Ukraine – 4/4/23 Sitrep
By: Bohdan Chomiak & Robert Homans
April 4, 2023
War of the Churches
In July 2014, after a 3-hour conversation with my current co-author, over beers in a café in Shevchenko Park in Kyiv that sadly no longer exists, I wrote my first email about the War of the Churches. At the time the War of the Churches pitted the Russian Orthodox Church, Moscow Patriarchate, and what was then called the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. In January 2019, when Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew gave the Ukrainian Orthodox Church its independence from the Moscow Patriarchate, the names of the “combatants” changed but their identities stayed the same. They now consist of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church – Moscow Patriarchate (“UOP-MP”), and the independent Orthodox Church of Ukraine. The “Casus Belli” remains the same – Ukraine’s independence from Russia in all respects, political, cultural, and religious.
Recently, the War of the Churches has entered a new, possibly dangerous, phase. Last week the Ukrainian Government served an eviction notice on the occupants of a monastery located in the Percherska Lavra, the “Monastery of the Caves.” The occupants refused to leave, and instead filed a lawsuit attempting to overturn the eviction order. They occupants lost. At the same time, the Abbot was placed under arrest.
Meanwhile, in the Ukrainian city of Khmelnytskyi, in west central Ukraine, a soldier just back from the Front entered a church belonging to the UOC-MP, and asked the congregation why he was protecting them from the Russian invaders when they were Russian sympathizers. He was assaulted by the priest and several members of the congregation. Not long after, the church was surrounded by several hundred townspeople. The Khmelnytskyi City Council revoked the UOC-MP’s land rights, and gave them to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine. A similar incident took place at a church in the Kyiv Region.
The War of the Churches has been simmering at least since the Revolution of Dignity in 2014. Since that time several churches have changed hands. In July 2018 what is now the Orthodox Church of Ukraine staged a large celebration on the 1,030th anniversary of Vladimir’s conversion to Christianity. There was a huge procession, consisting of thousands of clergy in their best vestments, monks and public figures led by former President Poroshenko, starting at St. Michael’s Cathedral, down Volodomyrska Street, to St. Vladimir’s.
At the time I was escorting a delegation of officials from the Ethiopian Central Bank, Finance Ministry, and other ministries on an exposure visit to Ukraine. They all follow the Orthodox Religion, and they were able to see this event.
Since 2014 the Government of Ukraine has largely tolerated the activities of what is now the UOC-MP, often consisting of allowing their churches in Donbas as a place to hide arms caches for Russian soldiers and separatists, distributing pro-Russian propaganda to their parishioners and making pro-Russian statements. Since the start of the latest Russian invasion, some UOC-MP clergy have been accused of actively aiding the enemy, including but not limited to providing targeting information to the Russian invaders.
Over the years many Ukrainians, including several Ukrainian friends of mine, have been critical of the Government of Ukraine for largely looking the other way, instead of arresting priests for pro-Russian activities, confiscating Russian propaganda and shutting down UOC-MP bank accounts. The concern of the Government likely was that it would evoke a backlash among UOC-MP followers, but perhaps not as great a backlash as might be the case today, where the concern now is Russian agents whipping up resistance among UOC-MP followers. In turn, this will likely be characterized by Western useful idiots like Tucker Carlson as proof that the Zelenskyy Government is attacking religion.
The tolerance on the part of the Government of Ukraine is over. The UOC-MP is likely on its last legs in Ukraine, accelerated by the events of last weekend, in both Kyiv and Khmelnytskyi.
Reconstruction
This is a fascinating article from a recent issue of the Guardian Newspaper, describing how Ukraine isn’t waiting around until Ukraine wins, to start rebuilding their country. International and bi-lateral lending institutions, take note. The article states that the rebuilding of Ukraine will likely be the largest rebuilding effort in history, focused on a single country.
Some takeaways:
· “In the last year, Ukraine has cleared debris from 2,100km of roads, of which it has repaired 120km, rebuilt 41 of 330 destroyed bridges, created 80 temporary passages and renewed 900 railway points, such as train stations and train depots.” One of the bridges under repair is the bridge between Irpin and Bucha, pictured in the article, the same bridge that was seen so often in news reports, showing elderly people gingerly negotiating a walkway over what had been a bridge.
· “As of January, Kyiv School of Economics reported a total of 149,300 residential buildings damaged, 330 hospitals, 595 administrative buildings and more than 3,000 schools and university buildings.”
