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Side note: news are marked in accordance with the Kyiv time zone: Eastern European Time (EET), GMT/UTC+2
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00:10 Europol launched an operation targeting the assets of Russian individuals and companies.
Europol, the EU’s policy agency, based in The Hague, launched the operation dubbed “Oscar” jointly with EU member states, as well as Eurojust and Frontex, - The Guardian reports, citing the AFP.
The operation aims to “facilitate partners’ exchange of information and intelligence and provide operational support in a number of financial investigations targeting criminal assets and circumvention of the EU economic sanctions related to Russia’s military aggression,” - Europol said in a statement.
The EU’s border agency Frontex “will contribute to the operation by enhancing the scrutiny of the persons who are crossing EU’s external borders and fall under the scope of the sanctions”, the statement said.
Operation Oscar will continue for at least a year and includes a number of separate investigations, - Europol said.
In its statement, Europol said it would also provide financial support to the relevant national authorities and would help provide forensic and technical expertise and support for investigations, the AFP said. Eurojust, the judicial counterpart to Europol, will also be offering legal assistance and other supports.
23:45 Azov Regiment: Russian invaders used poisonous substance in Mariupol.
Russian invaders used in Mariupol a poisonous substance of unknown origin, which was dropped from a UAV.
Fighters of the Azov Regiment, who are defending the city, reported this on Telegram, - Ukrinform reports.
"About an hour ago, the Russian occupation forces used a poisonous substance of unknown origin against the Ukrainian military and civilians in the city of Mariupol, which was dropped from an enemy UAV. The victims have respiratory failure, vestibular-atactic syndrome," the statement reads.
The consequences of the use of the unknown substance are being clarified, the statement said.
23:15 Probability of Russian invaders using chemical weapons in Mariupol is very high – source.
The probability of Russian invaders using chemical weapons in Mariupol is very high.
A source close to the Ukrainian Defense Ministry told this to media outlets, - Ukrinform reports.
"The probability of Russian fascists using chemical weapons is very high," the source said, commenting on reports of the use of chemical weapons in Mariupol.
22:55 Ukrainian defenders repulse six enemy attacks in JFO area over past day.
Ukrainian defenders successfully repulsed six enemy attacks in the area of the Joint Forces Operation in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions over the past day.
The press service of the Joint Forces Operation said this on Facebook, - Ukrinform reports.
"Thanks to the skilful actions of a Joint Forces grouping, six enemy attacks were successfully repulsed today. Our soldiers inflicted losses on the Russian occupiers," the statement said.
Ukrainian defenders destroyed four tanks, five armored vehicles and 26 motor vehicles and eight artillery systems of the enemy.
In addition, air defense units shot down two helicopters and four enemy drones in the skies of the Ukrainian region of Donbas.
22:35 The Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine - Minister for Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine Iryna Vereshchuk: 4,354 people evacuated on Monday, April 11.
A total of 4,354 people were evacuated through humanitarian corridors in Ukraine on Monday, April 11.
According to Ukrinform, Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for the Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine Vereshchuk said this on Telegram.
She said 3,854 people arrived in Zaporizhia from Mariupol and Berdiansk in private vehicles and evacuation buses. Some 556 of them arrived from Mariupol and 3,298 from the towns of Polohy, Vasylivka, Berdiansk and Melitopol.
In addition, over 500 people were evacuated from the towns of Lysychansk, Sievierodonetsk, Rubizhne, Kreminna and Popasna in the Luhansk region. At the same time, the ceasefire regime was constantly violated by the occupation forces.
22:05 Ukrainian defenders destroy over 90 Russian soldiers, tank, helicopter in eastern Ukraine.
Ukrainian defenders killed more than 90 invaders and destroyed an enemy tank and a helicopter in the area of responsibility of the Operational and Tactical Group East on April 11.
The Operational and Tactical Group East announced this on Facebook, - Ukrinform reports.
Russian troops carried out one attack in eastern Ukraine today. Ukrainian artillery fired at the enemy's personnel and equipment.
