Live Update: Ukraine War +++ 21:32 Ukrainian Air Force Destroys Russian Base in Kursk
Russian military base in Kursk region demolished by air force strikes
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The Ukrainian Air Force has carried out a precise strike on a military facility in Ozerki, a village in the Russian region of Kursk that was actively used by Russian forces. "As a result of the attack, warehouses, several military facilities, and technical equipment were destroyed. Over 30 Russian soldiers were killed, including drone operators and maintenance personnel," the General Staff of the Ukrainian Army reported.
21:10 Belgium Delivers Fighter Jets, Provides One Billion Euros, Considers Peacekeeping Force Participation Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever pledged that Belgium will provide Ukraine with two F-16 fighter jets this year. He also declared that the country would commit a new defense aid package worth one billion euros to finance the purchase of weapons and the production of new types of weapons in Ukraine. "We will deliver more combat aircraft next year," De Wever added. If France, the UK, and Germany deploy peacekeeping troops, Belgium will join them, he stated.
20:50 Spain Gives In to NATO Allies' Pressure and Increases Defense Spending In response to growing pressure from NATO allies, Spain has decided to increase its defense spending by around 2.1 billion euros this year. The government in Madrid plans to channel the funds into defense ministry procurement contracts. Currently, Spain has the lowest defense spending as a percentage of GDP among NATO members, at just 1.3 percent.
20:35 Prosecutors Charge Ukrainian Man for Defecting to Russian Intelligence The prosecutor's office in Kharkiv has accused a 55-year-old man of defecting to Russian intelligence. According to the statement, the suspect, who originally resided on the Crimean Peninsula, has been deployed in and around Kharkiv since February 2024, including killing Ukrainians and carrying out "sabotage acts at important locations on his own initiative and in the interest of Russia."
20:17 Over 12,900 Civilian Deaths Registered United Nations estimates indicate more than 12,900 civilian deaths in Russia's invasion of Ukraine. United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher said before the UN Security Council in New York that nearly 30,700 people have also been injured. Fletcher emphasized that the actual number of casualties is believed to be much higher.
19:59 Zelensky Criticizes US Stance on Russian Attack on Kryvy Rih Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky criticized the US stance on the recent heavy Russian attack on Kryvy Rih and called for more Patriot missile defense systems from the US and other countries to prevent such attacks in the future.
Politics 19:38 Ukraine Offers Allies "Weapon Testing Under Real Combat Conditions" Ukraine's Deputy Defense Minister, Valery Churkin, offered international partners the opportunity to test their weapons in combat situations. He stated that Ukraine offers "product tests under real combat conditions and the development of long-term partnerships through joint ventures."
19:17 Hackers Stir War Panic in Czech Republic Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala's X account was hacked, and unknown individuals wrote that Russian troops had attacked Czech forces near Kaliningrad. A government spokeswoman later confirmed that the post about the attack on Czech soldiers was not true. The false claims were intended to cause panic or confusion amid increasing tensions between NATO and Russia.
18:48 Dozen of Drones Destroy Russian Rocket Depot A Ukrainian drone attack on the Shaykovka airbase caused severe damage to a depot containing Ch-22/32 missiles and a maintenance hangar. The attack occurred in the night of March 31st. Local authorities reported 24 drones that attacked the site in the morning, making it the fourth such attack on Shaykovka since October 2022.
18:25 European Heads of State Battle Against Irrelevance When leaders of the supporters of Ukraine gather in Brussels this week, the focus will not only be on further aid to Kyiv but also on the future role of the Europeans. The normalization of diplomatic relations between the USA, Russia, and Ukraine through negotiations over a ceasefire is likely to push Europeans to the sidelines.
17:55 US Army Withdraws Troops from Key Polish Airport The US Army Europe and Africa Command reports that personnel and equipment are being withdrawn from the Polish airport Rzeszow-Jasionka. The move comes as US troops are being stationed at other locations and is not related to rumors of plans to withdraw thousands of soldiers from Eastern Europe.
17:33 Kremlin Holds Military Maneuvers in the Arctic Russia's Northern Fleet starts military maneuvers in the Arctic involving 20 ships and 1,500 soldiers. The military exercise is planned and scheduled to last a few days.
17:17 Ukrainian Delegation Travels to the USA for Ground Troops Negotiations Representatives of the Ukrainian government are expected to travel to the USA this week to discuss the draft of a new agreement on ground troops, according to reports by "Bloomberg." There is currently no information regarding whether President Zelensky himself will travel to Washington.