· There is much Western handwringing about whether the confiscation of the $600 billion of Russian Central Bank assets frozen in Western financial institutions would constitute a breach of due process. Timothy Ash recent proposed one solution – use the $600 billion to buy Ukraine reconstruction bonds. The bond principal would remain an asset of the Russian Central Bank, but the proceeds would be used to fund reconstruction. Russia would have a perverse incentive not to damage Ukrainian productive infrastructure, because it would become a source of repayment of the bonds.
· Risk of corruption. The article quoted one expert, “One million Ukrainian veterans returning from the war, with missing limbs, who bled for this country, are not going to accept things as they were before 2014.” Much of the funding by international donors goes through the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU). The NBU is now a highly-respected institution, that will ensure proper monitoring.
News From the Battlefield
“Implications of the Russo-Ukraine War on the Future of Ground Warfare”/T.X. Hammes & the Atlantic Council – This is a fascinating description that mostly focuses on how the Ukrainian Army is fighting against Russia, through the use of drones, advanced command and control systems, precision artillery and other factors.
In an interview I did last July (published in November) with the Harvard Advanced Leadership Institute, I spoke about some of this, but without the level of detail on weapons and technology described by Mr. Hammes. At the start of the war, I confess that I had no idea what a HIMARS was. I argued that it is the cultural and leadership qualities that Ukrainians have displayed in countering the Russian invaders, is what makes all the technologies and weapons described by Hammes so effective.
“Reporting From Ukraine” – Ukraine seems to be creating a killing zone within Central Bakhmut, but sealing off the flanks north and south of Bakhmut, holding defense lines to the west, and then drawing the Wagners into the Center, where Ukrainians use windows in tall buildings to shoot down at the advancing Wagners.
4/4/23 Sitrep
Russian Invasion of Ukraine 12:00 noon April 3 to 12:00 noon April 4, 2023
Abbreviations:
RMA = Regional Military Administration SBU = Security Service of Ukraine
RASHISTS = russian Facists/all russian invaders
INTERNATIONAL
Tuesday April 4
08:07: Former US President Donald Trump arrived in New York from his Florida estate - the day before he is due to face a series of criminal charges in a Manhattan court - CNN.
08:07 The Times of Israel: The United States is considering a possible interim nuclear deal with Iran, under which Tehran will limit the enrichment of nuclear materials to 60 percent purity, in exchange for sanctions relief.
00:35 Bloomberg: NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg asks member states to allocate 500 million euros a year for the Comprehensive Assistance Package for Ukraine, through which it receives non-lethal assistance.
00:15: Chinese balloon was able to gather intelligence from US military facilities, - NBC.
· According to the publication, China could control the balloon so that it made several flights over US military bases and transmitted the collected information to Beijing in real time.
Monday April 3
23:55 Bloomberg: Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Reinsalu said that Ukraine's allies should increase their annual defense spending to 2.5% of GDP, as Russia's aggression has raised fears about its future intentions.
· "While the Estonian government recently agreed on a minimum threshold of 3%, most NATO members failed to reach the 2% threshold set in 2006," he said.
21:51: The US is not on the "brink of war" with China, and Taiwan is not so easy to conquer.
· This was stated by Chairman of the Joint General Staff of the United States Mark Milley.
· "I don't think at the moment I would attribute it [the war with China] to the category of probable," Milley said.
19:22: The United States may announce a new arms package for Ukraine as early as this week.
· This was stated by Coordinator of the National Security Council of the United States John Kirby at a briefing.
17:36: SpaceX launched into orbit ten new satellites that will track ballistic and hypersonic missiles at all stages of flight — SpaceNews.
· They were launched as part of the Tranche 0 mission. This is the first stage of building a system of hundreds of such satellites.
17:11: Denmark and Norway have agreed to jointly transfer 8,000 155 mm artillery shells to Ukraine, the Danish Defense Ministry reports.
· It is noted that the ammunition is suitable for CAESAR self-propelled artillery installations.
· "Together with other EU and NATO countries, Denmark is actively engaged in the preparation of various military assistance," said acting Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen.
16:46: When the war ends, measures will need to be taken so that Ukraine can deter future Russian aggression, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said.
· "Tomorrow we will hold a NATO-Ukraine Commission with Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba. In connection with Russia's war of aggression and our support for Kyiv. We do not know when this war will end. But when that happens, we will need to take steps so that Ukraine can deter future aggression. And history does not repeat itself," Stoltenberg said.