During the fighting, Ukrainian forces destroyed 92 Russian invaders, a tank, three APCs/IFVs, three artillery systems, 24 motor vehicles, a helicopter and three drones.
As it was reported by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, one more multi-purpose unmanned aerial vehicle complex "Orlan-10" was shot down by worriors of 79th Air Assault Brigade of the Ukrainian Air Assault Forces on Monday, April 11.
21:45 The Pentagon spokesman John Kirby: The US believes Russia has withdrawn all its units from around Kyiv and Chernihiv.
John Kirby, the Pentagon spokesman, has been giving the daily US update on the war in Ukraine. He confirmed that the US believes Russia has withdrawn all its units from around Kyiv and Chernihiv into Belarus and then east into Russia, - The Guardian reports.
He said the US believes those units could be refitted and resupplied and then sent into eastern Ukraine.
“We have seen some early indications that the Russians are in fact trying to resupply and reinforce their efforts in the Donbas,” Kirby said.
He referred to images of a column of Russian vehicles heading south towards the town of Izyum. “We believe that these are the early stages of a reinforcement effort by the Russians in the Donbas,” he said.
It’s not clear to us how many vehicles are in this convoy and what exactly they’re bringing. It does seem to be a mix of personnel-carrying vehicles as well as armoured vehicles and maybe some artillery, maybe some enabling capabilities.
Kirby had no confirmation on Russian claims to have struck Ukraine’s recently-acquired S-300 anti-aircraft system.
“We have seen the Russians hit airfields in the last couple of weeks... just over the last day or so,” he said.
What exactly they’re targeting at those fields is not perfectly clear to us, but I would just say this about Ukrainian air defense: they still have a lot of their air defense capability available to them. They have been asking for more, and so we are working with allies and partners to help get long-range air defense systems into Ukraine.
21.20 The President of Ukraine, PM of Netherlands discuss defense support for Ukraine, tougher sanctions against russia.
The President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky discussed defense support for Ukraine and tougher sanctions against russia with Prime Minister of the Netherlands Mark Rutte.
"Continued dialogue with Prime Minister of the Netherlands Mark Rutte. Discussed defense support for in our counteraction to russia's aggression, the need to enhance sanctions and punish all those guilty of the horrible crimes of the aggressor in Ukraine. We will continue to coordinate efforts to achieve peace in!" Zelensky said on Twitter.
21:00 Defense Ministry of Ukraine: Ukraine ready for any scenario of war.
Ukraine cannot allow itself to underestimate the enemy and is ready for any scenario of war.
"We must not underestimate the enemy, the Russian army. In the end, it outnumbers [the Ukrainian army], it has many military equipment and weapons. We must realize this. They have enough missiles, even after they launched more than a thousand here. And we must understand this also. Therefore, we are ready for any scenario, and we are ready to consider any scenario, and there is a threat of these scenarios. This is a very difficult, exhausting struggle," Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine Hanna Malyar said during the nationwide telethon, - Ukrinform reports.
According to the deputy minister, the extremely powerful and heroic defense of Mariupol should be considered in the context of the whole state because the city now concentrates a large number of Russian troops, actually retains them and prevents them from advancing in other directions.
All possible measures are taken and means are used to save "people and the whole situation" there, - Malyar added.
20:00 High Representative of the European Union Josep Borrell: EU to help document war crimes committed by Russia in Ukraine.
The European Union intends to assist the Prosecutor Generals of the International Criminal Court and Ukraine in collecting evidence of war crimes committed by Russia in Ukraine.
High Representative of the European Union Josep Borrell announced this after the meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the EU member states in Luxembourg on Monday.
Borrell said that this morning he had a meeting with the Prosecutor General of the International Criminal Court. According to the official, they talked about how to make Russia bear responsibility for massive violations of international law. They will provide assistance by documenting war crimes.
In addition, according to him, together with the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, as well as along with the Prosecutor General of Ukraine, the ministers discussed the current situation through a video conference. The High Representative of the EU said they will support both prosecutors financially and through their team, which is on site, this is the EU Advisory Mission, which was in Ukraine before the war. Now they will work in cooperation with the Ukrainian side, with the Prosecutor General, to guarantee the investigation and collection of evidence on the ground.
