Thursday, April 18

Russia’s war against Ukraine

The aftermath of Russia’s missile attack on Chernihiv, Ukraine, on April 17, 2024. (Ukraine’s State Emergency Service/Telegram)

Zelensky: Russia must pay a ‘painful price’ as ‘sole culprit of this war.’ President Volodymyr Zelensky has said Russia must pay a “painful price” for its war in Ukraine and frozen Russian assets should be utilized to help Ukraine’s fight against “terror.”

WP: Secret Kremlin document outlines plan to ‘weaken’ Ukraine’s allies.

A secret Kremlin foreign policy document calls for Russia to leverage the war in Ukraine and exploit weaknesses in “unfriendly states” in order to forge a new global order in which the U.S. no longer plays a leading role, the Washington Post reported on April 17.

NGO Save Ukraine rescues 6 more children, their families from Russian occupation. Save Ukraine, a Ukrainian humanitarian NGO, rescued six more children and their families from Russian occupation, the organization said on April 17. As of today, the NGO has managed to bring back 290 children from Russia and occupied Ukrainian territories to Ukraine.

NATO-Ukraine Council meeting on air defense to take place on April 19.

A NATO-Ukraine Council meeting to discuss supplies of air defense systems will take place on April 19, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on April 17. President Zelensky requested the gathering earlier this week.

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Reuters: Ukraine says Russia’s use of illegal tear gas on battlefield is increasing. Ukrainian military officials have previously said that Russia is deploying chemical weapons on the battlefield in violation of the 1925 Geneva Protocol. The usage of riot control gas in war is also banned under the 1997 Chemical Weapons Convention, which Russia is a signatory of.

Sources: HUR confirms attack on Russian bomber factory in Tatarstan.

A factory in Russia’s Tatarstan producing bomber aircraft for the Russian military was attacked by Ukrainian drones on the morning of April 17, Kyiv’s military intelligence (HUR) has confirmed.

Chernihiv strike shows lack of air defense resulting in civilian deaths, Kuleba says. “Three days ago in the Middle East, we saw what reliable protection of human lives from missiles looks like,” Kuleba said.

Kharkiv at risk of becoming ‘second Aleppo,’ mayor says. Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov believes his city is at risk of becoming “a second Aleppo” if left without help to obtain air defense systems, according to an article published by the Guardian on April 17.

Culture Ministry removes historical status of Kyiv’s Peoples’ Friendship Arch, allows for dismantling. Ukraine’s Ministry of Culture removed the formerly-named Peoples’ Friendship Arch from the state register of monuments of national importance due to its association with Russia’s ambitions for Soviet reunification, indicating that the monument “may be dismantled.”

Read our exclusives

Ukraine war latest: Russian attack on Chernihiv kills 17, Johnson sets date on Ukraine aid vote

Russian forces launched a missile attack on the city of Chernihiv on the morning of April 17, killing at least 17 people and injuring 60, including three children, the State Emergency Service reported.

Photo: Oleksiy Zhernov/Suspilne Ukraine/JSC “UA:PBC”/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images

Inside the Swedish ammunition plant at the forefront of Europe’s push to ramp up shell production

Munitions produced here range all the way from 40mm autocannon rounds upward, but it is the largest caliber that is most prized and most in demand: the 155mm howitzer shell.

Photo: Francis Farrell/The Kyiv Independent

Explainer: Iran’s cheap, effective Shahed drones and how Russia uses them in Ukraine

The Shaheds – which are constantly being improved and operate with the help of smuggled Western technologies – have quickly become a key weapon in mass air assaults.

Photo: Olena Zashko/The Kyiv Independent

Human cost of war

State Emergency Service: Russian missile attack on Chernihiv kills at least 17, injures 60, including children. “This would not have happened if Ukraine had received enough air defense equipment and if the world’s determination to counter Russian terror was also sufficient,“ President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Telegram.

International response

Dutch PM offers to buy Patriot systems from allies for Ukraine. “We can buy it from them, we can deliver it to Ukraine, we have the money available. It’s crucial,” he said.

Johnson sets date on Ukraine aid vote, unveils its content. U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson said he is moving forward with his plan to hold a vote on a series of foreign aid bills for Israel, Ukraine, and Taiwan despite pressure from Republican hardliners, CNN reported on April 17.

NATO-Ukraine Council meeting on air defense to take place on April 19. A NATO-Ukraine Council meeting to discuss supplies of air defense systems will take place on April 19, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on April 17. President Volodymyr Zelensky requested the gathering earlier this week.

Denmark announces $313 million military aid package for Ukraine. The Danish Defense Ministry announced on April 16 a new 2.2 billion kroner ($313 million) military aid package for Ukraine. The package is Denmark’s 17th delivery of military aid since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Belgium, Czechia ask EU to step in against Russia’s elections interference.

The governments of Belgium and Czechia sent a letter to other EU leaders on April 17 calling for new restrictive measures against Russia over its disinformation activities within the European bloc.

In other news

Military intelligence: Russia planning disinformation campaign about Ukrainian fighters in Sudan. Russia plans to sow disinformation in African media that accuses Ukraine of using Western-supplied arms to fight in Sudan, Ukraine’s military intelligence (HUR) said on April 17.

Kremlin confirms Russian ‘peacekeepers’ withdrawing from Nagorno-Karabakh.

Russia has begun withdrawing its “peacekeeping” contingent from Nagorno-Karabakh, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed on April 17, according to Russian independent media outlet Meduza.

Time names Yermak, Navalnaya among 100 most influential people of 2024.

The Time magazine published its list of “The 100 most influential people of 2024,” including Andriy Yermak, the head of Ukraine’s Presidential Office, and Yulia Navalnaya, the widow of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny.

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