US President Donald Trump threatened to halt arms supplies to Ukraine “unless Europe joins in reopening the Strait of Hormuz.” Trump warned that he would block supplies through PURL, the European-funded NATO arms procurement program for Ukraine, and that he could end US support for Ukraine altogether.
“Trump is reviewing everything related to NATO, including support for European efforts in Ukraine,” confirmed US Permanent Representative Whitaker.
These words were echoed by Donald Tusk, Polish Prime Minister, who listed five threats that play into the Kremlin’s hands. Donald Tusk harshly criticized the actions of world politicians. According to him, the moves by US President Donald Trump and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán look like Putin’s “dream plan.”
“The threat of NATO’s disintegration, the easing of sanctions against Russia, a large-scale energy crisis in Europe, the cessation of aid to Ukraine, and Orbán’s blocking of a loan for Kiev—all this looks like Putin’s ideal plan,” Tusk wrote on the social network X.
The EU needs security guarantees from Ukraine, said Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna. “NATO not only says we must provide security guarantees to Ukraine, but also that our region needs security guarantees from Ukraine, since Ukraine is currently the largest, most effective, and most experienced military force in our region,” he stated.
Tallinn has informed Kiev of the need to prevent Ukrainian drones from invading Estonian airspace. Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna noted that the republic has never opened its airspace to drones. All three drones that crashed in Finland in recent days were Ukrainian, according to the Finnish news agency STT, citing police sources.
Russian forces are dropping counterfeit banknotes from drones in Sumy, urging Ukrainians to provide their coordinates, according to the city council. The banknotes may contain various texts and QR codes linking to Russian resources, according to Ukrainian press reports. The German company Quantum Frontline Industries (QFI) has prepared the first batch of Linza tactical drones for delivery to Ukraine, according to its press office.
President Vladimir Putin has announced “contacts” with the United States regarding Ukraine, while negotiations are on hold. Russian dictator Yuri Ushakov’s aide said that the trilateral talks are currently on hold because “the United States is busy with other things.” But the Russians, according to him, still maintain “contacts with the Americans” regarding Ukraine.
The Russian government has submitted a bill to the State Duma regulating the circulation of digital currencies and establishing standards for the provision of services and the protection of investors’ rights and interests. The document has been published in the electronic database of the lower house of parliament.
Starting July 1, Russian-currency residents may be required to notify the Federal Tax Service of foreign cryptocurrency wallets, according to a bill prepared by the government and submitted to the State Duma on April 1. The Federal Tax Service must be notified at the place of registration within one month of the blockchain wallet’s opening or closure. The bill does not specify whether wallets opened before July 1, 2026, must be reported. In addition to the notification, residents will be required to submit reports on cryptocurrency transactions made through these addresses. The bill stipulates that residents will be able to use their digital wallets without restrictions when opening foreign cryptocurrency wallets.
The Moscow Region Ministry of Energy believes it is necessary to ban cryptocurrency mining in the region, said Sergey Voropanov, Minister of Energy of the Moscow Region, at the “Energoprom-2026” forum. “We are ready to take what could be called an extreme measure, not entirely popular but effective in other regions. This would involve banning mining in Moscow and the Moscow Region. According to our estimates, about 1 GW, half of which is concentrated in Moscow and the Moscow Region, is currently used for mining, which has no positive effect on the region’s economy. Therefore, I would like to present such proposals,” he said.
Power was cut off in nine districts of the Republic of Crimea due to technical faults in the main grid, according to the press service of the state-owned utility Krymenergo. “Due to technological faults in the main power grid, blackouts occurred for users in the districts of Dzhankoy, Krasnogvardeysky, Oktyabrsky, Pervomaysky, Chernomorsky, Krasnoperekopsky, Armyansky, Saksky, and Razdolnensky,” the statement read. The number of users affected by the outage was not specified. Power was restored on the afternoon of April 2.
Several drones were shot down while approaching Ufa oil refineries, the head of the Republic, Radiy Khabirov, reported: “Debris from one fell into the industrial zone; there were no injuries. A fire is currently being extinguished at the plant. Another drone hit a residential building on Gafuri Street. All services are on site; the fire has been extinguished.” No one was killed or injured.