19:35 General Staff: operational information as of on 18.00 on April 11, 2022 regarding the Russian invasion. Key points:
- A russian troops does not abandon plans to fully capture the territory of Donetsk and Luhansk oblast.
- The enemy continues to partially block the city of Kharkiv, firing from multiple rocket launchers, artillery and mortars.
- The occupiers are trying to keep the borders that were captured earlier in the area of the city of Izium.
- In the Donetsk and Tavriya directions, the enemy unsuccessfuly tried to storm the city of Siverodonetsk and used the Tochka-U tactical missile system attacking Popasna town.
- In the city of Mariupol, the enemy is carrying out assault operations in some areas of the city.
- In the South Buh direction, the ccupiers are trying to improve the tactical situation and gain a foothold on the administrative borders of the Kherson region.
19:05 The Mayor Kharkiv Ihor Terekhov: Russian troops already damage more than 1,600 high-rise buildings in Kharkiv.
More than 1,600 high-rise apartment buildings have been destroyed or damaged in Kharkiv city as a result of Russian attacks.
"The aggressor continues to bomb residential neighborhoods of Kharkiv. A total of 1,617 high-rise apartment buildings have been destroyed since the beginning of the war," Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov said in an interview with CNN, the press service of the Kharkiv City Council informs.
According to him, the shelling continued on Saturday and Sunday. On Sunday evening, the enemy fired cruise missiles. People are suffering as there are killed and injured, the infrastructure of Kharkiv is being destroyed, the mayor added.
As Terekhov stressed, the Ukrainian military is defending the city. Thanks to their heroic efforts and the help of Western partners, including the United Kingdom, which supply weapons, the Armed Forces of Ukraine have the ability to fight effectively.
According to the mayor, despite the war, many people do not want to leave their hometown although they have the opportunity to evacuate.
Terekhov also said that Ukraine needed weapons, political support, and humanitarian aid from its allies. The city receives products, medicines, and basic necessities but they are constantly given out to people.
18:35 The Head of the Luhansk Regional Military Administration Serhiy Haidai: Ukrainian defenders down enemy plane in Luhansk region.
In Luhansk region, Ukrainian defenders shot down an enemy plane, the fighting is ongoing. Kreminna, Rubizhne, and Popasna are the hottest spots.
"Our defenders shot down an enemy plane in Luhansk region. The fighting is ongoing, the enemy suffers losses," Head of the Luhansk Regional Military Administration Serhiy Haidai posted on Facebook.
17:50 The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valerii Zaluzhnyi: We are in touch with the defenders of Mariupol, we are doing everything possible and impossible.
The Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Valerii Zaluzhnyi stated that the authorities are doing everything possible and impossible to defend Mariupol, Pravda reports.
"The defence of Mariupol continues.
Contact with the units of the defence forces that are heroically holding the city is stable and being maintained.
I emphasise that conducting defence operations is not a topic for public discussion.
We are doing everything possible and impossible to win and save the lives of personnel and civilians on all fronts", Valerii Zaluzhnyi says on Facebook.
17:30 The President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy: So far we can't say we won battle for Kyiv.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky believes that it is too early to say the country has won the battle for Kyiv.
The president made the comment in an interview with CBS News, Ukrinform reports.
“I think so, but it's not the final victory. I'm not sure it's the last one. I'm sure we can't say we won the battle for Kyiv. What would then be the price to lose something? I can't assess things this way,” Zelensky said in response to the question, whether he thinks he won the battle for Kyiv.
He said that this can be confirmed only after "we win this war, once we’ve liberated our territories."
16:50 Handelsblatt: Rheinmetal proposing up to 50 Leopard 1A5 and up to 60 armored personnel carriers Murder heavy tanks for delivery to Ukraine within 6 weeks.
News agency Handelsblatt citing the general director of Rheinmetal Armin Papperger informed that German weapon forgery Rheinmetall prepares for potential delivery of 50 Leopard 1 tanks and up to 60 armored personnel carriers Murder to Ukraine. Permissions required for the delivery by the German government are pending.
