leyen handed over questionnaire for EU candidate country status to the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen has handed over a questionnaire for the EU candidate country status to the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
She handed over the document to the Ukrainian president at a joint briefing in Kyiv on April 8, an Ukrinform reported.
She also noted that it would not as usual be a matter of years to form this opinion on membership, but “a matter of weeks."
22:00 The President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanks European Commission for fifth sanctions package, but believes it is not enough.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky thanked Head of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen for the decision to adopt the fifth sanctions package against Russia, but expressed confidence that it is not enough in the context of the ongoing Russian aggression in Ukraine.
"I am personally grateful to Ursula von der Leyen for the fifth sanctions package, but I think that this is not enough. They [the Russians] took a lot of things from us. They took both territories and people from us," Zelensky said on joint briefing with Ursula von der Leyen in Kyiv.
21:45 The Head of the Odesa Regional Military Administration: Russian troops launch missile strike near Odesa.
On April 8, Russian troops launched a missile strike on Odesa region. No casualties have been reported.
"On the night into April 8, the enemy launched an attack on the village of Krasnosilka in our region, using the Bastion coastal missile system. Unfortunately, there are dead and injured people, damaged infrastructure. In addition, today, the enemy launched a missile strike near Odesa. Fortunately, no victims have been reported,” Marchenko said, Ukrinform reports.
21:25 Mariupol City Council Vadym Boichenko: 31,000 people forcibly deported from Mariupol to so-called DPR, Russia.
The Russian forces have forcibly deported 31,000 local residents from besieged Mariupol to the so-called DPR and the Russian Federation.
Mariupol City Council Vadym Boichenko said this on the air of FREEDOM, Ukrinform reports, referring to the Mariupol City Council’s channel on Telegram.
“As many as 31,000 people were forcibly deported to Russia or the so-called ‘DPR’. This is already verified data. Civilians are being removed from Mariupol to a filtration camp located in Novoazovsk. People have been waiting there for weeks. Filtration is very strict - fingerprints are taken, as well as biometrics. They force people to sign various documents," Boichenko said.
20:43 The Office of the UN High Commissioner on Human Rights: War in Ukraine kills at least 1,626 civilians, injures 2,267. Read more.
20:30 The Embassy of the United States confirms delivery of 5,000 Starlink terminals to Ukraine.
USAID has delivered 5,000 Starlink terminals to the Government of Ukraine.
“USAID has delivered 5,000 Starlink Terminals to the Government of Ukraine through a partnership with SpaceX. Starlinks are satellite terminals that will enable unlimited, unthrottled data connectivity from anywhere in Ukraine. These terminals will allow public officials and critical citizen service providers to continue to communicate within Ukraine and with the outside world amidst Russia’s invasion,” the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine posted on Facebook.
20:15 The Head of the Kharkiv Regional Military Administration Oleh Synehubov: About 1,000 people deported to Russia from temporarily occupied territories of Kharkiv region.
According to preliminary data, about 1,000 people have been deported to Russia from the temporarily occupied territories of Kharkiv region.
"We have only approximate data from our sources in the occupied territories. It is almost impossible to contact people after enforced deportation. They [Russians] take away mobile phones and control the further stay of people in Russia. According to various sources, about a thousand [people have been deported]. Not more. We do not have a mass departure," Head of the Kharkiv Regional Military Administration Oleh Synehubov told LIGA.net in an interview.
20:00 Great Britain to send more military aid to Ukraine, official statement on Twitter, update as of April 8:
19:40 Azov Regiment fighters destroy enemy BMP with crew in Mariupol.
Fighters of the Azov Regiment destroyed an enemy BMP infantry fighting vehicle with a crew and fired at the enemy infantry in Mariupol.
"Azov strikes right on target. Azov’s target is the Russian occupation forces. Soldiers of the [Azov] Regiment in Mariupol destroyed an enemy BMP with a crew. The Russian infantry also got tired of fighting and lay down on one of the streets of the Ukrainian city forever and ever," Azov Regiment posted on Telegram, publishing the relevant videos.