By 2036, 61,200 base stations will need to be installed across the country to achieve widespread 5G coverage (assuming operators receive the 4.4-4.99 band), CEO Inessa Galaktionova said at the Telecom 2026 conference. At the same time, 5G will bring fundamental value to the B2B segment. Fifth-generation communications will enable companies to develop high-tech digital solutions based on operator networks, from smart ports and warehouses to the deployment of robots and self-driving vehicles.
“We look forward to the rapid implementation of 5G. This is an extremely promising, but capital-intensive project for the industry, which will require even closer collaboration between the market interested in 5G-based services, industry companies, and the regulator,” said MTS CEO Inessa Galaktionova.
Peskov is unaware of Putin’s orders to limit VPN use in Russia, and he is unaware of the orders to recruit students for the unmanned forces.
Russia and Ukraine are working intensively to prepare a prisoner exchange ahead of Orthodox Easter, according to Russian Ombudsman Tatyana Moskalkova.
And now a look at the front line as of 3:30 PM on April 2. During the night between April 1 and 7:00 AM (Moscow time), Russian air defense early warning systems intercepted and destroyed 147 Ukrainian fixed-wing drones over the regions of Belgorod, Bryansk, Voronezh, Kursk, Smolensk, Tula, and Kaluga, the Krasnodar Krai, the Republics of Crimea, Bashkortostan, and Adygea, and the Black and Azov Seas.
Rosseti specialists are conducting emergency rescue operations in the regions of Kherson and Zaporizhia and the Republic of Crimea. Residents of Ufa (1,400 km from the border) reported a fire in an apartment building following a drone strike, and Ukrainians are circulating photos of a fire at a local oil refinery.
Russian forces have struck Cherkasy, Odessa Oblast, and Kharkiv with Geranium missiles. Over the past 24 hours, Ukrainian forces have counted over 700 Russian attack drones in Ukrainian territory, which have also struck targets such as railway infrastructure and caused train delays across Ukraine.
In the Sumy region, the Northern Group of Forces has attacked and is engaged in combat with Ukrainian forces attempting to repel the Russian offensive. Official reports indicate the following daily advance: “In the Sumy region, in fifteen sectors. The advance has been approximately 200 meters in the past 24 hours.” Ukrainian forces are establishing a defensive line near the village of Nova Sich and preparing personnel for further counterattacks.
In the Krasnopil’s’kyi region, small-arms firefights continue near Novodmytrivka.
In the Belgorod region, on the Krasny Oktyabr-Bessonovka road, an FPV drone struck a car, injuring the driver. In the village of Arkhangelskoye, a drone injured a cyclist on the road. In Shebekino and Oktyabrsky, two civilians and a fighter from Orlan were injured. A motorist was injured in Maksimivka.
In the Kharkiv sector, units of the 82nd Motorized Rifle Regiment, the 69th Motorized Rifle Division, and the 6th Army of the Northern Group of Forces pushed Ukrainian forces back from the village of Verkhnya Pysarivka and are now in control of the village.
In the Kupyansk sector, the situation remains unchanged.
In the Slovyansk sector, conditions are being created for a future assault on Rai-Oleksandrivkae Every day, FAB raids are taking place on Slovyansk.
In the Kostyantynivka sector, Ukrainian forces are reporting increasing Russian activity in the Berestok-Illinivka sector. Russian infantry is penetrating deeper into the urban area of Kostyantynivka from Ivanopillya. Ukrainian forces are attacking Russian forces in the city center. Fighting continues.
In the direction of Dobropillya, Russian troops are expanding their zone of control north of Hryshyne. Fighting continues near Bilyt’ke and Novyi Donbas.
In the Dnipropetrovsk region, Ukrainian forces unsuccessfully attempted a counterattack from Dobropasove towards Hai using an armored personnel carrier and a quad bike, carrying up to 15 infantrymen. The vehicle was hit by a mine.
Far Eastern soldiers of the 64th Infantry Brigade Guards Motorized Riflemen of the 36th Army of the Eastern Group of Forces have taken control of a large defensive area, including the village of Boikove in the Zaporizhia region.
Graziella Giangiulio
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