15:20 Reuters: German arms concern Rheinmetall completes the creation of a base for maintenance and repair of Ukrainian military equipment in Romania,
· Rheinmetall is building a logistics and weapons repair center in Satu Mari, Romania. It will play a central role in maintaining the operational readiness of Western combat systems used in Ukraine.
15:02: Finland will officially become a NATO member tomorrow, says NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.
· Finnish President Sauli Niistö will arrive in Brussels to take part in an official accession ceremony at NATO Headquarters.
14:46: The Alliance countries transferred weapons worth 65 billion euros to Ukraine and are now preparing a program of multi-year military supplies, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said.
13:43 Yle: The opposition won the parliamentary election in Finland.
· The leader who received 20.8% of the vote was the right-wing National Coalition Party led by Petter Orpo, who could become the new prime minister.
NATIONAL
Tuesday April 4
11:44: Russia uses up to 20 gliding bombs daily
· "There is really no lull, the enemy's aircraft, unfortunately, is working. They began to use gliding bombs that can fly up to 70 kilometers. During the day, along the entire demarcation line, the enemy can use up to 20 bombs from Su-35, Ssu-34 aircraft, which are not included in the zone of destruction of our air defense. Therefore, this is a new threat to which we need to respond promptly," said Yuriy Ihnat, spokesman of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
· He stressed that currently Ukraine has nothing to respond to these threats.
10:54: Volodymyr Zelenskyy met yesterday with a delegation of politicians, businessmen and representatives of charitable organizations of the United States of America headed by former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
· "Such visits and meetings are a powerful signal of support for Ukrainians in our struggle for freedom and democracy. The United States stands with us and stands with us for common goals. We feel bipartisan support, support from the White House. Comprehensive American support is very important for us," the president said.
07:08 General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine: Over the past day, the Russians inflicted 3 missile and 21 air strikes, carried out 33 MLRS attacks.
· Russian troops continue to focus their main efforts on conducting offensive operations in the Liman, Bakhmut, Avdiivka and Mariinsky directions. Thanks to the coordinated actions of the units of the Defense Forces of Ukraine and the heroism of each warrior, 69 Russian attacks were repulsed over the past day.
· The fiercest fighting continues for the settlements of Bakhmut, Avdiivka and Marinka.
· In some settlements of the Kakhovka district of Kherson region, Russians continue to exert pressure on the local population - the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
· So, on April 2 this year, people were forbidden to leave their homes. During the day, all public places were closed: shopping centers, shops, hospitals, etc. In some villages in the area, pensioners continue to suffer from Russian bullying. To receive pensions, you need to stand in line, not everyone has enough money and not in full. At the same time, for a certain reward, receiving social benefits becomes more accessible.
· Aviation of the Defense Forces last day inflicted 5 strikes on areas of concentration of personnel and military equipment of the Russian Federation. A reconnaissance UAV was also shot down, and our rocket launchers and artillerymen hit the area of concentration of Russian manpower.
Monday April 3
22:57: A new offsite meeting of the Stavka took place, today in Chernihiv,(Stavka is a war council chaired by the President.). We are fully preparing our active actions for the liberation of Ukrainian lands," Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
· According to him, the commanders of the directions - Generals Syrsky and Tarnavsky reported not personally, but from secure communications, from the hottest sectors of the front.
22:45: Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with a delegation of the US House of Representatives from the Republican Party, headed by Chairman of the Standing Committee on Intelligence Mike Turner.
· "Bicameral and bipartisan support from the United States, President Biden, the entire American people has played a crucial role in our nation's ability to stand up to Russia in its war for its freedom and democratic values.
· I hope that the high level of support and interaction between our states will continue. This is the key to a joint victory over the Russian aggressor," the President of Ukraine wrote.
22:25: The Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine currently has five brigades of SU-27 and MiG-29 fighters.
· This was stated by spokesman of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Yuriy Ihnat.
· An Air Force spokesman called the transfer of aircraft to Ukraine a historic event, but noted that these are old Soviet fourth-generation fighters that are morally and physically obsolete.
20:38: The Verkhovna Rada initiated an appeal to the government to terminate the lease agreement for the Pochayiv Lavra with the UOC-MP.
· The relevant draft resolution is published on the website of the Verkhovna Rada.
· The document was submitted to the leadership of the parliament for consideration.
20:22: In Ukraine, more than 500 children have died due to the full-scale invasion of Russians, but the real number may be higher.
· This was stated by UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell on Twitter.