16:30 The Head of Luhansk Regional Military Administration Serhii Haidai: One person confirmed dead as Russian invaders strike Lysychansk.
Russian troops have attacked Lysychansk, eastern Luhansk region, employing heavy weapons. At least one person has been killed as a missile hit an apartment block.
Luhansk Regional Military Administration chief Serhii Haidai has reported the news on Facebook, Ukrinform reported.
“The Russian fascists have fired heavy weapons on Lysychansk... A direct hit at a high-rise building, the SES (State Emergency Service - ed.) crew is continuing to clear the rubble. We already have one victim confirmed,” writes the official.
16:00 Deputy Head of the President’s Office Ihor Zhovkva: Ukraine could join EU in coming years.
Ukraine is likely to join the European Union within years.
That’s according to a diplomatic adviser to the President of Ukraine, Deputy Head of the President’s Office Ihor Zhovkva, who spoke with European Pravda, Ukrinform reports.
"Our accession to the EU will definitely come within years… We really deserve it, we have made enough efforts to reform the economy and transform our legislation. And now, in repelling Russian aggression, we are not stopping for a moment to become closer to Europe. We are worth it and we will get exactly that," the official said.
15:40 General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine shows the footage of UAV “Orlan-10” downed by paratroopers of the 79th Air Assault Brigade.
15:20 The President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy: The Ukrainian authorities are working to create an international tribunal to bring Russia to justice for crimes committed on Ukrainian territory.
"We are working on the creation of an international tribunal to bring the occupiers to justice. We are developing an international mechanism to compensate for the damage caused to our state. We will rebuild everything that has been destroyed, we will punish every guilty person," Zelenskyy wrote on the Telegram channel on Monday.
15:00 Ministry of Defence of Ukraine press service: Russia lost 137 helicopters in Ukraine.
During 45 days of the war in Ukraine, Russian forces lost 137 helicopters, which is much more than in the four wars they fought earlier.
The relevant statement was posted by the press service of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense on Facebook, Ukrinform reports.
For comparison: during 45 days of the war in Ukraine, Russia lost 137 helicopters. In the first Chechen war, Russia lost 21 helicopters, in the second Chechen war - 36 helicopters, in the war in Georgia - 3 helicopters, in the war in Syria - 23 helicopters. That is, during four wars, Russia lost 83 helicopters, the Defense Ministry said.
14:25 The Head of the Dnipropetrovsk Regional Council Mykola Lukashuk: Over 10 missiles fired by invaders in Dnipropetrovsk region per day, one shot down.
An enemy missile was shot down over Dnipropetrovsk region, in just a day the Russian invaders fired more than ten missiles at the region, many rescuers were injured, press officer of the Main Directorate of the State Emergency Service in Dnipropetrovsk region Yevhenia Dudka is among them, head of the regional council Mykola Lukashuk said. Read more.
14:00 The Head of the Luhansk Regional Military Administration Serhiy Haidai: More than 600 civilians evacuated from Luhansk region.
Head of the Luhansk Regional Military Administration Serhiy Haidai wrote this on Facebook, Ukrinform reports.
"Ukraine does not abandon its people! More than 600 people have been evacuated from Luhansk region to safety‼ With the help of the patrol police, religious organization and volunteers, it has become possible today to evacuate 65 residents of Kreminna, 20 residents of Rubizhne, 10 residents of Popasna, 516 people from Lysychansk and Severodonetsk,” the governor wrote.
13:30 The President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky: Russian forces destroy over 900 educational facilities, almost 300 hospitals.
As many as 938 educational facilities and almost 300 hospitals have been destroyed as a result of Russian attacks during the full-scale war in Ukraine.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said this in his speech to the parliament of South Korea, Ukrinform reported.
"Russian missiles and airstrikes are destroying oil depots, destroying food warehouses, airports, train stations, manufacturing plants, and universities. To date, 938 educational facilities have been destroyed. Almost 300 hospitals have been destroyed,” Zelensky said.
13:01 French Embassy in Ukraine: French gendarmes arrived in Ukraine to help investigate Russian war crimes.
