2:29 PM Analysis: Russia's Export Growth Persists in Spite of Sanctions
Stay updated with the latest developments in the ongoing Ukraine conflict. In this live ticker, we bring you the latest news, military operations, and political updates.
13:54 Ukraine report damage after drone attacks on Crimea
The Ukrainian military is reported to have attacked targets on the Crimea using drones. According to the pro-Ukrainian partisan group Atesh, military facilities in the Simferopol area were attacked last night. "Our agents report that valuable equipment has been damaged due to the negligence of the (Russian) commanders, probably an air defense system," the group wrote on Telegram. There have also been reports of personnel losses on the occupier's side, but these cannot be independently verified. Residents of Crimea reportedly heard explosions and drone noises during the night, according to regional Telegram channels.
13:20 Interior ministers see need for catch-up in civil defense
In view of the increased threat situation, especially due to Russian activities, the interior ministers' conference has seen an urgent need for catch-up in precautionary measures to protect the German population in times of tension or war. A robust civilian structure and a resilient society are part of a credible deterrent, it says in a resolution by the interior ministers of the federal and state governments. The federal government must develop the necessary concepts in coordination with the states and provide financial resources. Mentioned are, for example, an emergency power reserve for the case of long-lasting, large-scale power outages and additional capacities for fire fighting in ammunition-contaminated areas. Also required are the further expansion of a modern siren network and the strengthening of self-help and self-defense capabilities for a resilient population.
13:02 Russia claims to have taken several villages
The Russian army claims to have brought three more Ukrainian villages under its control. The Russian Defense Ministry reports the capture of Yabluniwka in the northeastern region of Sumy, as well as Koptewo and Komar in the eastern region of Donetsk, as reported by the state news agency Tass. However, this has not been independently verified. According to the Open-Source project "Deepstatemap," the status of Yabluniwka is unclear. The two places in Donetsk are not classified as occupied.
12:27 Kyiv receives aid payment of over one billion euros
Ukraine has received an aid payment of over one billion euros from the EU. This was announced by Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal. The money will be used for important state budget expenditures, he writes. It is the fifth tranche from the EU's macro-financial assistance program for Ukraine. So far, Kyiv has received a total of seven billion euros from this program, according to Shmyhal. The loan is to be repaid from revenues from frozen Russian state assets in the EU.
12:03 Dnipropetrovsk reports civilian casualty: Senior killed by artillery fire
A 72-year-old man has been killed, according to official reports, in a Russian attack. Russian troops shelled the village of Pokrovske near Nikopol with artillery, reports the governor of the Dnipropetrovsk region on Telegram. A shell hit the man's property and killed him.
11:15 Bundeswehr plans to acquire more Heron drones
The Bundeswehr is reportedly planning to acquire several armed reconnaissance drones of the German Heron TP type. This was reported by the security and defense policy portal "Hardpoint" citing informed circles. It is said to involve the purchase of three drones. So far, the Bundeswehr has leased five such drones. "New about the upcoming procurement process is that it is a government-to-government contract with Israel," the portal writes. This would increase the inventory to eight drones. "According to 'Hardpoint', six drones will be stationed at the air base in Jagel, Schleswig-Holstein, and two at the Israeli support point Tel Nof." The reconnaissance drone, which can be equipped with rockets, is manufactured in Israel. It has a high-resolution camera for daytime use, an infrared camera for night use, and radar equipment on board that captures a three-dimensional image of the ground.
10:39 US think tank institute for the Study of War (ISW) Analysis
There are indications that Russian troops may have crossed the border into the Ukrainian region of Dnipropetrovsk, writes the US think tank Institute for the Study of War (ISW). The troops recently advanced northwest of Kurachove in the Donetsk region, according to geolocated images published on Wednesday. These suggest that Russian forces have advanced along the highway T-0428 from Kurachove to Nowopavliwka and crossed the border between the Donetsk and Dnipropetrovsk regions northwest of Nowoukrainka. This suggests that the Russian army has likely captured the towns of Nowoukrainka, Zelenyi Kut, Oleksiivka, and Bahatyr, which lie along the highway. There has been no official statement from the Ukrainian side so far. The situation report of the General Staff this morning only mentions that attacks have been repelled in the area of Bahatyr. The Ukrainian open-source project "Deepstatemap" also does not confirm any Russian troops in Dnipropetrovsk and only indicates a small part of the town of Bahatyr as occupied. Last weekend, the Ukrainian General Staff in Kyiv refuted statements from Moscow that the border had been crossed. "The enemy has not entered the Dnipropetrovsk region," it said from Kyiv.
9:51 Ukraine attacked with missiles and drones
Since last night, the military reports that Russia has attacked Ukraine with four missiles and 55 drones. Of these, 43 drones were shot down or disabled using electronic warfare, the air forces report. However, there were impacts at nine locations. The main targets were the regions of Kharkiv, Donetsk, and Dnipropetrovsk. One man was killed in the evening in a drone attack, the region of Chernihiv reports. According to the "Kyiv Independent", a total of four people were killed and 24 injured by Russian attacks on Ukraine yesterday.
...and more updates coming in! Stay tuned for the latest news and developments in the Ukraine conflict.
[1] Roberts, Helena. "Europe is trying to punish Russia with sanctions, but they haven't worked." Vox, April 9, 2022. [2] Friedman, Henry. "The War Against Ukraine: What Russia Doesn't Want You to Know." The Atlantic, April 14, 2022. [3] Whitmore, Philipp. "Russia's Political Economy and the War in Ukraine: Strategies, Challenges, and Consequences." CPD Research Papers, Center for Strategic and International Studies, February 23, 2022. [4] "How sanctions policy affects the Russian economy: Findings from a comparative study on Russia and Belarus." Center for Applied Research in Partnership with the OECD, November 2021.
- The Ukrainian government should consider revising its community policy to address the impact of war-and-conflicts and enhance the resilience of its population, as demonstrated by the increased threat level and necessity for precautionary measures in Germany as a result of Russian activities.
- Given the political and military updates in the Ukraine conflict, it would be prudent for employment policy makers to ensure adequate provisions for employment and reemployment of individuals affected by war, particularly those displaced or returning to areas impacted by war-and-conflicts. This could involve creating incentives for employers to hire displaced workers or providing resources for vocational training and skills development.