19:02 General Staff: operational information as of 18:00, 08.04.2022 regarding the Russian invasion. Key points:
- Russian troops continue to concentrate their forces in the eastern and southern operational directions, try to launch an offensive but have no success;
- the occupiers have left the entire Sumy region (Northeastern Ukraine);
- over 80% of the personnel of some units that have been engaged in combat in Ukraine refuse to return to the frontlines again. The commanders prohibited those whose contracts expired to resign until the end of the military operation
- the occupation administration received instructions from their Russian backers. According to these instructions, the people who left the occupied territories from January to February 2022 (before the full-scale invasion) and were stationed in the Russian Federation, must now return to their homes in the occupied areas
18:12 Ukraine NOW: President of the EU Commission Ursula von der Leyen, Vice-President Josep Borrell, and Slova Prime Minister Eduard Heger visited Bucha.
Defense Express memo: this city of the Kyiv region has become a symbol of atrocities that russian army commits every day against civilians in the occupied areas. As of 3rd of April, 410 bodies of murdered civilian people have been removed from the street and basements of the Kyiv region, the search works and investigation have been continuing since the occupiers retreated from the territory a week ago.
Update: Joseph Borrell announced launching a project worth €7.5 million to support data collection of missing persons. He also said the EU Advisory Mission in Ukraine will be supporting the Ukrainian Prosecutor General in providing training and equipment for the investigation and collection of evidence.
"We bear witness to harrowing images in Bucha today with Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal. Destruction, atrocities committed by Russia, and the unspeakable price paid by innocent Ukrainian people. The war crimes Russia committed in Bucha and elsewhere must be investigated and prosecuted," he wrote on his Twitter.
17:33 Ukraine Media Center: Colonel Oleksandr Motuzyanyk, Spokesman for the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine held a briefing on the operational situation at the frontline. Key points:
- Russian commanders have been focused on creating an offensive group in the eastern area, they aim to take full control of the territories of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions
- The occupation forces continue repressions against the local population in order to create occupation authorities. Abduction, planting mines, looting, blocking evacuation routes and humanitarian aid supplies, and destroying the railway routes for evacuation were recorded among other war crimes.
- In the South, the invaders try to improve the tactical situation in the Southern Buh (river) area and strengthen the administrative boundaries of the Kherson region. They replenish ammunition and fortify positions
- In the Donetsk region, Ukrainian defenders have stopped 7 enemy attacks, destroyed 4 tanks, 2 artillery systems, 10 armored vehicles 11 cars and trucks
- Russian navy in the Black sea continues to isolate the combat areas from fire and logistic support of Ukrainian units
17:10 Donetsk region administration: Kramatorsk missile attack death toll has risen to 50 people.
Russian missile strike on the railway station in Kramatorsk, where civilians were waiting for an evacuation, resulted in the deaths of 50 people, said Pavlo Kyrylenko, Head of the Donetsk region military administration.
"Out of 98 who were taken to the hospital, there are 16 children, 46 women and 36 men. 12 of those died in the hospital. 38 people died at the railway station at once," the official reported. It is expected that more people will turn for medical help in the next few days, thus the number of injured may increase, he noted.
16:29 Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights reports on crimes committed against children by Russia.
According to the Ombudswoman Lyudmyla Denisova, as of April 8, 169 children have died due to the Russian invasion, and 306 more were injured. These are the data from the Unified register of pre-trial investigations. Sexual crimes against children have been recorded in Borodyanka, Kyiv Region.
Also, children are being kidnapped in the occupied territories of eastern and southern Ukraine. Human Rights Commissioner states, more than 121,000 children have already been forcibly deported to the Russian Federation. These are both orphans and those who have parents:
"It is now known that some of the children were taken by the occupiers from Mariupol to Donetsk and in the direction of Taganrog. Russian invaders say they are orphans, but all orphans, including orphanages, were evacuated from Mariupol and centralized on February 24-25 during the first two days of the war."
According to Ombudswoman, the Russian parliament is working on appropriate amendments to the legislation, after which the replacement of the family for the child will be impossible. But those forcibly displaced to Russia are not orphans or deprived of parental care. The same situation happened in Crimea back in 2014, which resulted in Russia's exclusion from the European Network of Ombudsmen for Children's Rights.
