Ukraine – 4/10/23 Sitrep
By: Bohdan Chomiak & Robert Homans
April 10, 2023
News From the Battlefield
This is an especially significant entry from “Reporting From Ukraine,” consisting of news from the south, along the line of control in the Kherson and but also the development and deployment of 2 weapons systems, one provided by the United States, and the other developed in Ukraine.
· Along the line of control in the Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions, called the “Zero Line,” Ukraine has been conducting missile and ground attacks along 4 axes, three in Zaporizhzhia and the fourth in the Kherson Region, with a missile attack launched from the liberated Right Bank of the Dnipro, against Russian installations near the entrance to Crimea.
· At 1:25 into the video, it is reported that Ukraine has redeployed significant forces near the Zero Line, including from Bakhmut.
· At 2:30 into the video, Ukraine is shown testing an anti-mine “line charge” acquired from the U.S. which opens an 8x100 meter alley that is free of mines.
· At the beginning of the video, and later at 3:45 into the video, it seems as if Ukraine has developed its own ballistic missile with a range of over 400 km., enough to hit all targets in Crimea, including Sevastopol and the Kerch Bridge. Depending on how many Ukraine has, it means that with these weapons Ukraine is now able to do what the Biden Administration wanted to prevent Ukraine from doing, hitting targets inside Russia without the use of drones.
Reporting From Ukraine seems to add more credence that Ukraine’s much-anticipated counter offensive will be directed toward the south, to initially cut off the Russian “land bridge” to Crimea, with the ultimate objectives of clearing the land bridge entirely of Russians and possibly providing a platform for the liberation of Crimea.
Maybe:
· The southern counterattack includes several options, including an attack against Mariupol with its psychological significance: an attack across the Dnipro into western Kherson.
· An entirely different axis. For example, an attack in norther Luhansk, designed to cut off Russians and Wagners around Bakhmut.
It should be remembered that last Fall Ukraine conducted 2 simultaneous offensives, in the Kharkiv Region, and in Kherson with the eventual liberation of Kherson City. This could happen again.
The Leaks
According to reports the concerns about the leaked information are:
· it may provide Russia with information about the leakers within the Kremlin and Defense Ministry;
· it may provide Russia with information on the type and volume of military assistance that Ukraine has been obtaining from the west;
· it may provide information about Ukrainian weaknesses in certain weapons systems;
· The U.S. has been spying on Ukraine.
Looking at each in turn:
· The United States has had moles inside the Kremlin and Defense Ministry, and other agencies in the Russian Federation for years. Just before the beginning of the War William Burns, the Head of the CIA, gave President Zelenskyy information on Russian invasion plans, including a Russian airborne attack on the Hostumel Airbase, that turned out to be highly accurate.
· The United States has released to the public detailed inventories on the weapons we have been providing to Ukraine. It doesn’t seem necessary for Russia to learn this from leaks.
· The information about weaknesses is potentially the most serious, assuming that the information is accurate which it may not be.
· There has been information for months that U.S. is spying on Ukraine, but it’s unclear how successful the effort has been. The fact that Ukraine was able to conduct 2 simultaneous counterattacks last Fall, was a surprise to U.S. intelligence.
The most damaging is the revelations of communication among Ukraine’s allies. Sharing of information has become critical to the ability of Ukraine’s allies to provide effective and timely support to Ukraine. Diminution of sharing important information hurts the war effort.
4/10/23 Sitrep
From Bohdan – More on the War of the Churches
There appears to be a growing movement in central Ukraine of people leaving the russian orthodox church and taking the church buildings with them. Buildings are the important point.
Starting in 2010 the russian orthodox church began erecting small wooden shacks, about the size of a hot dog kiosk, all over Ukraine, but especially in urban areas. The shacks weren't claimed to be chapels. The russian's claimed they were churches.
Typically this was done without a building permit and without land title or lease. Utilities - mostly just electricity were hooked up again by the "church" without formal documentation. Once the shack was in place for a few years, next came a fence. When territory, formerly public parkland was surreptitiously absorbed to the shack, fairly often these sparked protests. The protests were mostly successful in blocking illegal encroachment of public lands but not always. Once enclosed then began brick church construction. The shacks themselves were never touched.
Local councils who tried to block this squatting movement from the start of the shack construction were accused of religious persecution and typically they backed down because the "church" could command a loyal group of voters. Now that voters are 95% against russians the demolition and transfer to Ukrainian orthodoxy is picking up speed.
Patriotic councillors are finally demolishing the shacks and taking back public parklands. Two cities have found the votes to remove one shack apiece - Lviv and Zhytomyr. Its a matter of time before all are gone.
