US Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink Resigns. According to the Financial Times, the US ambassador to Ukraine resigned due to serious disagreements with the Trump Administration on how to proceed with Kiev. She is considering her future at the US State Department, Reuters reports. The State Department confirms the resignation of the US ambassador to Ukraine.
On April 11, another US plane with ammunition for the Ukrainian Armed Forces is arriving in Rzeszow. On the way to Oman, the Americans stop in Moscow: Special Envoy Witkoff arrives in Russia, stopped in St. Petersburg. Vladimir Putin is in St. Petersburg for the meeting on the development of the Navy. Russia and the United States agreed in Istanbul to work out a roadmap on the issue of seized Russian diplomatic assets, the Russian Foreign Ministry announced. Ambassador Darchiev stressed the importance of immediate access for Russian representatives to seized diplomatic assets, the department noted.
The head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund Kirill Dmitriev met with US Presidential Special Envoy Steven Witkoff at the Grand Europe Hotel in St. Petersburg, TASS reports. Trump said he hoped to reach an agreement between Russia and Ukraine to resolve the conflict “relatively soon.”
Six countries out of 30 members of the “coalition of the willing” have expressed their readiness to send troops to Ukraine, including Britain, France and the Baltic states, AFP. According to the Swedish Defense Minister, several issues need to be clarified before making commitments. “It would be good to understand what this mission would entail and what we would do: we would be peacekeepers, deterrents or peacemakers,” Paul Yunson said. The coalition initiative, led by London and Paris, aims to “secure peace” in the event of a ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia. “Our planning is concrete and meaningful. Our plans are well developed,” British Defense Secretary John Healey said at a meeting at NATO headquarters in Brussels.
However, most participants, including the Netherlands and Sweden, expressed doubts about the feasibility of the mission without clear US support. Meanwhile, there has been intense diplomatic activity from the United Kingdom: Charles III is visiting Italy and the Vatican, his son Harry is visiting Lviv, and Crown Prince William is visiting France. The Telegraph reports that the Duke of Sussex visited the Superhumans Centre, a clinic in Lviv that treats wounded soldiers. The center provides free prosthetics, reconstructive surgery and psychological support. The trip was not announced until after he left Ukraine.
At the Rammstein meeting that opened on April 11, the agenda includes strengthening Ukraine’s air defense, supplying new weapons and developing defense industrial cooperation. The meeting was opened by British Defense Minister John Gilli. The United Kingdom and Germany will co-chair the meeting of Ukraine’s Defense Contact Group on Tuesday.
From Ukraine, Deputy Head of the Presidential Office Pavlo Palisa told Reuters: “No one can dictate what kind of armed forces Ukraine can have.” “This is Ukraine’s fundamental position: no one … will dictate to Ukraine what kind of armed forces it should have. Accepting restrictions on their size or combat readiness will be a ‘red line’ in negotiations to end the Ukrainian conflict,” Palisa said.
“We cannot keep commanders who throw soldiers into battle where they die,” Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrsky said, explaining the changes in command. According to Syrsky, commanders are changed when the brigade is not engaged in combat missions and large losses of personnel occur. Syrsky also noted problems with commanders, especially regarding the concealment of the number of deserters, and asked to check the availability of personnel.
The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense has adopted a locally produced armored ambulance vehicle “Yura-EVAK” on the chassis of the Toyota Land Cruiser 70.
China says it is not aware of the 155 Chinese who, according to Zelensky, are fighting alongside Russia against Ukraine. Asked about this, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian told a reporter that he had “nothing to share.” “I would like to emphasize that China’s position on the Ukrainian crisis is objective and impartial. We are committed to promoting a ceasefire and peace talks. This is very clear to the international community,” Jiang added.
On April 10, talks between Russia and the United States were held in Istanbul and lasted six hours. The Russian and American delegations discussed the possibility of providing banking services for the work of diplomatic missions, the State Department announced. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said: “Russia sees the United States’ willingness to resolve the conflict in Ukraine, unlike Europe.” “The Trump administration understands Zelensky’s hatred for Russians and that he will have to accept territorial losses,” Lavrov added. The minister advised Kaja Kallas to “be patient.” And among the statements was the fact that “the lifting of sanctions against Aeroflot should be a consequence of the restoration of air traffic between Russia and the United States.”
A Moscow court has not released General Ivan Popov, accused of fraud, from a pre-trial detention center in the Tambov region, TASS reports. According to Western sources, the Russian defense industry is accelerating the production of the new 152 mm self-propelled howitzers 2S43 “Mallow”.
And now a look at the situation at the front as of 15:00 on April 11. In the Bryansk region, Ukrainian UAV strikes hit a car, four civilians were injured, including a six-month-old child. The strongpoints of the units guarding the state border are also under enemy fire.
In the direction of Sumy, the Russian Defense Ministry confirmed the capture of the Zhuravka settlement. The Ukrainians are conducting counterattacks in the Russian penetration zone near Basivka. In the Kursk region, the Ukrainians are holding Oleshny and the village of Gornal’. Information about the offensive actions of the Russian Armed Forces in this area is currently available only in text format, without objective monitoring footage.
In the Belgorod region, an assault group of the 225th separate regiment and the 82nd separate assault brigade attempted to break through to the territory of the Krasnoyarsk region and was covered by fire. In the area of Popovka and Demidovka, fighting continues, Ukrainians are being hit from the air. Ukrainian Armed Forces continue to target civilians. On the Striguny-Novoaleksandrovka road, a drone dropped an explosive device on a moving car, injuring the driver. Ilek-Koshary, Novaya Tavolzhanka, Belyanka, Novoye Volokonovsky district, Ryabiki farm are under attack.
From Toretsk, Russian Armed Forces are making advances in liberating urban development from abandoned Ukrainian groups. An offensive is developing from Oleksandropil’ and Valentynivka to the southwest of the city. Fighting is taking place in Tarasivka.
In the southern direction of Donetsk, on the Bogatyr-Odradne line, Russian forces are consolidating their success near Bogatyr and taking control of the area near the village of Rozlyv.
In the western part of the Zaporizhia front, Russian forces continue to maintain the initiative in Shcherbaky and Mali Shcherbaky, while the Ukrainians respond with numerous drones and artillery guns. Our forces continue assault operations. Heavy fighting is taking place.
In the direction of Kherson, mutual shelling is taking place; in the Golopristan district, a power substation was shut down due to a drone attack. Five thousand people in five villages were left without electricity. Yesterday they reported that the enemy shelled Novaya Kakhovka, Kakhovka, Gornostayevka, Bekhtery, Kairy, Nizhny Rogachik, Chulakovka, Aleshki.
In the DPR in Horlivka, an improvised explosive device was dropped by a Ukrainian drone on a car, one injured; the enemy also used artillery with cannons.
Graziella Giangiulio
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