15:12 Eduard Heger, the Prime Minister of the Slovak Republic: Slovakia to send "S-300" long-range air defense missile systems to Ukraine
"I would like to confirm that Slovakia has provided Ukraine with an air-defense system S-300. The Ukrainian nation is bravely defending its sovereign country and us too. It is our duty to help, not to stay put and be ignorant to the loss of human lives under Russia’s aggression," said the Slovakian PM on Twitter.
Defense Express memo: Ukrainian President Zelenskyy repeatedly urged international partners to provide long-range air defense systems. In March, Slovakia preliminarily agreed to supply "S-300" in exchange for American "Patriot" as a substitute.
14:27 MIA of Ukraine: Google will create digital panoramas for the ruined cities of Ukraine
Ministry of Internal Affairs together with Google is working on an information resource which will allow everyone to witness the destruction the Russian army has brought to Ukraine. It will as well help the National Police to document all the crimes committed by the occupiers, said Ihor Bondarenko, Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs.
"The ruination caused to our cities by the Russian occupiers would be available in the Google Maps in the street view mode. This mode allows viewing the street as if you were walking or driving down it, so everyone would have an opportunity to compare, what had the streets looked like before the war and what Russian invaders did to them," the official said on the Ukrainian TV.
SES rescuers and the police will grant Google employees access to safe areas only that have been cleared from the explosives.
13:53 Council of the EU: the European Union has adopted the fifth package of sanctions against Russia. It includes:
- ban on the import of coal and other fossil fuels, wood, cement, fertilizers, seafood, and liquor, as well as a ban on the export of jet fuel, quantum computers and advanced semiconductors, high-end electronics, software, sensitive machinery, and transportation equipment
- closure of EU ports to all vessels under the Russian flag, but those carrying aid or agricultural products
- ban on road transport and transit, it will not affect the delivery of humanitarian aid and pharmacy, food, wheat
- some restrictions concerning the use of crypto-currency and banking operations
- personal sanctions against oligarchs and Kremlin officials
13:04 The Main Directorate of the National Police in Kharkiv region: The Izium district police department reported, that under the procedural leadership of the district prosecutor's office, has begun a pre-trial investigation into the torture and subsequent arson of three local residents by Russia-occupation forces.
"According to the investigation, the Russian military during the occupation of the village of Husarivka, Izium district, tortured and then set fire to three local residents. In order to destroy the traces of their crimes, the Russian military covered their bodies before setting fire to the tires from the car. Burnt parts of the bodies of three people were found in the basement of one of the houses after the village was liberated from Russian invaders on April 7, 2022," the press service of the Kharkiv regional prosecutor's office said.
Criminal proceedings were opened under Part 2 of Article 348 (violation of the laws and customs of war, combined with premeditated murder) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
12:34 The President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy reacted to the shelling of the railway station in Kramatorsk:
"The occupiers hit the Kramatorsk railway station, with thousands of civilians there, waiting to be evacuated, with a Tockha-U missile… Nearly 30 people died, some 100 people sustained injuries of various severity. Police and rescuers are already on the scene. Russian monsters don’t abandon their methods. Lacking the strength and courage for a face-off on the battlefield, they are cynically destroying the civilian population. This is an evil that has no limits. And if it’s not punished, it will never stop," the president said.
Update: according to the Security Service Spokesman Dekhtyarenko, 39 people were killed, including four children. According to the data from Prosecutor General's office, there were 4,000 civilians there at the time of the strike
12:00 The Head of the Donetsk Regional Military Administration Pavlo Kyrylenko in Telegram:
The Russian occupiers attacked the Kramatorsk railway station with Iskander ballistic missiles, killing dozens of people and injuring more than 100.
11:46 The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine has posted the new summary of total combat losses of the enemy from 24.02 to 08.04. Find them in an infographic by Defense Express:
So far, the list of the enemy's combat losses is the following:
Personnel - more 19 000,
Tanks ‒ 700 units,
APV ‒ 1891 units,
Artillery systems – 333 units,
MLRS – 108 units,
Anti-aircraft warfare systems – 55 units,
Aircraft – 150 units,
Helicopters – 135 units,
Vehicles – 1361 units,
Boats / cutters - 7 units,
Fuel tanks - 76,
UAV operational-tactical level - 112 units,
Special equipment – 25,
Mobile SRBM system - 4.
