Thursday, April 25

Russia’s war against Ukraine

The aftermath of Russian strikes on Kharkiv Oblast on April 24, 2024. (Governor Oleh Syniehubov/Telegram)

Zelensky on US aid: 'We will do everything to compensate for the 6 months that have passed in debate and doubt.' President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his April 24 evening address that Ukraine "will do everything" to compensate for the six months that passed while the country waited for the U.S. to pass further assistance for Kyiv.

Zaluzhnyi to start new ambassador to UK role 'in a matter of weeks'. Speaking to KYIV24, presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said some "logistical issues" still had to be resolved before he could take up his new position.

Russian priest suspended after presiding over Navalny's funeral. The document posted on the website of the Moscow City Diocese did not give an official reason for Dmitriy Safranov's suspension, but it is believed to be connected to Alexei Navalny's funeral.

Sources: SBU drone attack destroys 26,000 cubic meters of Russian fuel in Smolensk Oblast. Drones of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) attacked two oil depots in Russia's Smolensk Oblast overnight, destroying 26,000 cubic meters of fuel, sources in law enforcement agencies told the Kyiv Independent on April 24.

Parliament passes bill strengthening gambling oversight in first reading. Ukraine's parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, backed in the first reading on April 24 a bill strengthening the state's oversight over the gambling business, lawmaker Oleksii Honcharenko said.

SBU suspects metropolitan of Kremlin-linked church of leaking information about Ukrainian forces. According to the investigation, Metropolitan Arsenii, who served in the Svyatohirsk Lavra in Donetsk Oblast, allegedly told parishioners the coordinates of Ukrainian military checkpoints in the Kramatorsk district in Donetsk Oblast during a liturgy.

Your contribution helps keep the Kyiv Independent going. Become a member today.

Government bans sending passports to military-age Ukrainian men abroad. The Ukrainian government has banned sending identification documents and passports abroad for Ukrainian men aged 18 to 60, according to a decree published on the Cabinet of Ministers' website on April 24.

Prosecutors to request arrest of agriculture minister over alleged illegal acquisition of state-owned land. Ukraine's Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) will request the arrest of Agriculture Minister Mykola Solskyi with an alternative option of a Hr 200 million ($5 million) bail, Economic Pravda reported on April 24.

Justice Ministry freezes assets, accounts of ex-Supreme Court chief after failing to comply with court order. Ukraine's Justice Ministry froze all assets and accounts of former head of the Supreme Court Vsevolod Kniaziev after he failed to pay a court-ordered sum of nearly Hr 1 million ($25,200) over an illegally received gift.

Ukraine's parliament passes bill increasing the size of border guard by 15,000. The law would apply up to one year after the cancellation of martial law, which has been in place since the beginning of the full-scale invasion in February 2022.

Russian man jailed for 10 years over railway sabotage, treason. Since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, what were previously treated as acts of hooliganism have often been tried as acts of sabotage aimed at disrupting the Kremlin's war effort and those found guilty now face far harsher punishments.

Read our exclusives

Ukraine war latest: Biden signs $61 billion aid bill for Ukraine; US began secretly providing ATACMS in March

U.S. President Joe Biden announced during a briefing on April 24 he had signed the foreign aid bill containing close to $61 billion for Ukraine into law, marking the final step of the legislative process.

Photo: AFP/Getty Images

Explaining Washington’s REPO Act that could kick-start the confiscation of frozen Russian assets

The U.S. on April 20 became the first nation to adopt legislation green-lighting confiscating frozen Russian assets for Ukraine. President Joe Biden signed the REPO Act alongside a $95 billion foreign aid bill that included $61 billion for Kyiv on April 24, setting the legal basis for liquidating immobilized Russian assets held in the U.S.

Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images

Human cost of war

Russian attacks over past day kill 1, injure at least 23. Russian forces also struck Dnipropetrovsk, Mykolaiv, and Zaporizhzhia oblasts, causing damage but inflicting no casualties.

General Staff: Russia has lost 461,940 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022. This number includes 880 casualties Russian forces suffered just over the past day.

What's happening with Russia's assets frozen in the West?

