Bob Homans Sitrep April 26

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Ukraine – 4/26 Sitrep
Compiled by: Robert Homans
@rhomansjr
April 26, 2022

Zatoka

Within the last 24 hours a Russian missile hit the bridge across the Dniester River Estuary in the City of Zatoka, 30KM southwest of Odesa.   Fortunately, the bridge was only damaged.   Had the bridge been destroyed Bessarabia, in the far southwest of Ukraine between Romania and the Black Sea, would have been separated from the rest of the country, save for a road that crosses through Moldovan territory.   A visit to Izmail, near the Mouth of the Danube River, is on my bucket list.   Izmail played a role in Lord Byron’s famous poem, “Don Juan.”

The news about the bridge reminded me of my only visit to Zatoka.   In September 2008 I spent the weekend in Zatoka, at an illegal hotel belonging to Olga, the girlfriend of a good friend of mine, and her sister.  By “illegal hotel,” I mean a large house that took in paying guests, but the “hotel” is not registered as a hotel and is not registered as a business, and thus the hotel pays no taxes.   Illegal hotels are quite common in Zatoka, and other seaside resorts.  A few years later their relationship broke up, over Olga’s refusal to take out a license, that would’ve likely made her hotel the only legal business in the entire City of Zatoka.

The following Monday, September 15, 2008, I had lunch with Gennady Naichevskiy, Director of Finance for the City of Odesa.  It was Gennady who told me of the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers.  It was one of those weekends one never forgets.

Two Articles

“Homage to Borodyanka” by Bernard-Henri Levy, in Tablet Magazine.   It is a vivid account of Levy’s recent visit to the towns of Borodyanka and Bucha, and what he saw there.   He also describes his visit with former President Poroshenko, who is now in the territorial defense forces.   It was Poroshenko who is largely responsible for re-constituting the Ukrainian Army, from what it was in 2014 when it contained only 6,000 combat ready soldiers.   Without Poroshenko, I think it’s fair to say that Pres. Zelenskyy would have nothing to fight with.

“The Russian Elite Doesn’t Seem to Care About the Invasion of Ukraine,” by Anonymous, from the Economist.  The author works as a tutor for the children of a wealthy Russian.     

4/26 Sitrep (my comments are in bold face)                                                

Exactly 36 years ago at 01:23:47 an explosion occurred at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant.   The explosion at the 4th power unit of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant completely destroyed the reactor.  The worst nuclear disaster in history.

Today, at 06:41 and 06:46, two Russian cruise missiles flew at low altitude over the site of the Zaporozhzhia nuclear power plant in the direction of the city of Zaporozhzhia.

INTERNATIONAL

Demonstrations in support of Ukraine yesterday in Warsaw, Turkish football match, Christie’s auction house, Milan, Prague, Perugia-Assisi, and Sydney (Australia)

Today in Germany, Defense Ministers of 40 countries will discuss the issue of providing military assistance to Ukraine.   According to General Mark Milley, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the US Armed Forces, the main task of the negotiations is to synchronize and coordinate military assistance to Kyiv.

Oil storage tanks and the Druzhba crude oil pipeline continue to burn for the second day in Bryansk.

Russian Mass Media published a photo of an explosive device found on railway tracks in one of the villages in Bryansk Oblast.

Russian motorcycle manufacturer "Ural" leaves Russia.  Sanctions limit parts availability and the company is forced to move part of its production to Kazakhstan.

Volvo, Land Rover Jaguar are stopping new car sales but will continue to provide warranty service and parts.

Slovakian Ministry of Defense has sent military assistance to Ukraine totaling 130 million euros.

Special services found Putin’s bomb proof bunker.  According to Ukraine’s ex-minister of internal affairs, one of the reasons why Putin does not dare to launch a nuclear strike is that a counter strike will hit his hiding place.

Polish Prime Minister confirmed that Poland handed over tanks to Ukraine.

White House spokesman commented that United States is not ready limit amount of aid to Ukraine: "At the moment, I am not in a position to set a limit for this."

Denmark is the first donor to a fund created to restore Ukraine’s destroyed energy infrastructure.

Bloomberg - The U.S. and some Western countries are trying to put pressure on Indonesia to invite President Zelenskyi as an observer to the G20 summit, which will be held this fall in Bali.  At the same time, according to the newspaper, Washington is disappointed with Indonesia’s refusal to withdraw Putin’s invitation to the summit.

Ukraine’s Foreign Minister discussed the preparation of the sixth EU sanctions package against Russia with his Dutch counterpart.

British Defense Secretary says that at least 15,000 Russian soldiers have been killed in Ukraine.  "Along with the death toll, there are losses of equipment, and in general, a number of sources suggest that, to date, more than 2,000 armored vehicles have been destroyed or captured, as well as over 60 helicopters and fighter planes".  The UK will provide Ukraine with several Stormer missile launchers with Starstreak missiles.