Russian Invasion of Ukraine 12:00 noon April 9 to 12:00 noon April 10, 2023
Abbreviations:
RMA = Regional Military Administration SBU = Security Service of Ukraine
RASHISTS = russian Facists/all russian invaders
INTERNATIONAL
Monday April 10
11:20 Germany can ban Russian athletes from entering, even if they are allowed to participate in international competitions, German Interior Minister Nancy Feser has said.
· According to her, to offer Putin "a stage for propaganda would be to betray all the values of sport."
08:15 Chinese military during the exercises practiced simulated missile strikes with high-precision weapons "on key targets" on the island of Taiwan and surrounding waters. This was reported by the Ministry of Defense of the People's Republic of China.
08:14The first high-resolution observation satellite created in Turkey will be launched into orbit on Tuesday, April 11, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said.
06:20: Turkey will put into service the world's first landing ship to accommodate UAVs.
· It is noted that on the deck of TCG Anadolu can accommodate 10 helicopters and 11 drones. The hangar of the vessel can accommodate another 19 helicopters and 30 UAVs. The ship itself has a length of 231 meters and a width of 32 meters. It can move at a speed of at least 20.5 knots. It is planned to place Bayraktar TB3 drones on board.
00:32 Washington Post: British Air Force RC-135 Rivet Joint reconnaissance aircraft nearly shot down by Russian Su-27 fighter jets in the airspace over the Black Sea in autumn 2022
· Ben Wallace reported the incident to the British House of Commons, saying two Russian Su-27s flew "recklessly", with one plane approaching 15 feet to a British RC-135.
· The incident was more significant than initially disclosed and could have directly drawn the United States and its NATO allies into the war in Ukraine.
Sunday April 9
22:51: Poland cancels simplified import of animals from Ukraine - Ministry for Reintegration
· Previously, it was allowed to transport dogs, cats and ferrets with a minimum package of documents: the presence of a chip, vaccination against rabies, as well as a veterinary passport of the European standard.
· The list of new documents for the animal includes a health certificate and a written declaration, as well as the results of testing the level of antibodies against rabies.
21:06: Over the past week, 29 citizens of Ukraine have been evacuated to five European countries for treatment.
· This was reported by the Ministry of Health of Ukraine on Facebook.
· According to the Ministry of Health, Ukrainians were evacuated for treatment to medical institutions in Denmark, Finland, Austria, Germany and the Netherlands. These are patients with mine-blast wounds and cancer patients.
20:46 Reuters: South Korea wants to discuss with the United States part of the "leaked Pentagon documents".
· According to the publication, one of the documents contains details of internal discussions among senior South Korean officials about US pressure on Seoul to force it to help supply weapons to Ukraine, and its policy of abandoning it.
20:25: The Chinese edition of the Global Times showed a simulation of a potential massive missile strike on Taiwan.
· The animation shows long-range rocket launchers, warplanes and ships simultaneously attacking the island in different parts of it.
20:06 Reuters: The pope mentioned Ukraine in his annual Easter speech "Urbi et Orbi" and asked God to "shed light" on Russians.
· "Help the beloved Ukrainian people on their path to peace and shed the light of Easter on the people of Russia," he said.
18:37: The war cannot be won without drones, UNITED24 actor and ambassador Mark Hamill said live on CNN.
· According to the actor, his fundraising for RQ-35 Heidrun reconnaissance drones has already raised $645,000.
· Mark Hamill also shared his impressions of the online meeting with the Ukrainian military.
18:16 Les Echos - President of France: The time for negotiations between Ukraine and Russia has not yet come, because now it is "military weather".
· "Ukrainians are resisting, and we are helping them. Now is not the time for negotiations, even if we are preparing them and if we need to lay the foundation," Macron said.
17:36: Israel has extended visas and health and social care assistance to refugees from Ukraine.
· It is reported by The Times of Israel with reference to the Office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
17:16 Delfi: Latvia begins the second phase of construction of a 63.9 km long fence along the border with Belarus.
· The construction of the fence is hoped to be completed by the end of 2024. At the first stage, Latvia built a 54 km fence on the border with Belarus.
17:01: If The Hague does not recognize Russia's actions as genocide, then Kremlin representatives may receive sentences for crimes against humanity - genocide researcher Totten
· "As for war crimes, we know that Russians hit schools where children were staying. We know that they attacked hospitals along with doctors, nurses, patients, pregnant mothers and babies. These are one hundred percent war crimes. And they should be in prison as long as prosecutors can get for each case," said American professor, genocide researcher Samuel Totten.