International response

Zelensky: Russia planning to disrupt global peace summit in Switzerland. President Volodymyr Zelensky said on April 24 that Ukraine has precise intelligence information that Russia is preparing to disrupt a global peace summit set to take place in Switzerland in June.

Latvian defense minister: Drone coalition raises over $535 million to buy drones for Ukraine. A drone coalition co-led by the U.K. and Latvia has collected over 500 million euros ($535 million) to purchase drones for Ukraine, Latvian Defense Minister Andris Spruds wrote on X on April 24.

Ukraine, Portugal start talks on security agreement. Ukraine and Portugal have begun negotiations on a draft bilateral security agreement, the Presidential Office announced on April 24.

State department confirms US began secretly providing Ukraine long-range ATACMS missiles in March The U.S. began this spring secretly providing Ukraine with long-range Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) at President Joe Biden's direction, U.S. State Department Spokesperson Vedant Patel confirmed at a press briefing on April 24.

Bloomberg: Russia to supply China with cheaper gas compared to European market at least through 2027. Russia is expected to export natural gas to China with prices as much as 28% below those for Russia's European clients at least until 2027, Bloomberg reported on April 23, citing the Russian Economy Ministry's outlook.

Pentagon ready to send $1 billion in weapons to Kyiv after Biden signs aid bill. The Pentagon announced on April 24 that it is ready to move forward with sending $1 billion of weapons from U.S. stockpiles to Kyiv now that President Joe Biden has signed a $95 billion aid package that includes more aid for Ukraine.

Biden signs $61 billion aid bill for Ukraine. U.S. President Joe Biden signed the foreign aid bill containing close to $61 billion for Ukraine into law on April 24, marking the final step of the legislative process.

Bloomberg: France proposes new sanctions to target Russian disinformation, election interference. The proposal "would target those responsible for threatening the stability, security or sovereignty of EU member states or third countries by undermining elections, the rule of law, facilitating acts of violence or do so through the use of information manipulation and interference," Bloomberg wrote.

Reuters: Russia's April oil and gas revenue to double compared to 2023, slightly drop from March. The figures demonstrate that western sanctions targeting Moscow's oil and gas industries have not been as effective as hoped.

Yermak: 'I can tell you for sure – there will be more Patriots'. Speaking on national television, Andriy Yermak said Kyiv was "talking with many partners, primarily the U.S." about securing more of the badly needed systems and referred to recent news of German efforts to convince Washington to send more.

Hugo Boss to sell its Russian subsidiary. Along with many other Western companies, Hugo Boss suspended its retail operations in Russia after the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Ukraine receives 1.5 billion euros from EU in second tranche of financial aid.

The EU approved the four-year Ukraine Facility in February, allocating 33 billion euros ($35 billion) in loans and 17 billion euros ($18 billion) in grants.

Reuters: Canada grants Airbus waiver against sanctions on Russian titanium. Airbus has been granted a waiver by the Canadian government, allowing it to continue using Russian titanium after Ottawa became the first Western nation to ban the metal in its latest package of sanctions targeting the Kremlin, Reuters reported on April 23.

NYT: Project Maven AI having mixed results on Ukraine's battlefields. Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine presented the first opportunity to test how the system would work in a conventional ground war between two armies.

North Korea sends delegation to Iran. North Korea's delegation is led by Yun Jung Ho, North Korea’s minister of external economic relations, state media said.

Pentagon says military aid can arrive in Ukraine 'within days' once Biden signs bill. Speaking ahead of the final vote in the Senate, Pentagon spokesperson General Pat Ryder did not provide specifics but said, "We would expect to be able to deliver aid within days."

Want to get the news faster? Follow our website: kyivindependent.com.

Today’s Ukraine Daily was brought to you by Chris York, Martin Fornusek, Lili Bivings, Kateryna Denisova, Nate Ostiller, Kateryna Hodunova, Olena Goncharova, and Rachel Amran.

