News from Ukraine, Eastern Europe

Russia has warned that European support for Ukraine's drone capabilities could lead to "unpredictable consequences," accusing several countries of becoming part of Kyiv's "strategic rear," the Russian Defense Ministry said on April 15.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said earlier this week she would reiterate her country's support for Ukraine amid Russian aggression.

Russia agreed to pay damages for the downing of the Azerbaijani airliner in 2024 that killed 38 people, according to a joint statement by the two countries on April 15.

"With the goal of lowering the enemy's advance capabilities, we are maintaining a high strike intensity on military, defense industry, and other facilities on Russian territory that sustain the occupier's activities," Ukraine's Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi wrote.

The U.K. Defense Ministry publicized its commitment to its "biggest ever drone package for Ukraine" in an April 15 statement.

The Kyiv Independent’s Yuliia Taradiuk speaks with Artem Kariakin, a Ukrainian from Luhansk Oblast who spent eight years living under Russian occupation and covertly resisting it before escaping and joining the Ukrainian military.

Explosions were reported in Kazan, Tatarstan, around 7 p.m. local time on April 14, while a similar incident occurred near Samara the following day at around 1 p.m. local time.

The U.S. official indicated that the details and dates have not yet been confirmed.

The Russian bulk carrier Abinsk reportedly docked in Haifa carrying nearly 44,000 tons of wheat that Ukrainian investigators say was taken from occupied territories.