Data are being updated. The calculation is complicated by the intensity of hostilities.
11:15 The Head of the Ukrainian President’s Office Andriy Yermak on his Telegram channel published data from analysts at the Yale School of Management, which released a list of countries whose companies still continue operations with Russia.
In particular, there are 42 Chinese companies, 28 French, 22 U.S., 21 Indian, 13 German, 13 Japanese, and 10 Italian.
"We are stepping up work with foreign governments to find the right words to stop companies from cooperating with Russia. Because every dollar in the budget of the Russian Federation is the blood of our children,” Yermak stressed.
11:00 Yesterday, in the battle in Rubizhne, Luhansk Oblast, the Ukrainian military lined up several tanks, several armored personnel carriers and killed up to 50 Russian servicemen, — announced the head of the Luhansk Oblast State Administration Serhiy Haidai.
10:20 Over the past 24 hours, Russian troops have fired about 48 shots from artillery, mortars, tanks, and MLRS in the Kharkivʼs Saltivka, Pyatihatky, Oleksiyivka, Dergachi areas and the city center. 15 people were injured.
09:48 European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and EU High Representative Josep Borrel travel to Kyiv. In Kyiv, they are going to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The politicians announced this on their Twitter pages.
09:25 169 children were killed in Ukraine as a result of Russiaʼs armed aggression against Ukraine, said the Prosecutor Generalʼs Office. More than 306 children were injured.
Children suffered the most in Kyiv Oblast — 88, Donetsk Oblast — 81, Kharkiv Oblast — 75, Chernihiv Oblast — 50, Mykolaiv Oblast — 40, Luhansk Oblast — 35, Zaporizhzhia Oblast — 22, Kherson Oblast — 29, Kyiv — 16, Sumy Oblast — 16, Zhytomyr Oblast — 15.
09:08 The President of France Emmanuel Macron in an interview to Le Parisien: He believes that his state should be one of the guarantors of Ukraine's security after the end of the war with Russia.
According to him, Ukraine will be able to achieve a ceasefire "at a certain point". Then there will be a need to build peace, and France is ready to become one of the guarantors of security for Ukraine, Ukrinform reports with reference to Le Parisien.
"This cannot be done without a guarantor, and France is called to be one of such guarantors," Macron said. The President of France is also ready to continue calling Vladimir Putin despite the futility of these talks. In this way, according to Macron, Paris retains the status of a negotiator.
08:58 The Ambassador of Ukraine to Australia Vasyl Myroshnychenko posted on Facebook: "Australia sends 20 Bushmaster vehicles worth AUD 50 million (USD 38 million). A historic moment".
08:10 The Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine Oleksiy Danilov said during the nationwide telethon: Ukraine is ready for the potential use of chemical weapons by the Russian army. Hospitals and units of the Ukrainian army have a sufficient stock of antidotes.
"Earlier it was said that the Russians could prepare a chemical attack against the Armed Forces and some of our cities. Relevant work was carried out, medical staff was trained. Today, hospitals and our defense forces have enough antidotes," said Oleksiy Danilov.
As reported, Dmitry Polyanskiy, First Deputy Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the United Nations, said that Russia retained the right to use nuclear weapons if the country was "provoked" by NATO.
According to InformNapalm, the Russians may use sarin, a highly toxic nerve agent, in those cities where they fail to break through the defenses.
07:45 The U.S. Department of the Treasury: On April 7, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated Alrosa, a Russian state-owned enterprise (SOE) and the world’s largest diamond mining company, which is also responsible for 90 percent of Russia’s diamond mining capacity. The Department of State also redesignated Joint Stock Company United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC), as well as its subsidiaries and board members. USC is a Russian SOE that develops and constructs the majority of the Russian military’s warships, likely including many of those used to bombard Ukraine’s cities and harm Ukraine’s citizens.