According to the French Ambassador to Ukraine, Etienne de Poncins, the gendarmes are already in Lviv and would start work tomorrow. He said France is the first to provide such assistance.
The group of specialists from the French Internal Affairs Ministry will assist Ukraine to identify and gather evidence of violence in Bucha and other cities in the Kyiv region, the French Embassy wrote in a statement. Their work will contribute to the investigation by the International Criminal Court.
The group consists of two forensic experts and 15 gendarmes of the IRCGN, the Institute of forensic research of the National Gendarmerie in France, as well as experts in investigation of crime scenes and identification of victims. The specialists will help examine the bodies of deceased and identify them. Also, they will deploy a laboratory for DNA analysis.
12:32 Eduard Heger, Slovakian Prime Minister has refuted the claim that Russians have destroyed their S-300 system
According to the official, Russian propaganda unreasonably claimed that the S-300 air defense missile system, which was previously delivered to Ukraine, was destroyed. The respective messages started to appear on Russian media on Sunday, following the report from the Russian defense ministry on the destruction of Ukrainian air defense capabilities.
11:38 Anton Gerashchenko officially invited Hungarian media to Bucha to prove that Russia's war crimes were not staged
The Adviser to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Anton Gerashchenko published an open invitation on his Telegram channel. He said Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban demanded proof that the Russian Army’s war crimes in Bucha were not staged.
"In this regard, tomorrow, 04/12/2022, I invite Hungarian journalists to visit Bucha and other places in Kiev region to see with their own eyes the destruction left by Russians, the true evidence of atrocities and mass graves, you’ll be able to communicate with the survivors, hear about their disappeared and dead family members. I will personally accompany you to inspect the area and arrange safe transport from Kyiv to the war scenes."
Earlier Viktor Orban's denial of the Bucha killings was condemned by several authorities, one of them being Ukrainian MFA Spokesperson Oleg Nikolenko. He said, "Hungary’s reluctance to acknowledge Russia's responsibility for atrocities in Bucha ... encourages it to commit new crimes."
According to Politico, Poland’s most powerful politician Jaroslaw Kaczynski also sharply commented on the Hungarian PM's position: "When Orbán says that he cannot see what happened in Bucha, he must be advised to see an eye doctor."
11:30 Air Force of Ukraine: over the past day, Ukrainian air defense neutralized 11 air targets
On April 10, the Russian occupiers' losses amount to:
- 1 aircraft;
- 4 helicopters;
- 3 unmanned aerial vehicles;
- 3 cruise missiles.
Which makes 154 aircraft and 137 helicopters in total.
11:24 Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba warns of Russia plotting an informational campaign to thwart lethal aid supplies to Ukraine.
"Russia knows arms supplies are essential for Ukraine and mobilizes all efforts to undermine them. Moscow prepared a massive info campaign targeting foreign media and politicians. Their troll factory may spam emails and flood comments with disinfo on Ukraine. Don’t fall for it," the Minister wrote on Twitter.
11:08 Prosecutor General's Office: 183 children were killed due to the Russian armed aggression, Vilkhivka is almost completely destroyed.
As of the 11th of April, 525 children were harmed by the war: 183 were killed and 342 injured. These numbers are not comprehensive, because data collection in the temporarily occupied territories is still ongoing. Bombardments and artillery shelling caused damage to 938 educational facilities, some 87 of them are completely ruined.
Also, the recently liberated Vilkhivka village of the Kharkiv region is almost annihilated by the occupiers. During the overview, officers of the Security Service of Ukraine established that most of the residential buildings, subsidiary farms, civilian transport, a local school and stores were damaged or entirely destroyed.
10:39 Luhansk region administration: Ukrainian forces have destroyed a Russian ammunition storage
The facility was burning for 2,5 hours. It is located near one of the occupied settlements of the Luhansk region, so Russian propaganda is trying to accuse the Ukrainian military of shelling residential buildings, which is not true, confirms Sergey Haidai, Head of the Luhansk region state administration.
10:07 Land Forces of Ukraine: 59th Motorized Brigade has published footage of mortar fire on Russian positions.