16:55: Free travel on the Przemysl-Hannover train has been extended for Ukrainians until the end of May 2023, the press service of the Ministry for Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine reports.
· "Departure from Przemysl will take place on odd days of April at 22:30. You do not need to have boarding passes with you. You just need to present a passport of a citizen of Ukraine or another identity document." – stated in the message.
14:31: The genetic sequences of viral samples taken on the market in the city of Wuhan were "almost identical" to samples from patients infected with COVID-19: this indicates that the virus may have originated from humans.
· This was stated by scientist Tong Egan from Beijing University of Chemical Technology. He also claimed that between January 2020 and March 2020, more than 1300 environmental and frozen animal samples were taken on the market, and researchers isolated three strains of the virus from environmental samples.
· He also said that so far there is not enough evidence to support recent studies suggesting that raccoon dogs are the source of the Covid-19 virus.
13:45 The Guardian: The French Ministry of Defense denies the presence of French soldiers in Ukraine, as allegedly evidenced by documents attributed to the Pentagon that were caught in Russian networks in the middle of the week.
· This was stated by the spokesman of the Minister of the Armed Forces Sébastien Lecornue
· It is noted that one of the slides said that in Ukraine there is already a small contingent of special forces from France, the United States, Great Britain, and Latvia, numbering less than a hundred fighters from NATO member countries.
· According to military analysts, the documents were changed in some parts to inflate American estimates of dead Ukrainian soldiers and underestimate the dead Russian soldiers.
13:20 Bloomberg: Iran intensifies repression against women who refuse to wear the mandatory hijab.
· Under the new law, Iranian women who refuse to wear hats in public or in cars will stand trial and their vehicles will be confiscated.
· The new measures will also allow police to shut down any business whose employees do not comply with mandatory hijab requirements.
12:40: The leadership of the Bundeswehr wants to invest more in anti-drone technologies, - Der Tagesspiegel, citing sources.
· The past few months have seen suspicious drone flights over German barracks, including in areas where Bundeswehr soldiers train the Ukrainian military.
12:20 p.m.: British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will meet with US President Joe Biden on April 11 in Northern Ireland, - British Prime Minister's Office.
12:00: Grain imports from Ukraine to Poland have been temporarily suspended until at least July, Polish Deputy Minister of Agriculture Janusz Kowalski said.
· In his opinion, the first step in resolving the situation should be the Polish-Ukrainian grain agreement. He also proposes to introduce duties on all agricultural products from Ukraine.
NATIONAL
Monday April 10
07:09: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine: Over the past day, the enemy launched 26 air and 4 missile strikes.
· In addition, the Russian Federation carried out 60 attacks from multiple launch rocket systems on the positions of Ukrainian troops and civilian infrastructure of settlements.
· in the town of Tokmak in the Zaporizhzhia region, Russian so-called "authorities" reported that in order to obtain a Russian passport, you need to submit a passport of a citizen of Ukraine, a birth certificate and fingerprints.
· At the same time, it is noted that they will allegedly return back to the owners the original passport of a citizen of Ukraine and a birth certificate.
Sunday April 9
23:50: A visual map of the fortifications of the Russian army appeared on the network.
· Defensive lines are located not only in the occupied territories, but also in the Russian regions bordering Ukraine
19:27: The Dogs of Chernobyl Are Experiencing Rapid Evolution, Study Suggests
A new study analyzed the DNA of 302 feral dogs living near the power plant, compared the animals to others living 10 miles away, and found remarkable differences.
While the study doesn’t prove that radiation is the cause of these differences, the data provides an important first step in analyzing these irradiated populations, and understanding how they compare to dogs living elsewhere.
19:25: Collection completed!
· "Pechersk seals" are grateful to you - you are💙💛 the coolest
· In an hour and a half, we collected 980 m² of camouflage nets and 70 camouflage costumes! We provided work for a month! (Volunteers hand make camouflage nets and camouflage costumes for snipers. – ed)
18:56 Update from the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine as of 18:00 on April 9:
· "During the current day, the enemy has carried out more than 10 attacks from multiple launch rocket systems, inflicted 23 air and 4 missile strikes.
· 2 Russian missiles fired from the S-300 air defense system hit civilian infrastructure in Zaporizhzhia, there are dead and wounded among civilians, residential buildings were destroyed and damaged.
· Also, 2 missiles from the S-300 air defense system were fired by the Russian occupiers at the civilian infrastructure facility of Kostiantynivka in Donetsk region."