· "The real figure is likely much higher, and the severity of the consequences for the affected families is simply incredible," Russell said.
20:05: Volodymyr Zelenskyy also met with UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay.
· "We are fighting on the battlefield for the values of democracy, our freedom and independence, for the future of our children, as well as for our historical values and cultural heritage," the president wrote after the meeting.
19:36: Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with Council of Europe Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić for the second time.
· "During the meeting, we discussed in detail the work on the international legal front to bring Russia to justice for the crime of aggression against Ukraine," the president wrote.
18:35: Update from the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine as of 18:00 on April 3:
· "During the day, the enemy inflicted 3 missile and 17 air strikes.
· The enemy carried out more than 20 attacks from multiple launch rocket systems on the positions of our troops and civilian infrastructure of settlements.
· Thanks to the coordinated actions of the units of the Defense Forces of Ukraine and the heroism of each soldier, more than 45 enemy attacks were repulsed during the day."
· "In the Skadovsk district of Kherson region, the Russian occupation authorities have begun compiling lists of local residents who agree to be "evacuated" to Crimea or to the territory of the Russian Federation.
· It is known that the "evacuation" will still be carried out on a voluntary basis, first of all, women and children will be taken out."
· "Aviation of the defense forces during the day inflicted 5 strikes on areas of concentration of personnel and military equipment of the occupiers.
· Also, our defenders shot down an enemy reconnaissance UAV.
· Units of rocket troops and artillery, in turn, hit the area of concentration of enemy manpower."
17:20: Another 12 Ukrainians released from captivity: 10 military and 2 civilians. Among them are 5 seriously wounded.
· This was reported by the Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War.
· "Since the beginning of the large-scale invasion, 2,005 Ukrainians have already been released from captivity," the headquarters added.
16:30: President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy talked to the defenders of Ukraine who are being treated after wounds received during hostilities, in particular in the Donetsk direction.
16:09: Ukraine will become a leading country in introducing innovations in cybersecurity, protection of critical infrastructure and the military.
· This was stated by Deputy Prime Minister for Innovation, Education, Science and Technology Mykhailo Fedorov on the air of a telethon.
· "We will be strongest in military-tech, that is, everything related to innovations in the military. Cybersecurity, any physical security related to innovation, and protection of critical infrastructure will also develop. A unique competence in this world is already being born in Ukraine," Fedorov said.
14:26 OKKO closed fundraising for "Long hands of TrO" Return alive for 31 territorial defense brigades from 9 regions, transferring more than UAH 48 million
· In total, the Return Alive Foundation raised UAH 333 million for reconnaissance and strike complexes with 120-mm mortars for the TrO units.
· "The TrO is armed with mortars of 60 and 82 mm caliber. We will purchase 120 km, which will increase the range of fire damage from 4 to 7.1 km of a kilometer. Consequently, they will significantly strengthen the ability to repel the enemy," says Oleg Karpenko, Director of the Return Alive Development and Partnerships Department. "Timely large-scale assistance from our partner OKKO will allow us to provide defenders with hands as soon as possible."
Mordor - russia
Tuesday April 4
10:36: Russia has built a network of trenches and barriers in Crimea, - The Washington Post, citing satellite photos of Maxar
· Satellite imagery shows that Russian troops are actively fortifying along the Black Sea coast, where they are installing artillery installations and digging ditches. Near Lake Syvash you can see a network of trenches and rows of concrete anti-tank barriers, which are called "dragon teeth".
09:34 British intelligence: Moscow wants to replace the Wagner Group at the front with PMC-controlled ones,
· According to the British, this is happening against the backdrop of a loud feud between the Russian Defense Ministry and the Wagner group.
· It is indicated that the Russian military leadership probably wants to replace the PMC, over which it will have more control. However, no other known Russian PMC is currently approaching the size or combat power of Wagner.
Monday April 3
23:40: Joint military exercises with Russia have been extended in Belarus until at least April 10, Belaruski Gayun reports.
· Military exercises at Belarusian training grounds have been continuously ongoing since April 29, 2022. The total number of renewals was 49 weeks.
23:10: A drone dropped a bomb on a military registration and enlistment office in the Bryansk region. The building of the military registration and enlistment office in the Sevsky district was damaged, said Governor Alexander Bogomaz.
· According to him, none of the people were injured. Special services are working on the spot.
· Also, another drone dropped explosives near the building of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. There are no casualties, the service is already in place.
20:52: An earthquake of magnitude 6.9 struck Russian Kamchatka, according to Russian media.
