Tuesday, April 23

Russia’s war against Ukraine

A Ukrainian police investigator examines debris at the Kharkiv Television Tower, after officials reported a Russian strike on the tower on the outskirts of Kharkiv on April 22, 2024. (Sergey Bobok/AFP via Getty Images)

Russia claims to have captured Novomykhailivka**, Ukraine denies.** The situation in Novomykhailivka in Donetsk Oblast is "tense but under control," Yaroslav Chepurnyi, spokesperson of the 79th Separate Airborne Assault Brigade told the Kyiv Independent on April 22, after Russia claimed to have captured the village earlier in the day.

Ukraine to receive new military aid from US sooner than expected, congressman says during visit to Kyiv. The first batch of U.S. military aid will be delivered to Ukraine “sooner than anyone thinks is possible,” after the final approval, Bill Keating, a Massachusetts Democratic congressman, said during a press conference in Kyiv on April 22.

Hamburg mayor arrives in Kyiv to meet Klitschko. "Our support during the crisis must continue. Hamburg stands firmly on the side of the people of Ukraine," the city's senate wrote on social media.

Zelensky: Ukraine, US 'finalized' agreements on ATACMS. Ukraine "finalized" with the U.S. details of the agreements on long-range Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) missiles for Kyiv, President Volodymyr Zelensky said after a call with his American counterpart Joe Biden on April 22.

Russia partially destroys Kharkiv TV tower. Russian forces struck a TV infrastructure facility in Kharkiv on April 22, regional governor Oleh Syniehubov said. Russian forces used a Kh-59 missile in the attack, the Prosecutor General's Office said.

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Military: Over 20,000 Russian troops trying to storm Chasiv Yar, outskirts. Around 20,000 to 25,000 Russian soldiers are trying to storm Chasiv Yar and the settlements in the city's outskirts, the Khortytsia Group of Forces' spokesperson, Nazar Voloshyn, said on national TV on April 22.

Zelensky: Draft age lowered because younger generation fit, tech-savvy. Ukraine's military needs younger men not only because they are physically fitter than older men but also because they can master technology used on the battlefield faster, President Volodymyr Zelensky told French YouTuber Hugo Travers in an interview published on April 21.

Media: Next Ramstein summit to be held on April 26. The next Ramstein-format summit of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG) will take place on April 26, Dutch Defense Minister Kajsa Ollongren reportedly told European defense ministers on April 22.

DTEK needs $350 million to rebuild power plants. Ukraine's largest private energy company, DTEK, announced on April 22 that it requires $350 million to recover the lost capacity caused by Russia's attacks on thermal power plants.

Air Force: Ukraine downs 15 Russian drones overnight. Ukrainian air defense units destroyed 15 of the 16 Shahed-type drones that Russia launched overnight, the Air Force reported in the morning on April 23.

Read our exclusives

Ukraine war latest: Over 20,000 Russian troops trying to storm Chasiv Yar

Chasiv Yar lies around 10 kilometers west of Bakhmut in Donetsk Oblast and 50 kilometers (31 miles) north of Avdiivka, cities Russia captured in May 2023 and February 2024, respectively.

Photo: Anatolii Stepanov/AFP via Getty Images

How Johnson came to allow a vote on Ukraine aid after months of delays

After more than six months of hedging, backtracking, and unfulfilled promises, U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson finally allowed a vote on aid for Ukraine, which was passed on April 20.

Photo: Nathan Posner/Anadolu via Getty Images

Human cost of war

7 injured, including 2 children**, in Russia's attack on Odesa.** Russian forces hit a residential area in Odesa with drones overnight on April 23, wounding seven people, including two children, Ukraine's Southern Defense Forces reported.

Opinions and insights

Opinion: Russia’s energy infrastructure attacks are depopulating Ukraine

“Just last week, a Russian attack destroyed the Trypillia Thermal Power Plant, which was the main electricity supplier for Kyiv, Zhytomyr, and Cherkasy oblasts. Meanwhile, all major power plants supplying the city of Kharkiv are in ruins,” Olga Aivazovska and Andriy Savchuk write in their latest op-ed.

Photo: Yan Dobronosov/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images

International response

Biden tells Zelensky he will sign aid bill as soon as Senate approves. Zelensky said that Biden assured him "that the package will be approved quickly and that it will be powerful, strengthening our air defense as well as long-range and artillery capabilities."

FT: Spain, Greece face pressure from EU states to step up air defense supplies to Ukraine. A senior EU official told the Financial Times (FT) that member states are expected to “step forward” to provide Ukraine with what it needs.

Sweden's defense minister doesn't rule out sending Patriots to Ukraine. Swedish Defense Minister Pal Jonson does not rule out sending Ukraine Patriot air defense systems, the Guardian reported on April 22.

PM Sunak to announce largest-ever military aid package to Ukraine during visit to Poland. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will announce a 500-million-pound ($617 million) uplift in military support for Ukraine during his visit to Poland on April 23.

Tusk rules out sending Patriots to Ukraine. Poland cannot transfer any Patriot systems to Ukraine as it lacks reserves of its own, but will provide other forms of assistance in terms of air defense, Prime Minister Donald Tusk told reporters on April 22.

Reuters: World Bank financing arm plans to invest $1.9 billion in Ukraine. The private financing arm of the World Bank plans to invest $1.9 billion in projects in Ukraine over the next 18 months, Reuters reported on April 22.

Russian media: German prosecutor's office opens preliminary investigation into Knauf. The Wurzburg Prosecutor's Office has opened a preliminary investigation into the German building materials manufacturer Knauf, allegedly involved in the reconstruction of Russian-occupied Mariupol, Russian state-controlled news outlet RIA Novosti reported on April 22.

In other news

State Customs Service: Polish protesters stop blockade at Yahodyn-Dorohusk border crossing. The State Customs Service said that traffic had resumed in both directions as of 1:40 p.m. local time.

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Today’s Ukraine Daily was brought to you by Martin Fornusek, Nate Ostiller, Chris York, Teah Pelechaty, Elsa Court, Kateryna Denisova, and Olena Goncharova.

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