The United States has once again lifted sanctions on Russian oil for a month. Washington has authorized the sale of Russian oil loaded onto tankers until April 17 and May 16. This week, the Norwegian Air Force published photos of intercepts by Russian anti-submarine aircraft.
Western estimates of Ukrainian losses: 2.8 million military personnel at the end of January, of which 1.7-1.9 million were irreparable. It’s worth noting that over the past six months, approximately 100,000 personnel have not returned to duty. Meanwhile, within NATO, there are those who still want Kiev to join. According to Cai-Göran Alexander Stubb, President of Finland, “Ukraine cannot be excluded from NATO, given its unique combat experience and the development of military technology.” The president stated that Ukraine has demonstrated considerable success, particularly in the use of drones, and its experience is already being applied abroad.
France and Germany do not support granting Ukraine access to the EU budget or voting rights in meetings leading up to full membership, the Financial Times reported, citing sources. Previously, European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos told Bloomberg that Ukraine would not be able to join the EU by 2027 under the current procedure.
Ireland will use the payments to incentivize Ukrainian migrants to return home. According to Colm Brophy, Ireland’s Deputy Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Immigration, all accommodation contracts for Ukrainian migrants will be terminated within a year. “We want to put an end to this… because no other EU country provides this kind of assistance,” he said. The measure will affect 16,000 people who will be forced to return to their countries of origin. All of them will be provided with “generous” financial assistance. Refugees will be able to receive €2,500 per person or €10,000 per family if they return home.
The EU is uncertain whether it will soon return to discussions on the 20th package of sanctions against Russia; the priority is granting a €90 billion loan to Kiev, according to Politico, citing EU diplomats.
Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said he found no basis in Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s claims about Russia’s intention to attack Estonia. “Such statements do not correspond to our intelligence data, our assessment of the threat landscape. We do not see Russia massing troops or preparing militarily for an attack on NATO or the Baltic states in any way,” Tsahkna told ERR.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, in a meeting with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, expressed Ankara’s willingness to engage in talks to resolve the Ukrainian conflict, including at the leadership level. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan stated this, emphasizing that the situation depends not only on Turkey’s will, but also on that of the parties involved in the conflict.
In Belarus, reserve officers are being recalled to duty. The decision was made to strengthen the army’s personnel potential and form a reserve force. The Belarusian authorities also emphasized their desire to “increase the number of tenured officers and ensure the training of a mobilization reserve.”
It is worth noting that spring conscription for military service is underway in the country: it began in March and will last until May. Recruits are expected to be assigned to military units by early summer. Lukashenko assured that he does not want war, but threatened to use “the entire arsenal if Belarus’ existence is threatened.”
According to Lukashenko, his task is to “warn” neighboring countries, particularly Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and partly Ukraine, of possible aggressive actions against Belarus. “We do not want war; we will not fight them. Wars from Belarusian territory against Poland and Lithuania are not possible,” he stated.
Former Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, on the other hand, stated: “Belarus is preparing to open a second front in Ukraine.” Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s office is considering revoking the travel permits from Ukraine for young people between the ages of 18 and 22, Verkhovna Rada MP Dmytro Razumkov stated.
“Volodymyr Zelenskyy is ready to meet with Putin,” Ukrainian Foreign Minister Sybiga told Vesti on the sidelines of the Diplomatic Forum in Antalya. Not only is Ukraine ready to resume supplies through the Druzhba pipeline, but Hungary also withdraws its veto on a €90 billion loan from the EU, Orbàn said. . “Hungary’s position has not changed: no oil, no money. Once oil supplies resume, we will no longer block the loan approval,” he stated. Ukraine began technical tests of the Druzhba pipeline yesterday, April 21, to restore supplies to Hungary. Ukraine could receive the first tranche of the €90 billion loan from the EU in late May or early June, says European Economic Commissioner Dombrovskis. According to him, the EU has already reached an agreement on everything except the multiannual budget amendment, which Hungary has blocked. The loan should be released as early as this week.
Sergei Lavrov at the Antalya Diplomatic Forum: “The resumption of negotiations on Ukraine is not the top priority; Russia is not forcing negotiations on anyone. Russia is not withdrawing from the negotiations; “when someone is ready, let them propose their own,” Lavrov added.
Key points of Lavrov’s statements at the Antalya Diplomatic Forum: “NATO is not in the best shape; the West is trying to turn Ukraine into a ‘trigger of a global threat’; the current authorities in London, Paris, and Berlin have positioned themselves in such a way that they cannot withdraw ‘without losing face’; one of the objectives of the US operation in Iran is control of the oil through the Strait of Hormuz; Russia is not ‘walking like a monkey’ behind NATO, whose emissaries are calling for a break in dialogue with Moscow; preparing for the wars unfolding around the world was part of the West’s plans; Relations between Russia and China are higher, deeper, and more reliable than a “classic military alliance”; Russia and the United States “need a dialogue” on the future of their economic relations.