07:00 General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine posted the operational update regarding the russian invasion as of 06.00 on April 8, 2022. Key facts:
- The enemy is being prepared for the offensive in eastern Ukraine.
- The main efforts of the russian invaders continue to focus on the capture of Mariupol, the offensive in the area of the city of Izyum, breakthroughs in the defense of the Joint Forces in the Donetsk direction.
- In the South Buh direction, the russian enemy is trying to prevent the advance of our troops.
- The Armed Forces of the republic of belarus carry out operational and combat training activities at training grounds throughout the country.
- According to the available information, the so-called “volunteers” among belarusians are being recruited from the territory of the republic of belarus to create new units of a private military company.
- The enemy completes the restoration of combat capability of units of the Central Military District in the Bryansk and Kursk regions.
- Separate units of the 6th, 20th All-Army, 1st Tank Army, Coastal Troops of the Baltic and Northern Fleets carry out operational equipment of the territory. The main focus is on the rehabilitation of railway sections from Kupyansk to Kharkiv, Izyum and Svatove. For this purpose, units of the railway troops of the 38th separate railway brigade of the Western Military District from Yaroslavl were involved.
- In the Kharkiv direction, the russian enemy continues to blockade the city of Kharkiv. To prevent the advance of our troops, the invaders put up minefields.
- In the temporarily occupied city of Izyum, representatives of the so-called "DPR" perform the functions of the local "police", carry out illegal checks of documents, searches of persons and premises of the local population.
- Units of the occupying forces are concentrating their efforts on taking control of the settlements of Popasna and Rubizhne and establishing control over the city of Mariupol. Assault operations continue in most areas.
- In the areas of the settlements of Rubizhne, Popasna, Nyzhne, Novotoshkivske, Zolote and Borivske, the occupiers tried to carry out assault operations, but were unsuccessful.
- In the territory of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts, seven enemy attacks were repulsed in the past 24 hours, four tanks, two artillery systems, ten armored units and eleven enemy vehicles were destroyed.
06:14 The President of the European Commission Charles Michel posted on Twitter: The European Union will allocate another €500 million for military support to Ukraine. He informed that the total amount of EU military aid to Ukraine since the beginning of the Russian invasion amounted to €1.5 billion.
01:45 Canada has earmarked an additional 1b Canadian dollars in loans and 500m in military aid to Ukraine.
Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland said that “Putin’s assault has been so vicious that we all now understand that the world’s democracies - including our own - can be safe only if the Russian tyrant and his criminal armies are entirely vanquished,” in a speech to parliament, - The Guardian reports.
“It is in our urgent national interest to ensure they have the missiles and the money they need to win,” she said.
So far, Canada has dedicated $90m in military aid and $180 million in humanitarian assistance to Ukraine.
01:30 UK to announce fresh military aid package for Ukraine.
Britain is preparing to announce a fresh package of military aid for Ukraine and has demonstrated new missile systems and armored vehicles that it believes can help Kyiv in the next phases of fighting, - The Guardian reports.
Junior defense ministers Jeremy Quin and James Heappey invited Ukraine’s deputy defense minister Volodymyr Havrylov to Salisbury Plain on Wednesday, where they discussed what extra weapons the UK could supply.
“It was an honor to show Minister Havrylov and his generals the kit the UK hopes to provide next and to discuss some new weapons that have been trialed recently with UK forces,” Heappey said.
The army and Royal Marines demonstrated a range of equipment and “options for further military support”, which, the Ministry of Defense said, included “defensive missile systems and protected mobility vehicles”.
The protected mobility vehicle is thought to refer to the Mastiff, a heavily armored patrol vehicle, first deployed in Afghanistan, which would help Ukraine’s forces achieve greater maneuverability against Russian attacks in the eastern Donbas.
00:45 The European Union is proposing a 500m euro military aid package to Ukraine.
European Council chief Charles Michel on Thursday, April 7, backed a proposal to release an additional 500m euros ($540m) to provide arms for Ukraine, - The Guardian reports citing AFP:
“Once swiftly approved this will bring to 1.5b euros the EU support already provided for military equipment for Ukraine,” Michel tweeted, also thanking EU diplomatic chief Josep Borrell for proposing the extra funding.
