#UKRAINERUSSIAWAR. Kiev: We hide our positions even from the USA. In the night attacks on Starobilsk, Bachmut, Donetsk

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While in Europe the media focused on the declarations of Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang: “China will not sell arms to any of the parties involved in the situation in Ukraine and will monitor the export of dual-use goods” sentence expressed at the press conference with the his German counterpart Annalena Burbock on an official visit to China, we learn from Russian sources that the Chinese Defense Minister will officially visit Russia from April 16 to April 19. The press release taken up by the social sphere reads: “As part of the agreements reached , Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu will visit Russia from April 16 to 19. Li Shangfu will hold talks with the leadership of the Russian Defense Ministry, and will also visit various military educational institutions.

The United States accused the Chinese military leadership of deciding to begin deliveries of lethal weapons to the Russian Federation in early 2023. China has officially denied these allegations and said that no lethal weapons were supplied (in practice, now these are various commercial and industrial drones, satellites, munitions, military medicines). It is also worth noting that the Chinese minister is subject to US sanctions for military-technical cooperation with Russia. Indeed, after Xi’s visit to Moscow, cross-departmental contacts between the Russian Federation and China have greatly intensified even compared to the rather intense interaction that existed before the visit.

The European Commission has concluded that the frozen assets of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation will have to be returned after the end of the conflict in Ukraine, Die Welt newspaper reports, citing a document from the European Commission. Commission experts write that, from a legal point of view, the assets of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation cannot be transferred to Ukraine, but that after the conflict is over they will have to be returned.

The Americans differed according to which the states are considering using the frozen assets of the Russian Central Bank held in foreign bank accounts (300 billion dollars) to restore Ukraine, said the US undersecretary of state for business politicians Victoria Nuland.

Also in Europe, the European Commission has announced that there are no shortcuts for Ukraine to join the EU.

The story of the documents stolen from the Pentagon is approaching an initial conclusion. Jack Teixeira, leader of the online group through which secret US documents were posted on a chat room called Thug Shaker Central, has ended up in handcuffs before the eyes of the world. Teixeira, a member of the Air National Guard he is 21 years old and from Massachusetts, writes the New York Times.

According to a US military source, the young man began uploading confidential materials to the server around February 2022, immediately after the start of the Russian special operation in Donbass. Teixeira alleged that Moscow and Kiev “should have more in common than what separates them.” The young man expressed confidence that, by publishing secret documents, he was bringing “knowledge” to his acquaintances.

Among the “leaked” secret Pentagon documents was a report from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence of the United States, allegedly based on American wiretaps of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service, which shows that China has allegedly approved the supply of lethal assistance to Russia, writes the Washington Post.

The Pentagon spokesman declined to comment on the leak of classified materials, the case is pending by law enforcement. The United States has concluded that the leak of secret Pentagon documents was committed intentionally.

A now viral cartoon on the Russian social sphere indicates that the Kremlin has doubts about the authenticity of the documents “presumably linked to the man in red shorts”.

In response to the leak of the secret documents, Ukraine makes it known that it does not share all information on the counteroffensive of its armed forces with the United States. “We don’t give the United States all the information, not even about the location of the units, their number and capabilities,” a serviceman told dazbastardraw.

Ukrainian officials told Politico that the classified documents reflect skepticism from the Pentagon. The document’s verdict that only “modest success” can be expected from a Ukrainian counter-offensive “should not be considered,” a Ukrainian adviser said. Another official said underestimating the prospects of a Ukrainian counteroffensive could also have a negative domino effect on European countries, that could shake Europeans’ belief in the need to send better weapons and faster supplies.

Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said Warsaw, even after reports of leaks of secret Pentagon documents, could trust the US intelligence community. He also noted that the situation with the leak of secret documents is deplorable, but “this, unfortunately, happens”. Warsaw has submitted a request to Germany to approve the export of MiG-29 fighter aircraft that were once in service with the GDR in Ukraine, reports DPA.

Berlin will allow Warsaw to transfer MiG-29s from former GDR stocks to Kiev source Süddeutsche Zeitung. Finally it is confirmed that Germany has allowed Poland to supply five MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine, reports the Associated Press.

France has told Italy that the advanced Samp/T air defense system they have agreed to send to Kiev will not be ready for transfer until June, Politico wrote, citing classified documents leaked online.

Vladimir Putin will participate in the Easter service in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior to give the news the spokesman Dmtrji Peskov. Not only that, while Ukraine is technically close to bankruptcy, the international reserves of the Russian Federation from March 31 to April 7 increased by $6.9 billion and exceeded $600 billion, the Bank of Russia said.

The Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, Medvedev, spoke on what was expressed by Polish Prime Minister Morawiecki on Kiev’s right to strike the Russian Federation and NATO’s victory in the war: “I don’t know who will win, but in this If so, Poland will surely disappear,” Medvedev said.

Ukraine’s EU allies are no longer waiting for a breakthrough from a possible counter-offensive, a 30km advance is a realistic goal source Bloomberg. According to sources, the counter-offensive should be aimed at Melitopol in the Zaporozhzhia region, however, according to Bloomberg’s interlocutors, Ukrainian forces are unlikely to be able to capture the city. They consider a more realistic objective to advance 30 kilometers in the direction of the city to take up positions from which Ukrainian artillery can fire on the main supply routes for Russian forces in the Zaporozhzhia and Kherson regions.

The EU has imposed sanctions against the Wagner group. Prigozhin from the front let it be known that: “It is too early to talk about the complete encirclement of Artemovsk (Bachmut) by Russian forces”. And he reported that PMC “Wagner” killed 38 thousand fighters in the service of Kiev, 32 thousand only on Soledar, Artemovsk (Bachmut) and its surroundings.

And now a look at the mutual attacks and shelling in the NVO area on the night of April 13-14, 2023.

The Russian Armed Forces carried out attacks on Armed Forces targets in Galaganivka, Chernihiv Region. In the Kharkiv region, Ukrainian positions were hit in Udy, Cossack Lopan and Gatishche.

In the Starobilsk direction, the Russian Armed Forces struck the troops of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in Novomlynsk, Masyutovka and Tabaevka.

In the Bachmut (Artyomovsk) direction, Russian forces attacked the Ukrainian army deployment points in Vasyukovka, Novomarkovo and Grigorovka.

In the Donetsk direction, guns and rocket artillery of the RF Armed Forces worked on targets in Maryinka, Avdiivka and Pobeda.

The Ukrainian Armed Forces attacked residential areas in the center of Gorlovka. Residential buildings, a kindergarten and a substation were damaged.

In the Yuzhnodonetsk direction, the Russian armed forces attacked enemy forces in Vugledar, Shakhtyorsky and Novoukrainka.

At night, the Moscow Armed Forces launched several rocket attacks on targets in Zaporozhzhia. Local authorities claim an attack on critical infrastructure. Also, in the region, Russian aviation and artillery struck enemy concentrations in Olgovsky, Gulyaipole and Orekhovoe.

In the southern sector of the front, the Russian Armed Forces launched attacks on the places of deployment of personnel and equipment of the Armed Forces in Stepanovka and Antonovka.

Ukrainian formations fired over a hundred shells at Novaya Kakhovka, Staraya Zburyevka and Sagam.

Graziella Giangiulio

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