16:49 Drones Disassemble Russian Tank in Serial Attack A recording shows the successful use of a Ukrainian combat drone against a Russian armored personnel carrier. Military expert Ralph Thiele, however, questions the significance of this development.
16:28 Representatives of Russia and the USA to Speak Again Representatives of Russia and the USA will continue their discussions in Istanbul in the coming days. The meeting will be led by the new Russian Ambassador to the USA, Alexander Dartschiyev, and Deputy Secretary of State Sonata Coulter. The main focus remains on the normalization of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
16:07 Kiev Summons Chinese Diplomat The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry summoned the Chinese businessman in Kiev after reports of Ukrainian troops capturing soldiers with Chinese citizenship in eastern Ukraine. The foreign minister accuses China of undermining its claimed stance on peace through its involvement in the Russian invasion.
Politics In Eastern Ukraine Selenskyj Reports Capture of Chinese in Combat
15:45 Mannheim: Judge Orders Investigation into Possible Russia Link of Knife Attacker A judge in the trial of the fatal knife attack on Mannheim Market Square has ordered an investigation into possible connections of the defendant to Russia. The court will seek information from the state criminal police, the Federal Public Prosecutor's Office, and possibly the Federal Intelligence Service. A ZDF program aired on Sunday suggested that the perpetrator had links to Russia due to suspicious search queries days before the attack.
Panorama Suspect Sulaiman A. Stands Trial - Did Mannheim Knife Attacker Have Russia Contacts?
15:25 BSI and BfV Investigate Russian Hacker Attack on German Association The German Society for Eastern European Studies is currently dealing with a suspected Russian-controlled cyberattack. Both the Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) and the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) are involved in the handling and analysis of the incident, which is suspected to be the work of the hacker group APT 29, also known as "Cozy Bear," reportedly controlled by the Russian Intelligence Service.
14:50 Zelensky: China fighting for Kremlin in Ukraine Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reports that Ukrainian troops have captured two Chinese citizens who were fighting in the Russian army in the Donetsk region. Zelensky questioned China's stance on peace and voiced concern that China was indirectly supporting Russia in the war in Europe.
14:30 Ukrainian Soldiers Destroy Russia's Most Valuable Drone Ukrainian soldiers claim to have destroyed a Merlin-VR drone, a high-tech weapon worth $300,000, capable of reaching heights of up to 5,000 meters, staying in the air for 10 hours, and covering distances of up to 600 kilometers.
14:04 Russians Aim to Retake Occupied Village The Russian army claims to have retaken one of the last villages still occupied by Ukraine in the Kursk region, according to the Ministry of Defense in Moscow. Two more border villages remain under the control of Ukrainian forces.
13:38 Saluschnyj: Ukrainian Operations with USA Planned in Hesse Former commander Valeriy Saluschnyj, now Ukraine's ambassador to London, revealed that Ukrainian military operations to repel the Russian invasion were planned together with the USA in Wiesbaden, Hesse.
Politics US Involvement in Operations: Wiesbaden is said to be the location of Ukraine's "secret weapon"
12:31 Ukrainian Brigade: Situation at Lyman Front Significantly Deteriorates The situation at the Lyman Front has reportedly worsened significantly in the past month. "We can confirm that the situation has really deteriorated in the last month," said a spokesperson for the 66th Mechanized Brigade. Russian forces are reportedly applying immense pressure with a substantial amount of infantry, outnumbering Ukrainian troops tenfold.
11:58 US Considers Withdrawing Thousands of Troops from Europe The US Department of Defense is reportedly considering withdrawing around 10,000 soldiers from Eastern Europe, according to unnamed sources cited by NBC. The withdrawal would affect NATO countries Romania and Poland.
11:33 Zelensky Reports New Ukrainian Incursion Zelensky reported that Ukrainian soldiers had entered the Russian region of Belgorod. Meanwhile, Kyiv has requested an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council over possible Russian war crimes, and US President Trump expressed displeasure with Russia's bombardment.
Politics New Russian Offensive Feared Zelensky Confirms Ukrainian Incursion into Belgorod 10:50 Medvedev: "New Countries Will Acquire Nuclear Arsenals" Former Russian President Dmitri Medvedev accuses the West of driving nuclear proliferation through its Ukraine policy. He claims that the West is conducting a proxy war against Russia and pushing the world towards a potential Third World War. "Even with a full cessation of the conflict over the so-called 'Ukraine', nuclear disarmament in the coming decades is impossible," he writes on his Telegram channel.
10:12 Russia Concentrates Attacks on One Front Russian forces launched a total of 159 attacks on Ukrainian defender positions within the past 24 hours. The Pokrovsk Front saw the most attacks, with 52.
