7:48 p.m
Putin to Li: Military cooperation between Russia and China is good
Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu on the military cooperation between the two countries. This is reported by the agency Tass. «Our defense ministries are working actively. We regularly exchange useful information, cooperate in the military-technical sphere, conduct joint exercises in various theaters of operations: both in the Far East and in Europe, at sea, on land and in the air,” Putin said, adding that “relationships develop dynamically in all areas, in the economy, in the cultural sphere, in the educational system”.
18:54
Putin meets Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu
Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu. This was stated by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, quoted by the Russian state agency Tass. “Putin held a working meeting with Chinese State Councilor and Defense Minister Li Shangfu,” Peskov said, adding that more details would follow.
1:51 p.m
Prigozhin: I ordered the release of Ukrainian prisoners by Easter
The head of Wagner’s private militia, Yevgeny Prigozhin, said he personally ordered the release of a group of Ukrainian prisoners of war at Easter: a video released by his press service shows him giving the order for their release. This was reported by the Russian state news agency Interfax. «Prepare, feed and drink all the prisoners of war, examine the wounded, the doctors must examine them. We have to make sure that they leave the area by noon,” says Prigozhin in the video to a Wagner soldier. A total of 130 Ukrainian soldiers who were captured in Bakhmut, Soledar, Zaporizhzia, Kherson were released.
12:21
Wagner militias urge the Ukrainians to withdraw from Bakhmut
Paramilitaries from the Wagner group are fighting to take control of the main Bakhmut (Russian: Artemovsk) railway junction in the western part of the city, a private militia source told RIA Novosti. “The Ukrainians have moved towards the railways. they withdraw. They run and we catch up with them. The city is almost under our control,” he said. According to the Russian state news agency, the Kremlin army has already occupied the center of Bakhmut.
11:45 a.m
12 dead in Sloviansk
The death toll in the Russian attack on a home in Sloviansk, Donetsk region, rises to 12: The body of a man was recovered from the rubble of a building destroyed by a missile on April 14. This was announced by Ukrinform, citing the state emergency service. “The works are in progress. According to police, three other people could be under the rubble. The wounded are 22». Two days ago in the afternoon, the Kremlin army attacked Sloviansk with S-300 rockets, hitting several blocks of flats.
11:23
Rocket destroys St. Michael’s Church in Zaporizhia
S-300 rockets fired by the Russian army overnight destroyed the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of St. Michael the Archangel in Kushuhum in the Zaporizhia region. This was reported by a correspondent from Ukrinform. “During the night, a Russian missile hit the Archangel Michael Church, dating from 1906. At that time, in the church, which is usually very busy on the Easter Vigil, there was no celebration and no blessing of the Easter meal,” the leader told the congregation, Yurii Karapetian. “There were orders not to hold night services because of the risk of missile attack,” said Father Volodymyr
09:09
Zelenskyy: Damaged over 50 buildings in Sloviansk
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that “in Sloviansk, Donetsk region, more than 50 residential buildings were damaged and destroyed as a result of the Russian attack.” This was reported by UNIAN, citing the Ukrainian leader’s usual evening video message. . “After yesterday’s Russian missile attack, a search operation is still underway in Sloviansk in the Donbass,” said Zelenskyy. There is information that there are still corpses under the rubble of the buildings.” According to Zelensky, “none of the culprits of this aggression cannot be forgiven.”
09:03
Two teenagers have died in southern Ukraine
Two teenagers were killed in a night Russian bombing raid on Snigirevsky in the Mykolaiv region of southern Ukraine, RBC-Ukraine reported, citing regional military chief Vitaly Kim. The two dead boys were both 18 years old. Kim added that ten blasts were counted: two schools, a hospital and some condominiums were damaged. Snigirevsky was released on November 10, 2022.
09:02
Bombs over Zaporizhia damage a church
Russian troops shelled Zaporizhia Oblast last night. This was announced by the governor of the region, Yurii Malashko. Specifically, a church in the settlement of Komyshuvakha in Zaporizhia was damaged, as were neighboring buildings. A wooded area was also affected. Emergency services work on site. Information on injuries and damage is currently not available.
09:02
Donetsk, one dead and two wounded
The victims of the night bomb attack on the center of Donetsk, particularly near the Transfiguration Cathedral, are one dead and two wounded. This was reported by Tass, citing the administration of the Voroshilovsky district of the city ruled by pro-Russian forces. At the time of the rocket explosion, the Orthodox Easter Vigil was taking place in the religious building.
09:01
Missiles in the center of Donetsk near the cathedral
There are 20 rockets fired at central Donetsk in eastern Ukraine during the night. This was reported by Tass, citing the authorities of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR). These are projectiles from several rocket launcher systems that exploded during the Orthodox Easter vigil. Witnesses reported smoke near the cathedral where the religious ceremony was taking place. The shelling came at 3:25 a.m. Moscow time on Sunday from positions near the settlement of Ocheretyne.
“The bombardment was very intense. Smoke can be seen near the cathedral, where Easter Vigil was held,” the administration of Donetsk’s Voroshilovsky district told TASS, adding that at least one person was injured in the rocket fire.