"A day should be started with a warm-up. Even if you don't want to," the brigade wrote along with the video of troops scattering from a morning shelling by Ukrainian artillerymen. "Guys from the 59th Motorized Brigade named after Yakiv Handziuk by all means help [the Russians] get a vital charge of vivacity by organizing a morning run and push-ups."
09:14 Anton Gerashchenko, the MIA Adviser: Finland and Sweden are set to join NATO as soon as summer
According to The Times magazine, Russia has made a "massive strategic blunder" as Finland and Sweden look poised to join NATO as early as the summer, according to officials.
Washington is banking on the move that will stretch Russia’s military and enlarge the western alliance from 30 to 32 members as a direct consequence of President Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. US officials said NATO membership for both Nordic countries was "a topic of conversation and multiple sessions" during talks between the alliance’s foreign ministers last week attended by Sweden and Finland.
Finland’s application is expected in June, with Sweden expected to follow.
09:03 Ministry of Defense of Ukraine reports the total combat losses of the Russian Federation from 24.02 to 11.04:
Personnel – about 19500 people;
Tanks ‒ 725 units;
APV ‒ 1923 units;
Artillery systems – 347 units;
MLRS – 111 units;
Anti-aircraft warfare systems – 55 units;
Aircraft – 154 units;
Helicopters – 137 units;
Vehicles – 1387 units;
Boats / cutters – 7 units;
Fuel tanks – 76 units;
UAV operational-tactical level – 119 units;
Special equipment – 25 units;
Mobile SRBM system – 4 units.
Data are being updated. The calculation is complicated by the high intensity of hostilities.
08:47 Institute for the Study of War: Russian forces made territorial gains in Mariupol in the past 24 hours and bisected Mariupol from the city center to the coast on April 10, according to the US-based Institute for the Study of War. Russians have isolated the remaining Ukrainian defenders in two main locations – the main port of Mariupol in the southwest, and the "Azovstal" steel plant in the east:
"Several geolocated videos released by pro-Russian accounts on April 10 confirm that Russian assaults from downtown Mariupol captured the fishing port west of the Azovstal steel plant, likely confirming Russian control of the city center as well"
In other directions, Russian forces again made little to no progress in frontal assaults in the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts but continue to cohere further reinforcements. Among other units, they are reinforcing the offensive in Izyum to link up with Russian positions in Luhansk Oblast.
08:32 General Staff: operational information as of 06:00, 11.04.2022 regarding the Russian invasion. Key points:
- Russians continue to form an offensive group in the Slobozhanshchyna direction and are likely to continue the advance
- Russia is preparing some units for redeployment into Ukraine, struggling with the enlistment of drivers to the army
- There is a possibility of provocation by Russian forces in the territory of the unrecognized Transnistria region of Moldova in order to accuse Ukraine of aggression against the neighboring country
- It is expected that the invaders will continue to attack transport infrastructure to thwart the supplies to the frontline
- the enemy continues the shelling and blockade of Kharkiv, recon of Ukrainian positions in Izium and assault on Mariupol. In the latter, fighting continues near the "Azovstal" plant and in the port area
- in the Donetsk and Luhansk operational directions, Ukrainian forces repelled four attacks over the past 24 hours. 5 tanks, 8 armored and 6 soft-skinned vehicles, and 8 artillery systems were destroyed by the Ukrainian army.
08:15 Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal: the first 1B hryvnyas were sent from the Ukrainian reserve fund for the restoration of the territories liberated from Russian occupation.
The money would be spent on rebuilding the engineering networks, and systems of heat, gas, water and electrical supply. The expenses will also include clearing rubble, changing windows and doors, refit of the roads and other urgent needs, said the official. 400 million would go to the Kyiv region, Chernihiv and Sumy regions would receive 250 million each, and another 100 million hryvnyas go to the Zhytomyr region.
"This is only the first stage, and there will be a lot more work to rebuild our country. We will go straight to it after our victory," the Prime Minister of Ukraine said.