· According to preliminary information from the Ministry of Emergencies, there are no casualties or destruction.
18:21: The SBU served a notice of suspicion to millionaire blogger Yuriy Podolyaka, who publicly justifies Russian armed aggression against Ukraine.
· The attacker regularly appears on propaganda TV channels, including Solovyov's talk show.
· The propagandist also massively disseminates fake news about events at the front through his own website and channels on YouTube, Rutub and Telegram, which have several million subscribers.
17:51: The SBU exposed the actions of the occupying "DPR Minister of Communications", who helped the FSB "wiretap" residents of temporarily occupied Donetsk.
· The suspect and the "deputy director" of the Russian telecom operator Phoenix assisted the occupiers in forcibly "transferring" local residents to the Russian telephone network.
· Based on the collected evidence, investigators of the Security Service informed both defendants of suspicion.
12:56: The so-called "reconstruction" of Sievierodonetsk by the Russians looks like a large-scale fake, at best, they change windows in individual houses, said the head of the city's military-civil administration, Oleksandr Stryuk.
· He also said that the occupation authorities do not have the resources to restore the city, and the concentration of Russian troops around Severodonetsk has increased.
12:11 British intelligence: Moscow is trying to whitewash the image of the twice defeated brigade near Vuhledar.
· The Russian Defense Ministry is carrying out a targeted information operation to restore the reputation of the 155th Marine Brigade, which has suffered heavy losses twice over the past six months.
· "Attempts by the Ministry of Defense to revive the image of the brigade probably reflect concern that its failures are increasingly associated with the top military leadership of the Russian Federation," the intelligence said.
KHARKIV
Tuesday April 4
11:11 Kharkiv RMA: Last day, Russians continued shelling the settlements of Kupiansk, Chuhuiv and Kharkiv districts of the region.
· Residential buildings, an infrastructure facility and a private household were damaged. Shelling in Vovchansk and Vovchanski Khutory, Chuhuiv district, injured a 28-year-old civilian man. Hospitalized in mild condition.
DONETSK
Tuesday April 4
11:51 Social Networks: Explosions heard in Pokrovsk district of Donetsk region.
08:55 Donetsk RMA: On April 3, Russians killed 4 residents of Donetsk region: 2 in Toretsk, 1 in Avdiivka and 1 in Torske.
· Another 3 people in the region were injured.
08:39: ISW: Russian forces have seized the Bakhmut administration building and are advancing towards the city center
· According to ISW, Russian forces continued to advance towards the city center on April 3. As proof of this fact, experts refer to footage with "Wagner" and Russian flags on the mountain of wreckage of the destroyed administration of Bakhmut. In addition, a photo of one of the mercenaries of PMC "Wagner" near the administration building, taken before it was destroyed, appeared on the Internet.
Monday April 3
19:51 Donetsk RMA: 1 person killed, 1 wounded during Russian shelling of Avdiivka.
· "Almost at the same time, Chasiv Yar was subjected to massive shelling: 2 houses were burned to the ground, 3 more were damaged. But fortunately, no one was injured in this attack."
13:12 SBU press service: SBU detained enemy informant who aimed Russian missiles at hospitals and dormitories in Kramatorsk.
· The perpetrator turned out to be a resident of Kramatorsk, who was remotely recruited by an FSB officer.
· On the instructions of the aggressor, the offender tried to identify military airfields of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and locations of units of the State Border Guard Service in the region. She also marked the coordinates of local hospitals and dormitories in electronic maps.
12:41 p.m. The Guardian: "Bakhmut is Ukrainian and they [Russians] They did not capture anything and, to put it mildly, are very far from it," said Serhiy Cherevatyi, spokesman for the Eastern Group of Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
· Cherevatyi confirmed that fighting took place near the city administration building in Bakhmut, according to PMC Wagner owner Yevgeny Prigozhin. However, he stressed that Russian troops are far from capturing Bakhmut.
DNIPRO
Tuesday April 4
10:21: SBU detains Russian agent who was "hunting" for Ukrainian aviation in Dnipropetrovsk region
· First, the enemy was interested in the locations and modes of operation of Ukrainian military aircraft in the region. In particular, the agent recorded the regularity of departures, the number of aircraft, etc. In addition, he transmitted information to the aggressor about the consequences of enemy air attacks on the city.
· The occupiers planned to use this information to prepare and carry out massive air strikes on the territory of the region.
