Press digest – Ukraine

53th day of heroic resistance of Ukraine against Russian military invasion

 #BRAVEUKRAINE 

Bravery is Ukraine’s newest export. We tell the world: Be Brave like Ukraine 🇺🇦💪

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📌 Photo of the day

Fresh graves in Irpin after russian occupation. Photo: David Guttenfelder for The New York Times

DESTRUCTION AND LOSSES

📌Due to the armed aggression of the Russian Federation in Ukraine, 202 children were killed and more than 361 were injured. Children suffered the most in: Donetsk region — 117, Kyiv region — 106, Kharkiv — 89, Chernihiv region — 54, Kherson region — 41, Mykolaiv region — 40, Luhansk region — 36, Zaporizhia region — 23, capital — 16, Sumy region — 16, Zhytomyr region — 15.

📌April 15, due to the shelling of the village, 15 years old boy died in Havrylivka, Novooleksandrivskyi district, Kherson region.

📌April 16, in the Izium district of Kharkiv region, the invaders fired at a car, trying to evacuate a family from the city of Izium. A 15 years old girl was injured.

📌The body of a 14-year-old boy has been found during the recording of criminal offenses committed by the Russian military in the Bucha district of Kyiv region.

📌Chemical weapons might have been found in the Sumy region at the positions left by the Russian troops, says the mayor of Trostianets Yuri Bova.

📌During the mine clearing, three combat engineers were killed by Russian cluster munitions near Kharkiv. Four more were injured — Denis Monastyrsky reported.

📌In the morning of April 17th, a missile strike has been made on the city of Brovary, Kyiv region, infrastructure facilities has been damaged, reported Mayor Ihor Sapozhko.

📌In Borodyanka of Kyiv region, the bodies of 41 victims were taken out from the rubble, — SESU. Since April 6, five multistory residential buildings have been dismantled in the village, and two more are in queue.

📌 Five people were killed and 13 were injured in the shelling of central Kharkiv today.

📌 In Trostyanets, five children have been blown up by mines and trip wirereported the mayor.

📌 Russian troops hit the center of Zolote in Luhansk region: two civilians were killed and 4 wounded — the head of the regional state administration Serhiy Haidai reported.

📌In the Donetsk and Tavriya directions, the enemy continues to launch air strikes on Mariupol. Conducted assault operations near the seaport. Units of the 810th and 155th separate Marine brigades are being prepared for the landing naval operation. The information is currently being clarified.

📌More than 400 graves were dug out in the new cemetery in Severodonetsk. This was announced by the head of the Luhansk Regional Military Administration Serhiy Haidai. Currently, there are about 20,000 residents in Severodonetsk who have been advised to leave the city.

RUSSIAN CONTEXT

⚠️Russians will be punished for identifying the USSR with Nazi Germany during World War II. The corresponding law was signed by Putin. It also establishes administrative responsibility for denying the “decisive role” and “humanitarian mission” of the USSR in World War II.

⚠️Russia’s blockade of ports in the Black Sea may provoke a global food disaster that will lead to hunger, mass migration and political instability in the world — UN. Ukraine’s repositories are overflowing with grain, which helps feed 400 million people worldwide each year.

⚠️British intelligence reports that Russian troops continue to re-deploy combat and support equipment from Belarus to Kharkiv and Severodonetsk to resume the attack.

“Although Russia’s operational focus has shifted to eastern Ukraine, Russia’s ultimate objective remains the same. It is committed to compelling Ukraine to abandon Euro-Atlantic orientation and assorting its own regional dominance.” — the statement said.

⚠️According to the available information in the unrecognized Transnistria Moldavian Republic, with the participation of representatives of the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation, the combat capability of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd separate motorized

rifle brigades of the Transnistria armed forces has been tested. The inspected units are not ready for combat operations.

 

DEFENSE UPDATES

📌 Estimated losses of the Russian Federation Army in Ukraine:

 

📌Ukrainian defenders destroyed 13 enemy air targets in one day: 1 plane; 1 helicopter; 5 unmanned aerial vehicles; 6 cruise missiles.

📌President Zelensky invited Macron to Ukraine: he wants him to see with his own eyes the atrocities of the Russian military and understand that this is not just a war, but the genocide of the Ukrainian people.
📌Ukraine has already completed the questionnaire required for EU accession. This was reported in the Office of the President. This document will be submitted to the European

Commission, which will assess whether Ukraine meets the criteria to become a member of the European Union. 

The European Commission is expected to confirm Ukraine’s compliance with the necessary criteria and will recommend that EU member states grant Ukraine candidate status. This decision is expected in June.

📌In Mariupol, the invaders announced that they would provide the defenders of the city with a “corridor” for captivity, but Ukrainian fighters continue to defend themselves.

📌Also the Mariupol group of the Russian troops has drastically weakened. Said Oleksii Arestovych. The invaders have thrown all their means into battle and are dropping free-fall bombs on the city to have at least some kind of victory. Even the most modern samples of Russian weapons cannot cope.

📌Kadyrov’s Tik-Tokers fired from a tank at the already occupied districts of Mariupol for video, — adviser to the mayor of the city Petro Andryushchenko reported.  There have been no Ukrainian soldiers for more than 20 days, but there is a civilian population.

