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Saturday, April 1

11:42 PM

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Ukrainian State-Owned Enterprises Weekly – Issue 81

11:09 PM

Zelensky imposed sanctions on 650 Russian officials, collaborators, companies. President Volodymyr Zelensky signed two decrees to impose sanctions on more than 650 individuals and legal entities “working for Russian aggression,” as well as those connected to the Russian military industry.

10:51 PM

Moscow-backed Orthodox priest under house arrest. A Kyiv district court placed Russian-led Orthodox Metropolitan Pavlo (Petro Lebid) under house arrest. He is charged with inciting hatred and justifying Russia’s war against Ukraine. The arrest will last for 60 days.

10:43 PM

Burkovsky, Zolkina: How Ukraine and the West can stop Putin’s nuclear blackmail

9:20 PM

Zelensky criticizes UN for allowing ‘terrorist state’ to chair Security Council. President Volodymyr Zelensky said that with Russia chairing the UN Security Council, “it is hard to imagine something more evident that proves the complete bankruptcy of such institutions.”

8:00 PM

Yermak: Russia hits Avdiivka, damages civil infrastructure. The Russian army launched two missile attacks on the front-line city of Avdiivka, Donetsk Oblast, causing significant damage to infrastructure, according to President's Office Head Andriy Yermak.

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7:41 PM

General Staff: Bakhmut, Avdiivka, Marinka under heavy fire. The General Staff reported on April 1 that the fiercest battles take place in Donetsk Oblast, near the strategic city of Bakhmut, as well as Avdiivka and Marinka.

5:42 PM

Kuleba: Russian UN Security Council presidency 'a slap in the face to the international community.' Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba urged the UN Security Council members to "thwart any Russian attempts to abuse its presidency."

4:48 PM

Russian shelling of Kherson Oblast kills 1, wounds 1. One person was killed on April 1 by Russian shelling of Kherson, President Zelensky's chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, reported on Telegram.

4:30 PM

German defense minister: NATO countries to send total of 160 tanks to Ukraine. NATO countries plan to send two battalions of German Leopard-2 battle tanks and four battalions of Leopard-1 tanks to Ukraine, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius told Die Welt. kThe 160 tanks account for roughly half the 300 tanks requested by Ukraine for its counteroffensive.

3:09 PM

Ukraine sanctions former Motor Sich head, Russian companies. President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a decree on April 1, approving a proposal by the National Security and Defense Council to sanction former Motor Sich President Vyacheslav Bohuslaiev and more than 230 Russian and Ukrainian nationals.

2:42 PM

Ukraine to buy 100 Polish Rosomak armored vehicles. The Polish-made Rosomak will be bought with U.S. and EU funds, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki wrote on Twitter on April 1.

2:19 PM

SBU conducting search at Moscow Patriarchate vicar's residence, issues suspicion notice. The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) reported on April 1 that it gathered "reasonable evidence" regarding its suspicions of Metropolitan Pavlo Levid's actions that allegedly incited religious enmity and supported Russia's war in Ukraine.

12:52 PM

Shmyhal: Bucha could be a trial site for 'Russian war criminals.' Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said on April 1 that the Kyiv suburb of Bucha, which endured a brutal weeks-long Russian occupation in spring last year, should be considered a trial site for "Russian war criminals."

12:23 PM

Russian Defense Minister says 'measures being taken' to increase ammunition stocks. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said on April 1 that "necessary measures are being taken" to increase the Russian army's ammunition stocks for its war against Ukraine.

11:47 AM

Russia attacks civilians in 8 Ukrainian regions, kills 5-month-old baby in Avdiivka. Russian forces attacked eight regions across Ukraine over the past 24 hours, killing at least five people and wounding 10, according to regional governors' reports on April 1.

10:23 AM

General Staff: Russia has lost 173,990 troops in Ukraine since Feb 24, 2022. According to the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces, Russia has also lost 3,616 tanks, 6,981 armored fighting vehicles, 5,528 vehicles and fuel tanks, 2,683 artillery systems, 527 multiple launch rocket systems, 279 air defense systems, 306 airplanes, 291 helicopters, 2,248 drones, and 18 boats.