"Ministry of State Security" of unrecognized Transnistria.  A hand grenade launcher was fired at the Ministry.  Minor damage and no injuries from the explosion. Explosions were heard in the Pridnestrovian village of Mayak. Previously, two cell towers exploded.  The area is now under a "Red" level of terrorist threat

The Moldovan Bureau of Reintegration believes that the explosions in the building of the local Ministry of State Security in Tiraspol (Transnistria) are "a pretext for creating tension in the Transnistrian region."

Reuters: Rosneft failed to sell 6.5 million tons of oil during its latest tender because it demanded full prepayment in rubles.

Russian Media are releasing photos of Ukrainian Bayraktar drones shot down near Kursk region.  Just prior to this, a Ukrainian journalist cited Russian intelligence reports for Russian soldiers to collect and deliver to Belgorod, Kursk and Bryansk regions wreckage of downed Ukrainian UAVs and helicopters for such photo shoots.

Finland and Sweden will probably not wait for the NATO summit in late June and will apply to join the Alliance in May, - writes the Finnish newspaper Iltalehti

For the first time in history, the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court has joined the joint investigation team of Ukraine, Lithuania and Poland to investigate the crimes of the Russian Federation.  Eurojust is also a member of the group, representing 27 EU member states and 10 other countries.

Lithuanian Post will issue a stamp in support of Ukraine. On sale from May 6th. Part of the funds raised will be used to help Ukrainians.

Reuters - In Norway, Greenpeace activists blocked the path of a Russian oil tanker in protest of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The Chechen government is sending sentenced criminals and relatives of opposition activists to the Russian army in Ukraine.

NATIONAL

General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine:

·       Over the past 24 hours, 6 attacks by the Russian Federation were repulsed on the territory of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, 4 tanks, 5 artillery systems, 13 armored vehicles, 15 vehicles, 2 tankers and 1 anti-aircraft gun were destroyed.

·       Over the previous day, the grouping of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine hit ten Russian air targets: 3 aircraft, 4 UAVs of the operational-tactical level and 3 cruise missiles.

·       The Russian army is conducting massive fire operations to block and destroy Ukrainian forces and civilians in Azovstal, Mariupol.

·       In Zaporizhzhia Russian forces are attacking the settlement of Trudoliubivka, fighting continues.

·       In Donetsk Russian forces are attacking Popasno and Rubizhno.

·       In the temporarily occupied territories of the Kharkiv and Luhansk regions, Russians are engaged in looting, theft and robbery.  Particular attention is paid to the seizure of alcoholic beverages and food.

·       There are 8 Russian ships in the Black Sea carrying Kaliber cruise, with a total volley of 58 missiles.

·       Ukraine security agency detained two agents providing targeting information at Ukroboronprom.  Ukroboronprom is Ukraine’s government military manufacturer.

·       The General Staff said it has documentary proof that explosions in unrecognized Transnistria are a provocation organized by the FSB.  According to its evidence   These provocations, according to the plan of the Russian leaders, should justify the war on the territory of Ukraine or involve "Pridnestrovie” (Transnistria) in hostilities.

·       “Russia has not given up on plans to use chemical weapons against Ukrainian defenders and civilians at Azovstal”.

President’s office:  Magic happens with Lend Lease.  40 defense ministers will gather to discuss the supply of weapons to Ukraine.

Ukrzaliznytsia (Ukraine National Railways):  As a result of yesterday’s rocket attacks on five railway stations, one railway worker was killed and four wounded.

Ministry of Digital Transformation - Ukrainian Infotroops attack more than 125 Russian online resources per week. Among them: Services for buying air tickets, fiscal data and 1C Services (accounting services).   

1C is accounting software developed in Russia, that is in extensive use in countries that make up the former Soviet Union, including Ukraine.   IC is used in banks, other financial institutions, and point-of-sale systems used in supermarkets and other retail outlets.  1C is more than the equal of financial software made by Oracle and other vendors.   It is often combined with Microsoft XCel.   The concern in Ukraine has always been about updates to 1C, that Russia could utilize to spread viruses in Ukraine.   Former President Poroshenko signed a decree requiring that the use of 1C end in Ukraine.

58 orphans remain in Russian-occupied Kherson and need to be evacuated, said Ukrainian Ombudsman.  According to her, the children of the orphanage have been hiding in the basement of the local church for more than a month.  Ten of them are less than a year old, the rest are under 4 years old.  Among them are children with disabilities who require special care and treatment.

Approximately 10 people's deputies went abroad before the war and did not return. Most of them are deputies from the "OPZH"(pro-Russian opposition party).