The proposal was agreed upon on Thursday by the 27 EU nations at the ambassador level.
The EU has already agreed to provide a 1b euro arms package for Kyiv.
“This may seem like a lot, but one billion euros is what we pay Putin every day for the energy he provides us,” Borrell said on Wednesday.
The money comes from a 5 billion euro European peace fund set up by members states.
00:35 US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin says the US giving intel to Ukraine for operations in Donbas.
US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin has confirmed publicly that the United States is providing intelligence to Ukrainian forces to conduct operations in eastern Ukraine.
He said this while testifying before the Senate Armed Services Committee, Ukrinform reports, citing CNN.
"We are providing them a … intelligence to conduct such operations … in the Donbas," Austin said.
00:20 The President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky: If the world wants the war to end, we must be given heavy weapons very quickly.
The world must provide Ukraine with heavy weaponry very quickly if it wants the war to end, otherwise, it will drag on for a long time.
This was emphasized by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky in an interview with India’s Republic Media Network, - Ukrinform reports.
"The fact that we are not being given weapons by certain world leaders or world actors, this may prolong the war. Because we are not going to give up. And without heavy weapons, it will be a longer process of war. We will fight back, they then they can withdraw again, get new equipment, accumulate more forces and attack us again, they will occupy new cities, and we will fight again, so as long as our country remains without heavy weapons, this war will continue for a longer period ... If the world wants this war to be over, we need to be given heavy weapons very quickly. And we will be strong," said the president.
He noted that the issue of transferring heavy weaponry to Ukraine is currently being agreed upon, which means that the Ukrainian Army does not have these weapons yet.
"We have weapons only once they are on our territory. And anything prior to that is just a process, not a result. So now we are in the process. And in this process it is impossible to fight. You can be powerful when you have weapons," said Zelensky.
At the same time, the president assured that Ukraine does not intend and never intended to seize the territory of the Russian Federation, which perhaps is what the West fears.
"We never considered this, we don't need any Russian towns, any of their people. We only fight for our land. Therefore, when these weapons arrive, we will be able to push the enemy out of our land. We only need what’s ours," the president emphasized.
Key points regarding the current state of warfare:
- Ukraine managed to establish the defense, the Russian offense has stalled, in some directions, the Ukrainian military intensively push back the invaders, numerous villages and small cities were liberated, horrific facts of genocide conducted by russians are revealed.
- Russia uses terroristic methods of war, shelling civilian facilities where there are no military facilities nearby, keeping cities in a full blockade, and sabotaging humanitarian corridors for evacuation and convoys with humanitarian aid.
- Russian army targets nuclear power plants; Zaporizhzhia NPP is currently seized by the invaders; Russian troops, poisoned by radiation, have left the Chornobyl NPP; military activities by Russian forces near the power plants were described by Ukraine as nuclear terrorism
- Ukraine offered the United Nations Security Council a platform for an updated security system – the "Kyiv U-24 Office" similar to the human rights Geneva office or the environmental protection Nairobi office. Or at least prevent from Russia abusing its veto power to continue the war in Ukraine.
- Ukraine is willing to join the European Union, has sent an application which is being considered; during her visit to Kyiv, EU Parliament President Roberta Metsola stated EU would look for ways to facilitate the membership process for Ukraine
- Ukrainian citizens in the occupied cities rally against the Russians; on their part, the occupiers began to kidnap activists and authorities; locals are being forcibly "evacuated" to Russia with the following deportation to the depressed areas and appointment of jobs
- thousands of civilian volunteers join the Territorial Defense of the Armed Forces of Ukraine; Ukraine has established an International Legion for foreign volunteers willing to fight for Ukraine, thousands have joined already
- Ukraine has had several rounds of negotiations with Russia; still, no significant progress towards ceasefire and peace, the main question, for now, is establishing humanitarian corridors for the supply of aid and evacuation of civilians; the negotiations continue "non-stop" in an online format; President Zelenskyy expressed readiness to directly talk with Putin.
Read more: Day 43rd of War Between Ukraine and Russian Federation (Live Updates)