📌AFU stopped an unsuccessful Rashists attack in Donetsk region. The invaders tried to launch an attack near Mar’iinka and Krasnohorivka in the Donetsk region. One person was killed in the shelling.

📌In the Donetsk region, another Russian multipurpose unmanned aerial vehicle complex “Orlan-10” has been destroyed by the air defense unit.

📌Russia supposedly preparing a landing in Mariupol — the Ministry of Defense is checking the information.

📌 During a telephone conversation with Putin, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi tried to persuade him to end the war and talk to Volodymyr Zelensky. However Putin replied: “It’s not time yet.” He also rejected the ceasefire proposal.

📌 In the Odesa region, the SSU neutralized a network of agents working for the Russians and detained three agents. They tried to commit sabotage and stage rallies.

📌 The occupiers say that Melitopol will be Russia, but there is no question of a referendum. They understand that even under the muzzles of machine guns, they will not receive votes and support from the citizens remained in the city today — the Mayor of Melitopol Fedorov reported.

HUMANITARIAN CORRIDORS AND EVACUATION UPDATES

📌 As of the morning of April 17, no agreement had been reached with the Russian occupiers on a ceasefire on evacuation routes and on the evacuation of civilians. This was announced by Deputy Prime Minister — Minister for Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories Iryna Vereshchuk.

📌 Vereshchuk said that the Ukrainian authorities once again demand the opening of a humanitarian corridor for the evacuation of civilians, especially women and children, from Mariupol.

 

PUBLIC AND BUSINESS SUPPORT

📌Cary Fukunaga, the director of “No Time to Die”, rescued a dog from under rubbles in the city of Dergachi, near Kharkiv. This was written by chef Jose Andres, the founder of World Central Kitchen, with whom Cary Fukunaga makes free lunches for Ukrainians.

📌Residents of Cetinje, Montenegro every day go out for rallies in support of the Ukrainian people and army.

📌Legendary rock musician Sting gave a concert on the iconic London stage Palladium with Ukrainian cellist Yaroslava Trofimchuk. All proceeds will be donated to the Help Ukraine Center, a volunteer and logistics center founded by Ukrainian businessmen to attract humanitarian and medical aid from around the world.

📌In solidarity with Ukraine tech show was held in South Korea. With the help of drones they drew the flag of Ukraine and the message of peace.

📌 People in Vilnius went on strike to declare the crimes of Russian soldiers – rape of women and abuse of children in Ukraine.

📌 The White House souvenir shop dedicated a commemorative coin to Volodymyr Zelensky in the collection of global historical moments. The coin honors the courage of the President of Ukraine, who did not leave the country in the face of a full-scale war, but gave a worthy rebuff to the enemy. It costs $100, and the proceeds from the sale will go to humanitarian aid to Ukrainians.

📌 Prince Harry and his wife Megan Markle performed at the opening ceremony of the Invictus Games. It is international Paralympic-style sports competitions. Servicemen who were injured during their duty service, take part in the games.

This year the Ukrainian team was able to come to the competition in Canada. Megan Markle greeted the Ukrainian team with the words “Glory to Ukraine”, followed by Prince Harry. He said that the representatives of Ukraine take part in the Invictus Games not only to show their strength, but also to tell the world the truth: “You know that we are with you. The world is united with you, and, of course, you deserve more.”

📌200 sets of bulletproof vests were transferred to the forefront thanks to the crypto fund “Aid For Ukraine”.

 

INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT OF UKRAINE

📌The EU allocates another €50 million in humanitarian funding to support people affected by Russia’s war against Ukraine.

📌The United States is urging its allies to provide Ukraine with more artillery and ammunition, expecting an intensified Russian attacks.

📌Belgian ports will stop serving Russian-flagged commercial ships from 17th of April. This is happening to fulfill the 5th package of EU sanctions in connection with the aggression of Russia.

📌 The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Boris Johnson delivered part of his Easter address in Ukrainian: “Be strong and have courage in your heart, all of you who trust in God”.

📌 An action against the war crimes of the Russian occupiers took place near the Russian embassy in the United States.

📌 European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that the sixth package of EU sanctions could include restrictive measures against Russia’s Sberbank, as well as an oil embargo mechanism against Russia.

📌 Bulgaria joined European countries and banned Russian ships from entering their ports.

📌 Latvia has contributed 100 thousand euros to support the work of the International Criminal Court in The Hague to investigate Russian war crimes against Ukraine

📌 The French government sent 11 fire engines, 11 ambulances, 2 multi-purpose vehicles and 54 tons of search and rescue equipment.

📌 The Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Parliament Marketa Pekarova-Adamova put up for auction gifts with the image of the State Duma building and the image of the Russian House. They were donated by Russian officials and kept in the Czech Parliament Museum. As a result of the auction, 10 thousand euros were raised. The money will be used to purchase bulletproof vests for servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

 

📌 Tweet of the day 

The occupiers will be responsible for everything they did in Ukraine. For everything they did to Ukrainians. They will be responsible for Bucha, Kramatorsk, Volnovakha, Okhtyrka. For Hostomel and Borodyanka. For Izyum, for Mariupol and all other cities and communities of Ukraine, which the Russian army has pulled back in time for 80 years. To that terrible period, about which everyone in the world has always said: “Never again.”