If you’re enjoying this newsletter, consider joining our membership program_**. Start supporting independent journalism today.**_

Wednesday, April 24

Russia’s war against Ukraine

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) speaks at a news conference on Capitol Hill on April 23, 2024 in Washington, DC. The Senate passed a $60.84 billion foreign aid package for Ukraine, the final step before the bill reaches U.S. President Joe Biden’s desk to be signed into law. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

US Senate passes $61 billion in aid to Ukraine. The U.S. Senate passed the foreign aid bill in a vote on April 23, paving the way to provide $60.84 billion for Ukraine.

CNN: Some US military aid for Ukraine already in Poland, Germany. Some of the U.S. military aid for Ukraine is already in Germany and Poland, cutting down the time needed for the weapons and equipment to reach the front line, CNN reported on April 22, citing a source familiar with the provision of aid.

Reuters: US preparing $1 billion military aid package for Ukraine. The U.S. is preparing a military aid package for Ukraine worth $1 billion, Reuters reported on April 23, citing two unnamed American officials.

Media: Greece preparing to give Ukraine at least 1 Patriot system, possibly 2. The news follows a story by the Financial Times (FT) on April 22, in which official sources said that Greece and Spain were under specific pressure from the EU to provide additional air defense systems to Ukraine.

Ambassador: Ukraine in talks to set up joint production of Patriot systems. Kyiv is pushing Washington for the joint production of Patriot air defense systems to help Ukraine fend off Russia's war, Ukrainian Ambassador to the U.S. Oksana Markarova said in an interview with European Pravda on April 23.

Your contribution helps keep the Kyiv Independent going. Become a member today.

Military: Russian forces using chemical weapons to storm Ocheretyne, situation 'difficult.' Russian forces are deploying chemical weapons in an attempt to capture the village of Ocheretyne in Donetsk Oblast, Nazar Voloshyn, the spokesperson for Ukraine's Khortytsia Group of Forces, said on April 23.

Ukrainian grain exports slump in March, expected to further slow down this year. Ukrainian grain exports decreased in March and are expected to further slow down this year amid lower supply and smaller harvest predictions. Grain exports amounted to 5.2 million metric tons in March, down from 5.8 million metric tons the month before, according to various estimates.

Ukraine suspends consular, passport services for military-age men abroad. The move comes a week after Ukraine finally passed a hotly debated bill on mobilization as the country seeks to bolster its armed forces.

National Guard: Russia needs years to capture Kharkiv. Russian forces would need years to occupy the city of Kharkiv, Oleksandr Pivnenko, a commander of Ukraine’s National Guard, said in an interview with the Liga.net media outlet on April 23.

Governor: Over 20 Russian missiles targeted Dnipro Hydroelectric Power Plant in 2024. Russian forces have launched over 20 missiles at the Dnipro Hydroelectric Power Plant (HPP) since the beginning of this year, Zaporizhzhia Oblast Governor Ivan Fedorov said on national television on April 23.

Read our exclusives

Ukraine war latest: Russian forces use chemical weapons in Ocheretyne

Russian forces are deploying chemical weapons in an attempt to capture the village of Ocheretyne in Donetsk Oblast, Nazar Voloshyn, the spokesperson for Ukraine's Khortytsia Group of Forces, said on April 23.

Photo: Anatolii Stepanov/AFP via Getty Images

What Ukraine lost while waiting for the US aid bill to pass

While it is difficult to directly attribute events in Ukraine to the delay, what is certain is the situation has significantly deteriorated on several fronts during this time.

Photo: Paula Bronstein /Getty Images

Human cost of war

Russian attack on Dnipropetrovsk Oblast injures 8. Russian forces launched a missile attack against the Dnipro district in the afternoon, wounding four people, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Governor Serhii Lysak reported on April 23.

Governor: 5 injured in Russian attack on Kostiantynivka. Russian forces struck the city of Kostiantynivka in Donetsk Oblast on the morning of April 23, wounding five people, Governor Vadym Filashkin reported.

Russia launches missile attacks on Kharkiv, leaving 2 injured. Russia launched missile attacks on Kharkiv in the early hours of April 24, damaging four residential building, and injuring two people, Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov reported on Telegram.

Russia attacks 11 communities in Sumy Oblast, injuring 4. Russian forces attacked Sumy Oblast 242 times in 51 separate attacks throughout the day, injuring four people, the Sumy Oblast Military Administration reported on April 23.