09:24 Ukraine: Over 40 Russian Artillery Systems Neutralized The Ukrainian General Staff reported the destruction of a total of 43 Russian artillery systems within the past day, as well as losses of 1290 soldiers. Apart from the artillery systems, Kyiv claims to have destroyed five tanks, 14 armored fighting vehicles, and two air defense systems.
08:41 Kriewald: Russian Offensive with 30,000 Soldiers Feared Since November, Russia has not achieved a decisive breakthrough on Ukrainian territory. Now, Putin is reportedly gathering around 30,000 soldiers in the Donetsk region, raising fears of a new major offensive and further war crimes against the civilian population.
08:25 Ukraine: Russia Attacks with Iskander Missiles and Drones The Ukrainian air force claimed to have shot down nine Russian drones overnight. Russia used a total of 46 drones and one Iskander-M missile, with 31 drones likely failing to reach their targets due to electronic countermeasures.
07:58 Ukraine Reports Russian Attack on Residential Buildings in Dnipropetrovsk Russia attacked the Dnipropetrovsk region with drones and heavy artillery overnight, damaging infrastructure, six residential buildings, and a store, according to the Ukrainska Pravda portal, citing the regional military administration.
07:32 Ukraine to Ramp Up Drone Production to Maximum Ukrainian President Selenskyj announces that the country will ramp up drone production to the maximum. The production of "the entire range of drones - from Mavics to long-range drones" will be increased, as quoted by the Kyiv Independent. Additionally, production capacities for ground-based robotic systems will be expanded. Yesterday, it was reported that a new such system had been approved for military use.
07:07 German Inspector-General Pushes for Kamikaze Drones Inspector-General Carsten Breuer is pushing for a quick introduction of new drone systems with their own warheads in the troops. "We want to start shooting with loitering munitions in the troops this year. We're pushing for maximum acceleration due to the threat situation," says Breuer. The Ministry of Defense had announced last week that it would be procuring these flying and partially autonomous weapon systems. The term "loitering ammunition" refers to the drones' use in flight, lingering over a target area until a target is identified and attacked. Due to their flight towards their target with an explosive warhead, these weapon systems are also known as kamikaze drones.
Politics
Two Suppliers in Focus: Bundeswehr to Acquire Kamikaze Drones
06:39 Russian Troops Advance in Kursk Russian forces have recently pushed westward and southward from Gajewo in the Russian region of Kursk, according to a recent analysis by the U.S. think tank Institute for the Study of War (ISW), citing footage published yesterday. While some Russian military bloggers claim the village has been taken, others report that Ukrainian troops are still holding positions.
Soldiers Attack Belgorod; Ukraine Confirms Incursion into Another Russian Region
06:07 Norway Provides Nearly $380 Million for Munitions To supply Ukraine with artillery ammunition, Norway has pledged the equivalent of $378 million for this year, led by a Czech initiative, as reported by Ukrainian media. "Ukraine needs a constant supply of artillery shells to maintain its fight for freedom against Russian invasion troops," the Norwegian government stated.
04:50 EU: Russia Proves Disinterest in Peace Talks with Daily Attacks European Commission spokesperson Anitta Hipper, in a Brussels briefing, stated that Russia's daily attacks on Ukrainian territory, resulting in dozens of civilian deaths, demonstrate its complete disregard for peace talks and lack of interest in continuing them. "Russia's daily actions, including the latest attacks that killed at least 20 people, show total contempt for the talks," said Hipper. She emphasized the need for a ceasefire and a lasting, comprehensive peace, but warned against naivety when dealing with Putin and his daily deadly attacks.
03:36 Russian Court Fines Telegram A Moscow court fined messaging app Telegram seven million rubles (around $80,000) for failing to remove channels containing calls for extremist activities, as reported by Russian news agency TASS, citing court documents. Telegram refused to remove content calling for terrorist attacks and participation in protests aimed at overthrowing the Russian government in support of Ukraine. Telegram, founded by Russian Pavel Durov and based in Dubai, has nearly one billion users and is widely used in Russia and Ukraine. It has yet to respond to a request for comment.
01:02 UN Security Council: Ukraine requests emergency meeting Ukraine has initiated an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council after a Russian missile strike on Kryvyi Rih last week resulted in the deaths of 20 people. This was announced by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha on X. The meetings of the UN Security Council and the OSCE's Permanent Council have been requested "to expose Russian crimes". Both meetings will be convened on Tuesday and are intended to advance peace efforts and accountability, Sybiha added. He stressed that Ukraine expects a sharp condemnation and decisive action from the international community. "Russia must stop its terror against Ukrainian children and civilians, accept the US proposal for a full ceasefire, which Ukraine has accepted, and end the war," Sybiha concluded.