KHERSON
Tuesday April 4
09:13 Kherson RMA: According to the Kherson Regional Administration, Russians fired 61 times at peaceful settlements in the Kherson region.
· The residential areas of Kherson were attacked by the Russian army 4 times, 10 shells hit the city. 1 person died.
Monday April 3
23:00 Social Networks: Explosions heard in Kherson.
16:55 Kherson RMA: In the afternoon, the Russian army shelled a medical facility in Kherson.
· More than two dozen windows are without glass, the fence around the hospital is also damaged, no injuries. Currently, the institution treats more than two hundred patients and employs 100 specialists.
15:37 Kherson RMA: In Kherson region, a local resident exploded on Russian explosives.
· A 60-year-old man tried to carry an unknown explosive object near the village of Shlyakhovo on his own. The explosives detonated in his hands. The man died on the spot.
15:04 Social Networks: Explosions heard in Kherson
12:25 Operational Command South: In the temporarily occupied left-bank part of Kherson region, local traitors are preparing to participate in the so-called elections.
· "Traitors and collaborators in the left-bank part of Kherson region are preparing to participate in illegal elections that Russia plans to hold in autumn 2023," said Vladislav Nazarov, spokesman for OK South.
ODESA
Tuesday April 4
06:02 Ukrainian Air Force: Russians attacked Ukraine from the south with Iranian-made Shahed-136/131 attack drones.
· In total, up to 17 launches of strike UAVs were recorded, presumably from the area of the eastern coast of the Sea of Azov.
· The forces and means of air defense of the air command "South" destroyed 14 "shaheds".
01:24 Social Networks: Explosions heard in Odesa.
07:24 Operational Command South: Due to the night attack of Russian drones in Odesa region, there was a hit on the enterprise, a fire broke out.
· According to OK "South", as of this morning the fire has already been extinguished. According to preliminary data, there were no casualties.
KHMELNYTSKYI
Tuesday April 4
11:27: Deputies of the Khmelnytskyi City Council deprived the UOC-MP of the right to use the territory of the Holy Protection Cathedral
· It also banned all religious organizations of the UOC-MP from using land plots that are communally owned by the community.
ZHYTOMIR
Monday April 3
13:27: In Irshansk, Zhytomyr region, a priest of the UOC-MP hit a 10-year-old boy with a Ukrainian flag on the head. The video was published by local media.
CHERNIHIV
Monday April 3
19:07: Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited the Kyiv bridge destroyed by Russians in the Chernihiv region.
· "Together with German Vice-Chancellor Robert Habeck, we got acquainted with the process of restoring the bridge and the project for restoring bridge crossings in the Chernihiv region," Zelensky wrote.
18:08: Volodymyr Zelenskyy conveyed the award of the hero city, the city of heroes, to Chernihiv.
· "A year ago, the successes of our people in the battles for Chernihiv, Sumy, for Kyiv region revealed the truth to the world. The truth about what Ukraine is like," the president wrote.
16:24: "I want to thank the people of Yahidne. They went through torture and a terrible path – the path of absolute heroes. I thank Ukraine for the fact that we have such fighters for life," Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
15:53: Volodymyr Zelenskyy together with Vice-Chancellor, Minister of Economic Affairs and Climate Protection of Germany Robert Habeck and Secretary General of the Council of Europe Marija Pejčinović Burić inspected the consequences of the occupation of the village of Yahidne in the Chernihiv region by Russian troops.
14:11: "The Russians still have time to leave, otherwise we will destroy them," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told reporters during a trip to Yahidne.
· The President stressed that the Defense Forces were preparing to be strong in battle and liberate the Ukrainian land.
· "I will not talk about specific things, because we cannot allow terrorists from the Russian Federation to prepare for our methods and steps for de-occupation. But we will do it, and they should know it," Zelensky added.
13:56: Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in Yahidne, Chernihiv region, where there was a "basement of death" during the occupation.
· On the anniversary of the liberation of the village, the President visited the school, in the basement of which Russians held civilians hostage for almost a month.
· "About 400 people lived in Yahidne before the occupation and almost 370 of them visited this basement," Zelensky said.
SUMY
Tuesday April 4
10:05 Sumy RMA: At night, Russians shelled the Seredyno-Buda and Esman communities. There are wounded and destruction.
· Seredyna Buda hromada: 3 people were injured as a result of shelling (4 arrivals) in the central part of Seredyna Buda. The premises of the House of Culture and the administrative building were also damaged.
· Esman community: shelling was also recorded – 4 arrivals. Fortunately, without consequences.
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