What's happening with Russia's assets frozen in the West?

International response

WSJ: US drafting sanctions aimed at Chinese banks aiding Russia’s war effort. Washington hopes they will allow Secretary of State Antony Blinken to arrive armed with diplomatic leverage on a visit to China this week, in a push to stop Beijing's commercial support of Russia's military production.

Hungarian FM says Ukraine carrying out 'witch hunt' against Hungarian businesses, threatens to block EU aid. Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto's latest complaint against Ukraine was in relation to allegations that the country was planning to revoke several of the distribution permits for medicine from the Hungarian pharmaceutical company Richter.

Swedish Navy chief says Russian 'shadow fleet' of oil tankers possibly conducting espionage in Baltic Sea. Swedish Navy chief Ewa Skoog Haslum said some of the ships from the shadow fleet have been found to possess communications and signals equipment not usually associated with cargo vessels, leading to concerns they could be used in "hybrid operations."

Thousands of European flights reportedly affected by suspected Russian jamming. Russia has been accused of jamming GPS signals in nearby countries such as Finland as far back as the 2010s.

Bloomberg: Germany urging US to send another Patriot system to Ukraine. Ukraine is facing a shortage of air defense systems amid an uptick in Russian attacks on population centers and energy infrastructure.

Denmark to allocate around $450 million for Ukraine's reconstruction, energy sector. Copenhagen will allocate around 420 million euros ($450 million) to Kyiv as part of a memorandum of understanding on long-term cooperation and reconstruction signed on April 23, Ukraine's Economy Ministry reported.

Latvian schools to stop teaching Russian as foreign language. Children in Latvia will no longer learn Russian as a foreign language in schools from 2026, but instead will be required to learn a language of the European Union or the European Economic Area, Latvia's Education Ministry announced on April 23.

In other news

Ukraine's parliament passes law adapting education policy to match EU standards. Digital Transformation Minister Mykhailo Fedorov wrote that the law will help introduce a number of changes to help university students have more flexibility and autonomy in higher education.

Ukraine faces energy deficits**, to restrict power supply for business, industry.** Ukraine faces power deficits caused by Russian attacks on its energy system, forcing Kyiv to temporarily restrict power supply to businesses and industrial facilities on April 23, Ukraine's state-owned energy operator Ukrenergo reported.

Agriculture Minister Solskyi accused of illegally appropriating more than $7 million in state-owned land. While NABU only described the suspect as the "former chairman of the agriculture committee" of Ukraine's parliament, Suspilne reported, citing sources in law enforcement, that it is Agriculture Minister Mykola Solskyi.

Russia's deputy defense minister detained on suspicions of bribery. Russia's Deputy Defense Minister Timur Ivanov was detained on April 23 on the suspicion of receiving a bribe, Russia's Investigative Committee announced.

Want to get the news faster? Follow our website: kyivindependent.com.

Today’s Ukraine Daily was brought to you by Teah Pelechaty, Dinara Khalilova, Toma Istomina, Martin Fornusek, Nate Ostiller, Chris York, Teah Pelechaty, Elsa Court, Kateryna Denisova, Dmytro Basmat, and Abbey Fenbert.

If you’re enjoying this newsletter, consider joining our membership program_**. Start supporting independent journalism today.**_

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.

Your contribution helps keep the Kyiv Independent going. Become a member today.

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.

Want to get the news faster? Follow our website: kyivindependent.com.

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

If you’re enjoying this newsletter, consider joining our membership program_**. Start supporting independent journalism today.**_

Monday, April 22

Russia’s war against Ukraine

This photograph taken on April 21, 2024, shows a large mural created by Italian artist Jorit, depicting a girl on a residential building in occupied Mariupol. (Photo by STRINGER/AFP via Getty Images)

Ukraine's Navy confirms Russian ship Kommuna hit in Sevastopol. A missile was launched at the Russian Black Sea Fleet stationed in occupied Sevastopol on April 21, the city’s Russian-installed governor has said. A source in Ukraine’s military intelligence told the Kyiv Independent that information on the strike was still being clarified.