23:50 Trump: Russia is "bombarding like crazy" US President Donald Trump has expressed criticism of the numerous Russian attacks on Ukraine in recent weeks. He is not happy with the current situation: "Because they're bombing like crazy right now," he said in response to a question about why his tariff package does not affect Russia. "That's not a good situation," he added, referring to Russia's actions. "I'm not happy about all the bombings that have been going on in the last week, it's terrible, it's really terrible."
22:58 Russia objects to British reports on spy sensors Following media reports about alleged spy sensors in the sea off the British coast, Russia is expressing outrage. Moscow's embassy in London calls it a "hastily cobbled together science fiction story" about a "Russian threat". Russia has never threatened the security of the United Kingdom and its population, the embassy states. The goal of such accusations is to disrupt the efforts of the USA and Russia for a peaceful resolution of the Ukraine conflict and to prevent the improvement of relations between Moscow and Washington, according to the embassy.
Politics "War rages in the Atlantic" Russian spy sensors discovered off Britain 22:15 Zelenskyy makes it clear: Ukraine active in Russian region Belgorod Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirms for the first time that Ukrainian troops are active in the Russian region of Belgorod.
Read more about this here.
21:50 Bill withdrawn: It could cost Kyiv 100,000 soldiers The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense had drafted a bill outlining regulations for the dismissal and rotation of troops during martial law but reportedly withdrew it due to objections from the General Staff. The bill allegedly proposed allowing the demobilization of a soldier after three years of service, but only if they had spent a total of 18 months in combat. Sources in the parliament told journalists from Ukrainska Pravda that 108,000 military personnel, including 14,000 officers, would be affected by the proposed demobilization and rotation measures.
21:21 Major offensive still in April? Russia reportedly gathering 30,000 soldiers While publicly expressing its willingness to negotiate a ceasefire with Ukraine, Russia continues to amass troops apparently preparing for a new major offensive. According to information from Ukrainian military bloggers, Russia is gathering 30,000 soldiers in the rear of the Lyman - Borowa front line to capture both cities and force Ukrainian troops to retreat towards the Oskil and Siverskyj Donets rivers. The offensive could potentially begin before the end of April. As Russia is hindering negotiations on a ceasefire wherever possible, it is presumed that the impending major offensive aims to occupy as much Ukrainian territory as possible before any talks leading to a temporary lull in hostilities can take place, such as if US President Donald Trump loses patience with Russia and threatens new sanctions or renewed military support for Ukraine.
20:49 What if Starlink does fail? Alternative Eutelsat feels unprepared The current situation in Ukraine is raising concerns about the potential failure of SpaceX's Starlink satellite system, with sources reporting that Elon Musk intends to withdraw support for Ukraine's satellite communication needs. If Starlink indeed shuts down, the Ukraine could turn to European alternatives. However, the French-British operator Eutelsat/OneWeb would not be in a position to step in immediately due to limitations in available capacity.
Read all previous developments here.
Source: ntv.de, chl/ino/lme/mpa/dpa/rts/AFP
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- Expanded and clarified
- Reorganized for clarity
- Revised sentence structure
- *Enrichment data integrated minimally: The situation in Ukraine remains tense with increasing military aid being provided by European countries. The Ukrainian Air Force has allegedly destroyed a military facility in Ozerki, a village in the Russian region of Kursk. Belgium, Spain, and other nations are boosting their defense budgets or committing additional funds for the Production of weapons in Ukraine. Hackers spread false news of an alleged attack on Czech forces, and both NATO and Russia are carrying out military exercises. New reports indicate that China could have troops fighting in Ukraine, and major offensive operations by Russia may still be in the pipeline for the upcoming weeks. The uncertain future and escalating situation continue to worry international observers.
- Despite the ongoing conflict, Ukraine's General Staff reported the destruction of a high-tech Russian drone, worth $300,000, by their soldiers in a serial attack, which raises questions about the effectiveness of their employment policy.
- In an unusual turn of events, the Ukrainian Air Force carried out a precise strike at a Russian military facility in Kursk, resulting in the disassembly of several military facilities and the killing of over 30 Russian soldiers, which demonstrates the existence and enforcement of community policy in times of war.
- Despite the escalating tension, Belgium has pledged the delivery of two F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine this year and a new defense aid package worth one billion euros, regardless of the indications of potential warfare and the associated risks for their employment policy.
