A fire broke out in a house as a result of one of the Russian attacks on Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia Oblast on March 30, 2023. (Zaporizhzhia Oblast's department of the State Emergency Service/Facebook)
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Russian forces launched attacks against nine Ukrainian oblasts over the past 24 hours, Ukraine's Defense Ministry media center reported on March 31.
Two civilians are confirmed to have been killed and 20 more wounded as of 9 a.m.
Russian attacks were reported in Donetsk, Kherson, Dnipropetrovsk, Kharkiv, Chernihiv, Sumy, Zaporizhzhia, Mykolaiv, and Luhansk oblasts in the east, south, and north of Ukraine.
The aftermath of one of the Russian attacks on Kharkiv Oblast on March 30-31, 2023 (Kharkiv Oblast's department of the State Emergency Service/Facebook)
An emergency worker examines the destructions caused by one of the Russian attacks on Kharkiv Oblast on March 30-31, 2023. (Kharkiv Oblast department of the State Emergency Service/Facebook)
According to the report, Russia struck a total of 117 settlements using mortars, tanks, artillery, small arms, S-300 missiles, multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS), a Kh-31 cruise missile, drones, and tactical aviation.
The U.S. is drawing up plans to exert additional pressure on both Kyiv and Moscow as the goal of a full ceasefire by April or May seems increasingly unlikely, Reuters reported.
Russia launched 15 strike drones against the eastern city of Kharkiv, Mayor Ihor Terekhov reported. Eight people, including three children, suffered from shock, the State Emergency Service said, reporting no physical injuries.
The U.S. reportedly temporarily eased sanctions to allow Kirill Dmitriev to obtain a visa for what will be the first high-level Russian official visit to the U.S. since the outbreak of Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine in 2022.
The European Union is launching the Ukraine2EU program worth 16.7 million euros ($18 million) to support to support Ukraine’s preparation for EU membership, officials announced on April 1.
"The dominating view in the United States Senate is that Russia is the aggressor, and that this horrific war and Putin’s aggression must end now and be deterred in the future," the press release on April 1 said.
"As for this agreement and the NATO question, there is no mention of NATO in this agreement, and there never was," President Volodymyr Zelensky said on April 1.
"As far as we can see, there is no place in (the U.S. proposals) today for our main demand, namely to solve the problems related to the root causes of this conflict," Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov claimed on April 1.
"(W)e will hold a meeting on Friday, there will be a meeting of our military teams among several countries, a narrow circle of countries. Those who will be ready to deploy a contingent in one form or another," President Volodymyr Zelensky said on April 1.
On April 1, the Kremlin showed footage of Russian President Vladimir Putin shaking hands with Pro-Russian Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik, saying he was "very happy" to see him in the Russian capital.
"The list of violations cited by [Defense Minister] Andrei Belousov at the Security Council meeting, we handed over to U.S. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz," Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said.
"So, in purpose to cut this trend, in purpose to stop this scenario, we have to show and introduce the hard measures sooner than later," Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys said.
Despite the slowdown, Russian forces continue offensive operations, particularly in Donetsk Oblast's Pokrovsk sector, where fighting intensified at the end of March.
The Kyiv Independent’s Francis Farrell sat down with Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys during his visit to Kyiv on April 1 to discuss the future of Europe during U.S. President Donald Trump's administration, whether European sanctions remain an effective instrument to stop Russia’s war against Ukraine, and Lithuania's contribution to the "coalition of the willing."
Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said the funds would support Ukraine's macroeconomic stability, adding that total financial assistance under the Ukraine Facility has now reached 19.6 billion euros ($21.1 billion).
Donald Trump previously threatened to impose additional tariffs against Russia, threatening a "25% tariff on all oil, a 25- to 50-point tariff on all oil."