DONBAS

Luhansk Regional Military Administration: 

·       Ukrainian forces liquidated several dozen Russian soldiers from the private military company Liga (formerly “Wagner”) near Popasna.

·       Confirmed that an explosion occurred in the temporarily occupied Kreminna in the room where a meeting of the security forces and the "people's mayor" from the "LPR" was held.  "As they like to say, there was a ‘bang’. After that ‘bang’, half of the building was blown away along with the security forces and collaborators who expected to control occupied territory".

·       Confirmed that Russian forces occupied the almost completely destroyed Novotoshkivske. Fights continue for other settlements of the Hirske community.

Donetsk Regional Military Administration

·       Yesterday in Donetsk oblast 4 civilians died: two of them in Lyman (9-year-old girl and 19-yera-old guy) one in Mariinka and one in Yampil.  9 people were injured.

·       A Russian rocket hit a five-story building In Lyman, Donetsk Oblast.

As a result of rocket attacks on Mykolaiv, two people were injured, one of whom was a child.

Radio Liberty journalists released satellite images showing a third alleged mass grave near Mariupol.  Looking at the photographs, it is possible to assume that there is a mass grave located on the territory of the cemetery in the village of Staryi Krym. The length of the trench increased from 60-70 meters to 200 meters in a month.

Mariupol City Council:  Between 3,000 and 9,000 Mariupol residents are buried in a mass grave in Mangush, near Mariupol.

Yesterday Russian soldiers deported to Russia 149 civilians from Mariupol (Ukraine), including 23 children.

KHARKIV

Kharkiv Regional Military Administration:  

·       In Derhachi and neighbouring villages, 3 civilians were killed and 1 person was injured.

·       In the Zolochiv district, 1 person was killed and 4 injured.

·       In Kharkiv, 4 people were injured due to shelling. In addition, in the Saltovka microdistrict, a large-scale fire broke out as a result of Russian shells hitting a 12-story residential building. Apartments on the 3rd and 4th floors were completely destroyed.

·       In Izium district the Ukrainian military destroyed 4 Russian tanks in three minutes using Ukrainian made Stugna anti-tank missiles. (Gary in London sent this video)

SOUTHERN UKRAINE

Russian occupiers finally decided to take over Kherson City Council.  The Ukrainian flag was removed from city council according to a local journalist.  According to him, the mayor and employees of the City Council were given the opportunity to go to their homes.

Television watchers from in Kherson Oblast report that Ukrainian channels are available again to some Kherson residents, while Russian channels have been blocked.

Odesa Regional Military Administration

·       This morning, Russian troops tried to launch a missile attack on the Odesa region with Bastion rockets from Crimea; one missile fell into the water, and the other was shot down by air defense.

Zaporozhia Regional Military Administration: 

·       Two rockets hit the city this morning.  According to preliminary reports, one person killed and one wounded.

Mykolaiv Regional Military Administration:  Russian troops fired ballistic rockets at Mykolaiv.  As a result of the shelling, several buildings in a residential area were damaged.  Two people were injured, one of them a child. Russian troops also attacked the city of Ochakov, located nearby, with X-35 missiles.

REST OF UKRAINE

Two looters, one of whom threw a grenade at two women, were arrested in Irpin last night.

Kyiv Mayor: A bronze sculpture of two workers, installed in 1982 “to commemorate the reunification of Ukraine with Russia”, is being dismantled in Kyiv.

Monuments of Soviet past are being dismantled in Volodymyr-Volynskyi (Volyn region). Work began on the Heroes' Square.  Monuments in honor of Soviet tank crews and Soviet soldiers are also on the list for dismantling in the city.

Lviv Regional Military Administration:  The fire at Krasne rail station, resulting from a rocket attack, in Lviv Oblast was extinguished, there are no dead or injured.

Rivne Military Administration:  Three Russian missiles hit railway infrastructure in Zdolbunivshchyna. The movement of passenger trains has resumed.

Vinnytsia Regional Military Administration: As a result of yesterday’s missile attacks on Zhmerynka and Koziatyn, 5 people were killed (preliminarily), 18 people were injured.

Vinnytsia Regional Military Administration:  Attempts by the Russian army to move closer to Kryvyi Rih from Kherson failed, the Armed Forces of Ukraine are repelling attacks and the Russian troops suffer losses. Their offensive potential is reduced.

Sumy Regional Military Administration 

·       Artillery fire from Russia hit the Bilopolskyi community in the Sumy oblast.

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://euromaidanpress.com/

https://invite.viber.com/?g2=AQBD3wxTrZ6XUU7IdXeHUfjVCydekezQCCGuwYnT6qPd1r7n1aVbFIewa6ng6Lis