07:18 (Updated) UK Ministry of Defence has published an intelligence update on Ukraine:
- Russian forces' prior use of phosphorous munitions in the Donetsk Oblast (Region) raises the possibility of their future employment in Mariupol as fighting for the city intensifies.
- Russian shelling has continued in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, with Ukrainian forces repulsing several assaults resulting in the destruction of Russian tanks, vehicles, and artillery equipment.
- Russia’s continued reliance on unguided bombs decreases its ability to discriminate when targeting and conducting strikes while greatly increasing the risk of further civilian casualties.
Previous intel on the Russian war crimes, recorded on April 10:
- Further evidence of alleged Russian war crimes continues to emerge following Russian withdrawal from northern Ukraine. This includes the reported discovery of a makeshift grave containing deceased Ukrainian civilians near Burzova.
- Allegations of sexual violence perpetrated by Russian military personnel persist.
It is likely that the mentioned mass grave is the one in Buzova village, where dozens of civilians were found dead after Russian forces withdrew at the end of March. Taras Didych, head of the Dmytrivka community that includes Buzova and several other nearby villages, told Ukrainian television that the bodies were found in a ditch near a petrol station, according to Reuters. The number of dead is yet to be confirmed, the Guardian reports.
A later report from Reuters said a grave with at least two civilians' bodies has been found in Buzova village.
01:00 The World Bank new report: Ukraine's economic output will likely contract by a staggering 45.1% this year as Russia's invasion has shuttered businesses, slashed exports and rendered economic activity impossible in large swaths of the country.
The World Bank also forecast Russia's 2022 GDP output to fall 11.2% due to punishing financial sanctions imposed by the United States and its Western allies on Russia's banks, state-owned enterprises and other institutions.
The World Bank's "War in the Region" economic update said the Eastern Europe region, comprising Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova, is forecast to show a GDP contraction of 30.7% this year, due to shocks from the war and disruption of trade.
Growth in 2022 in the Central Europe region, comprising Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Poland and Romania, will be cut to 3.5% from 4.7% previously due to the influx of refugees, higher commodity prices and deteriorating confidence hurting demand.
For Ukraine, the World Bank report estimates that over half of the country's businesses are closed, while others still open are operating at well under normal capacity. The closure of Black Sea shipping from Ukraine has cut off some 90% of the country's grain exports and half of its total exports.
The World Bank said the war has rendered economic activity impossible in large swaths of the country, and is disrupting agricultural planting and harvest operations.
Estimates of infrastructure damage exceeding $100 billion by early March - about two-thirds of Ukraine's 2019 GDP - are well out of date "as the war has raged on and caused further damage."
00:40 President Joe Biden will meet virtually with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, the White House said.
"President Biden will continue our close consultations on the consequences of Russia's brutal war against Ukraine and mitigating its destabilizing impact on global food supply and commodity markets," Press Secretary Jen Psaki said in a statement on Sunday.
00:20 Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Monday. He hoped to help build bridges between Russia and Ukraine and stop the "war of aggression".
Nehammer's meeting would be the first face-to-face encounter between Putin and a European Union leader since Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, triggering a broad Western effort to isolate Moscow.
00:05 The Deputy Defense Minister of Ukraine Hanna Maliar during telemarafon on Ukrainian TV: There is no stabilization being observed in Ukraine as the Russians are massing troops, while their ultimate goal is to grab the whole of Ukraine.
"People are waiting for news every day, but certain military operations take days and sometimes weeks. And what’s happening now seems to be a kind of stabilization, but in fact it’s not. Now the enemy is accumulating forces, there is no calm, no stabilization. The Russian army is trying to fulfill its minimum plan – to seize the east of Ukraine. If they continue to change their plans in line with the operational situation, we must understand that their ultimate goal is the whole of Ukraine," said Maliar.
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 the visit to Kyiv, European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen handed over a questionnaire for the EU candidate country status to the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and said proceeding to the next stage of membership would be "a matter of weeks"
- 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 the provision of concrete security guarantees for Ukraine; the negotiations continue "non-stop" in an online format; President Zelenskyy expressed readiness to directly talk with Putin.
Read more: Day 46th of War Between Ukraine and Russian Federation (Live Updates)