Senator: US could start sending ATACMS to Kyiv in 1 week. The United States could begin transferring long-range Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) to Ukraine "by the end of the week," U.S. Senator Mark Warner told CBS News in an interview published April 21.

Zelensky: US aid gives Ukraine 'chance at victory.' "I think this support will really strengthen the armed forces, I pray, and we will have a chance at victory if Ukraine really gets the weapons system, which we need so much, which thousands of soldiers need so much."

Your contribution helps keep the Kyiv Independent going. Become a member today.

Germany, Lithuania scouring closed power plants for parts for Ukraine. Decommissioned power plants in Germany and Lithuania are being examined to see if parts can be salvaged and sent to Kyiv in order to repair and restore Ukrainian energy infrastructure damaged by Russian strikes.

Zelensky: Russia will attempt to seize Chasiv Yar by Victory Day. Russia will attempt to capture the town of Chasiv Yar, just west of the Russian-occupied Bakhmut, by May 9, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview with NBC News published on April 21.

ISW: Ukraine will be 'able to blunt' Russia's offensive if US aid arrives quickly. Despite indications that Russia is planning a renewed summer offensive, Ukraine will likely be able to curtail the effects of the renewed offensive if anticipated U.S. military aid arrives promptly, the U.S.-based think tank Institute for the Study of War (ISW) assessed on April 21.

Read our exclusives

Ukraine war latest: US House passes $61 billion in aid for Ukraine; Navy confirms Russian ship hit in Sevastopol.

Ukraine hit another Russian ship in occupied Sevastopol, Dmytro Pletenchuk, a spokesperson for Ukraine's Navy, told the Liga.net media outlet on April 21.

Photo: George Chernilevsky/Wikimedia Commons

Ukraine aid bill finally passes the House – what happens next?

While Kyiv breathed a sigh of relief at the news, the next few weeks remain precarious as the Senate needs to support the bill and supplies still need to reach Ukraine as Russia looks likely to intensify its ongoing offensive.

Photo: Celal Gunes/Anadolu via Getty Images

The factory working 24/7 to make shells for Ukraine

Human cost of war

Russia attacks 20 settlements in Kherson Oblast, 1 injured. In a post on Telegram, head of the Kherson Regional Military Administration, Oleksandr Prokudin, said 12 private houses had been damaged as well as an educational institution, a restaurant and a gas pipeline.

Russian attacks in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast injure woman. A 47-year-old woman in the Nikopol district sustained mine-blast injuries and is currently being treated in the hospital, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Governor Serhii Lysak said.

Russian attack in Kharkiv injures man. A 19-year-old Kharkiv resident sustained shrapnel injuries in his legs and is currently hospitalized in moderate condition.

Russia attacks 4 communities in Sumy Oblast. Russian forces struck four communities in Ukraine's northeastern Sumy Oblast in seven separate attacks throughout the day, the regional administration reported on April 21. There were no casualties or damages to civilian infrastructure.

International response

Bloomberg: Blinken to warn Beijing over support for Russia in upcoming trip to China. U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said earlier in April that there would be "significant consequences" if Chinese companies aid Russia's war effort.

Poland, Lithuania, other NATO allies begin military exercise around Suwalki Gap. The exercise was jointly planned in 2022 by the Polish and Lithuanian militaries and involves at least 1,500 troops and hundreds of pieces of equipment, the Lithuanian public broadcaster LRT said.

Chisinau airport evacuated following bomb threat. Passengers and staff were evacuated from the Chisinau International Airport in Moldova's capital on April 21 due to an explosion threat.

Bloomberg: Moldova's pro-Russian opposition parties establish anti-European bloc ahead of elections. Members of Moldova's pro-Russian opposition parties met in Moscow on April 21 to establish a new anti-European political bloc aimed at derailing Moldova's planned accession to the European Union, Bloomberg reported.

Want to get the news faster? Follow our website: kyivindependent.com.

Today’s Ukraine Daily was brought to you by Nate Ostiller, Teah Pelechaty,

Chris York, Oleksiy Sorokin, Olena Goncharova, Abbey Fenbert, and Dmytro Basmat.

If you’re enjoying this newsletter, consider joining our membership program_**. Start supporting independent journalism today.**_