· "The enemy continues to focus its main efforts on conducting offensive operations in the Liman, Bakhmut, Avdiivka and Mariinsky directions.
· During the day, thanks to the courage of each warrior, more than 40 enemy attacks were repulsed."
· "The cases of violent abduction of civilians by Russian invaders in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine does not stop.
· In particular, in Starobilsk, Luhansk region, Russian occupation forces organize searches of places of residence of citizens suspected of supporting Ukraine and take people to an unknown direction, without return."
· "Aviation of the Defense Forces during the day inflicted 6 strikes on areas of concentration of the occupiers.
· Missile troops and artillery units hit 4 anti-aircraft missile systems, 11 areas of concentration of manpower, weapons and military equipment, an ammunition depot and 5 stations of enemy electronic warfare."
17:55 Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine: In the near future, Patriot and Samp-T anti-aircraft missile systems should be delivered to Ukraine.
16:35: Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked Poland for his recent visit to the country and the agreed decision.
· "My visit, negotiations in Warsaw became another step towards victory. Thank you for the agreed decisions, for a powerful defense package. Thank you for the lives we save with our solidarity!" the president wrote.
14:23 p.m.: OCU Metropolitan Epifaniy will hold an Easter service at the Assumption Cathedral of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra — most likely after the curfew ends in the morning, Epifaniy told Suspilne. The exact time will be announced later.
13:00: The Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine showed the work of the NASAMS air defense system.
· The Ukrainian military received the NASAMS anti-aircraft missile system in November 2022. For 5 months, anti-aircraft gunners destroyed more than a hundred Russian missiles and drones with the help of the complex.
Mordor - russia
Monday April 10
11:56: The governors of the Kursk and Belgorod regions of the Russian Federation decided to cancel military parades on May 9 in order not to "provoke the enemy" with accumulations of military and equipment, Russian media reported.
08:13 Institute for the Study of War: Russia is conducting a campaign of systematic religious persecution in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, trying to subordinate the churches of the OCU to the Moscow Patriarchate.
Sunday April 9
22:15: Bellingcat journalists have established the primary sources of the "leaked" documents on the counteroffensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
· They started talking about the documents after they began to be distributed on pro-Russian Telegram channels on April 5. So the first version, which the investigators got acquainted with, was found in the Donbass Devushka telegram channel. The post contained four images. Later, a new post with other images was published there.
19:18: Russians are very panicky and afraid of a counteroffensive, and therefore may voluntarily withdraw from Ukraine - Feygin
· Mark Feygin, an activist of the Russian opposition in exile, a former State Duma deputy in an interview with the host of the Studio West program Anton Borkovsky on the Espresso TV channel, spoke about the beginning of internal Russian terror and the prospects of a drone attack on Moscow.
16:40: Vladislav Ammosov, a native of Yakutsk, has been building a career in the Russian armed forces and special services for more than 15 years, and now he has come to defend Ukraine at the front.
· He declares that at the final stage of the creation of a volunteer "Siberian battalion" from representatives of various ethnic groups living in the territory of the Russian Federation. The name "non-Russian battalion" is also considered - in the original "non-Russian".
· Vladislav went through the Russian-Chechen war, the way from an ordinary employee to an officer, and he does not hide it – he was an "imperial". However, he assures that he left the service before the occupation of Crimea by Russia, lived for years in one of the EU countries and passed inspections by Ukrainian law enforcement agencies.
14:00: In the settlements of the Belgorod region of Russia, sights appeared with the procedure for evacuation and instructions on how to collect an "alarming suitcase".
KHARKIV
Monday April 10
09:45 Air Command: This night, Ukrainian air defense in Kharkiv region destroyed 2 Russian UAVs, probably Shahed-136 and Granat-4,
DONETSK
Monday April 10
11:42 Donetsk RMA: The day before, the Russians launched a strike from Smerch on Druzhkivka - 10 houses were damaged. Also, the enemy fired two S-300 missiles at Kramatorsk.
· In the Volnovakha sector, Vuhledar and Bogoyavlenka are under fire.
· In Donetsk sector, the city of Kurakhovo was hit by Uragans, 7 two-apartment houses and the territory of the enterprise were damaged. Another 11 houses were damaged in Dachne. During the day, shelling of Marinka, Krasnohorivka and Maksymilianivka took place. In the morning, Russians shelled Ocheretyne and Avdiivka, damaging a house.
09:15 Donetsk RMA: Russians wounded 4 residents of Donetsk region in April: 2 in Druzhkivka, 1 in Kurakhove and 1 in Kostiantynivka.
01:08 Social Networks: Explosions heard in Kramatorsk and Sloviansk.