On April 21, the Russian Foreign Minister again stated: “Russia hopes that the agreements reached in Alaska will be respected and implemented,” Lavrov said. “In working contacts with Moscow, the Americans are ensuring that they will remain faithful to their part of the Alaska summit agreements,” Alexei Drobinin, director of the Russian Foreign Ministry’s Foreign Policy Planning Department, said in an interview with the Serbian newspaper Politika. “Given that [US President] Donald Trump has the same negotiators dealing with several issues simultaneously, the Ukrainian crisis has temporarily faded into the background due to their preoccupation with Middle Eastern affairs. We’ll see what happens,” the diplomat added.
An oil slick covering 10,000 square meters was discovered in the Black Sea near the port of Tuapse, according to the Krasnodar Territory task force, following the Ukrainian shelling.
Russian intelligence services foiled a terrorist attack against a security service facility in Pyatigorsk, Stavropol Territory, which was supposed to be carried out by a German citizen, according to the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB).
“The liberation of the Luhansk People’s Republic is fully completed,” Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov said during an inspection of military units of the Southern Group of Forces. “The offensive by the formations and military units of the Joint Group of Forces is underway in all directions.”
According to Gerasimov, between March and April, the Russian Armed Forces took control of 34 settlements and approximately 700 square kilometers. of territory in the Northern Military District. The Russian Ministry of Defense announced the control of the Luhansk People’s Republic on April 1. The ministry’s statement stated that Zapad Group units had “completed the liberation” of the region.
The State Duma approved in its second and third readings a law authorizing customs officials to destroy aerial, underwater, surface, and ground drones above their facilities.
And now a look at the front line updated at 3:30 PM on April 21. In the Rostov region, Russian media reported air defense activity in Novocherkassk overnight. A fire broke out in one of the neighborhoods. Three drones were destroyed in the skies above the Voronezh region.
Russian forces used attack drones against targets in Sumy, Zaporizhia, Pavlohrad, and the city of Synelnykove frontline in the Dnipropetrovsk region, in Kharkiv, and Dnipropetrovsk.
Toward Sumy, the Northern Group of Forces is engaged in heavy fighting in twenty areas of Sumy District (advancing up to 600 meters per day). Fighting continues in Myropillya and the surrounding area, with troops planning to establish control over all border areas along the Gornal (Kursk)-Milaevka (Kursk) line. Firefights continue in Krasnopil’s’kyi District east of the village of Taratutyne, in Novodmytrivka, and the surrounding area.
In the Kursk region, a Ukrainian drone struck a farm in Khomutovsky District, killing one person and wounding three others.
In the Belgorod region, two people were injured in a drone strike in Shebekino. Also injured were Voznesenovka, Dolgoe, Dvuluchnoye, and Mayskiy, Novaya Tavolzhanka, Solomino, Tavrovo, Zamostye, Dorogoshch, Svyatoslavka, and Stepnoye are under Ukrainian attack.
In the Kharkiv sector, the Northern Group of Forces is engaged in fighting. In the border village of Veterynarne (across from Belgorod District) and the surrounding area. Ukrainian Armed Forces are transferring reinforcements from the 22nd Independent Motorized Brigade and the 58th Independent Motorized Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. In the Vovchansk sector, Russian troops are clearing wooded areas along the state border near the village of Bochkove. Fighting continues in wooded areas west of Karaichne, as well as in the area between Verkhnya Pysarivka and the village of Losivka. Clashes are also occurring in the border forests near the village of Budarky and in the northwest of Kupyansk District.
Fighting continues in Kupyansk and southward. Numerous attack and resupply drones are in the air.
In the direction of Slovyansk, fighting is ongoing in Rai-Oleksandrivka, with Russian forces pressing from Nykyforivka and Kalenyky.
Heavy fighting continues in the center of Kostyantynivka and on the flanks. Russian forces are attempting to partially encircle the city, defended by the Ukrainians, and are sending ever-increasing forces despite attacks on logistics systems and losses along the access routes.
In the Dnipropetrovsk region, the “East” group of forces is expanding its zone of control northwest of Oleksandrohrad, in the direction of Lisne.
On the Zaporizhia front, trench warfare continues in Prymors’ke and Stepnohirs’k.
In Kherson Oblast, Ukrainian forces attacked Velyka Lepetykha, wounding the deputy district chief. Five others were injured by Altria attacks.
Graziella Giangiulio
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