10:11 AM

Media: SBU suspects Moscow-backed Orthodox Church metropolitan of supporting Russia's war. The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) issued a notice of suspicion against the abbot of Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, Metropolitan Pavlo Lebid, for "inciting inter-religious hatred and justifying Russia's armed aggression," Ukrainian media outlet Liga.net reported on April 1, citing a source in law enforcement.

7:43 AM

General Staff: Ukrainian forces repel 70 Russian attacks. Russian troops are reportedly concentrating their efforts on conducting offensives toward Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiivka, and Marinka in Donetsk Oblast. Ukrainian forces repelled more than 70 Russian attacks in those directions on March 31, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces said in its morning update.

6:22 AM

Top US general says Ukraine victory unlikely this year. U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley said in an interview with Defense One that Ukraine is unlikely to expel all Russian troops from its territory this year.

4:59 AM

ISW: Kremlin spokesperson rejects Lukashenko’s ceasefire suggestion. Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko in his address to the nation on March 31 said that he supports peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia “as soon as possible” and offered to help mediate negotiations.

3:17 AM

Russian forces attack 4 communities in Sumy Oblast, injuring 1. Russian forces attacked Znov-Novhorodske, Bilopillia, Khotin and Esman communities, the Sumy Oblast Military Administration reported on March 31.

Saturday, April 1

1:51 AM

Official: Grenade explosion kills 1, injures 1 in Lviv. Ihor Zinkevych, an official with the Lviv city council reported late on March 31 that a grenade exploded in a high-rise on Zamarstynivska Street in northern Lviv.

12:06 AM

UN representative: UN casualties figures 'just the tip of the iceberg'. The UN Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk said on March 31 that the number of civilian casualties far outstrips official figures of more than 8,400 civilians killed since Feb. 24.

11:38 PM

Reuters: US could announce more than $2 billion new military aid for Ukraine. A new $2.6 billion U.S. military aid package that could include air surveillance radars, anti-tank rockets, and fuel trucks could be announced on April 3, Reuters reported, citing undisclosed U.S. officials.

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Zelensky asks UK for fighter jets: 'Give us wings to protect freedom.'

by The Kyiv Independent news desk February 8, 2023 4:42 PM 2 min read

President Volodymyr Zelensky meets British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak after arriving in London on Feb. 8. (Zelensky's Facebook page).

Addressing the British parliament, President Volodymyr Zelensky on Feb. 8 asked the U.K. to provide fighter jets to protect Ukraine's freedom.

Zelensky, who is visiting London, presented the helmet of a Ukrainian pilot to the parliament's speaker as a metaphor for Ukraine’s pleas for Western fighter jets.

“We have freedom, give us wings to protect it,” the helmet inscription reads.

“The world needs Ukrainian bravery,” Zelensky said. "We proved together that the world truly helps those who are brave in defending freedom.”

He thanked the U.K. in advance for “the powerful English planes" that Ukraine hopes to get from the West.

“We know Russia will lose,” Zelensky said, as quoted by Bloomberg. “We know victory will change the world. The U.K. is marching with us toward the most important victory of our lifetime. Any aggressor will know what awaits him. Any aggressor is going to lose.”

Zelensky also told the parliament that longer-range weapons would help Ukraine hit targets deep in Russian-occupied territory.

Before Zelensky landed in London, the U.K.’s Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced that the country would provide longer-range weapons to Ukraine and would train Ukrainian pilots and marines.

Critics argue that allies’ reluctance to supply F-16 fighters and long-range ATACMS missiles to Ukraine will prevent Kyiv from launching a major counteroffensive and liberating the rest of Ukrainian territory. Ukraine’s lack of advanced aircraft and missiles will likely prolong Russia’s war of aggression and result in thousands of deaths.

The HIMARS missiles that Ukraine currently uses have a range of 80 kilometers and cannot reach many of the Russian-occupied areas.

On Feb. 3, the U.S. announced it would supply Ukraine with GLSDB missiles, which can travel for 150 kilometers. However, Bloomberg reported that they are likely to arrive in Ukraine in nine months, which may be too late for repelling a Russian offensive or launching a Ukrainian counter-offensive.

Meanwhile, ATACMS missiles have a range of 300 kilometers.

The Kyiv Independent news desk

We are the news team of the Kyiv Independent. We are here to make sure our readers get quick, essential updates about the events in Ukraine. Feel free to contact us via email with feedback and news alerts.

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