Sunday April 9
23:10: In the area of Marinka and Avdiivka, Russians lose about two companies every day, - a spokesman for the Defense Forces of the Tavria direction.
· "There are positional battles, the Rosians have varying success, but all our positions that the enemy occupies are recaptured and come back."
19:46: Ukrainian troops from the SIGNUM unit and the 93rd Kholodnyi Yar Brigade eliminated Russians who tried to advance on their positions in Bakhmut.
15:00: The search for children in the city continues in Avdiivka - the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine.
· According to police, four children are being hidden by parents who refuse to evacuate. Two children have already been found by the "White Angels" and are now convincing the family to leave the city.
14:00 Operational Command East: Russia began throwing elite units of its army into Bakhmut due to huge losses among PMC Wagner militants.
· "The fact that paratroopers appeared there is not a reinforcement. " Wagner receives very heavy losses, so he is forced to pull up additional units of the regular army - paratroopers and motorized riflemen in order to replenish the group," he said.
13:42: Ukrainian military from the 92nd Brigade. ataman Ivan Sirko was shown the work of tank crews and infantry in the Bakhmut area.
· "The enemy is at arm's length... These few minutes of battle do not convey the horror of the situation and the heroism of our defenders," the military said.
ZAPORIZHIA
Sunday April 9
16:10: Russian troops shelled the Pology district of Zaporizhzhia region. With aviation, Russians hit the school, destroying it - the State Emergency Service of Ukraine.
· "The two-story school building was destroyed; The blast wave damaged 3 private households", – stated in the message.
15:11: 6 loud explosions sounded around temporarily occupied Tokmak, according to Melitopol Mayor Ivan Fedorov.
KHERSON
Monday April 10
10:37 Prosecutor General: In Kherson, shelling this morning damaged a local architectural monument - the building of an art museum, as well as the building of the district council and broke windows in the cardio center,
10:00 Kherson RMA: Russian forces struck a hospital in the Suvorov district of Kherson this morning.
· The explosions damaged several windows. There was no serious damage and casualties.
Sunday April 9
22:12 Kherson RMA: Russian forces struck Novoberyslav, Beryslav community, with guided aerial bombs.
· Also, enemy fighters dropped three bombs on Kizomis, Bilozerska community in Kherson region.
21:49 Social Networks: Explosions heard in Kherson.
MYKOLAIV
Monday April 10
10:15: The SBU detained an enemy informant who was collecting intelligence on the defense of the South Ukrainian nuclear power plant.
· It is documented that the defendant received from the aggressor on his own bank card 2 thousand rubles. UAH "advance".
· He was remanded in custody. An investigation is underway to establish all the circumstances of the crime.
KYIV
Monday April 10
00:11: Almost all energy facilities damaged by Russian shelling have been restored in the Kyiv region
· According to the State Inspectorate for Energy Supervision, as a result of shelling, damage of varying degrees was sustained:
· heat supply and electricity infrastructure;
· kilometers of power lines;
· hundreds of substations and boiler houses.
· Thanks to specialists in the region, about 85% of damaged electricity infrastructure facilities and almost all boiler houses have already been restored.
CHERNIHIV
Sunday April 9
14:40 Operational Command North: Russians hit the border of Chernihiv region with a missile.
· An enemy plane from the territory of the Russian Federation fired a missile at the village of Gremyach. According to preliminary data, there are no losses among the locals.
· Today, anti-aircraft gunners shot down a Russian UAV over Sumy region, previously Zala 421-16e.
KHMELNITSKY
Sunday April 9
14:15: Activist Andriy Smolii said that in the afternoon, citizens gathered on the central square of Netishyn, Khmelnytskyi region, and unanimously voted for the transfer of two churches from the ROC/UOC-MP to the OCU: the Cathedral of the Icon of the Mother of God and the Church of St. Paraskeva Srpska.
· As of 13:30, 2,436 people had registered for the gathering.
LVIV
Monday April 10
00:52: The Easter record of Ukraine was set in Lviv.
· 1000 Easter cakes were decorated and laid out in the shape of a trident by residents of Lviv in 25 minutes and 17 seconds, setting a new national record of Ukraine, as there was a corresponding entry in the Book of Records of the country, - said Deputy Head of the Lviv Regional Council Yurii Kholod.
Comparing Soviet invasion of Afghanistan to Russian invasion of Ukraine using Wikipedia and Ukraine Ministry of Defense Daily Bulletins. Soviet and Russian military losses not including captured equipment.
SOURCES
https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/
https://espreso.tv/
https://cutt.ly/Blyskavka