13:15
Destruction of a factory producing Neptune rockets
A Russian attack on the outskirts of Kyiv last night targeted a factory that makes Neptune missiles, which Ukraine says it used to sink the Russian ship Moskva. A factory hall and an adjacent administrative building in the town of Vyshnevé, about thirty kilometers south-west of the Ukrainian capital, were badly damaged.
13:00
The US believes the war may last all of 2022
The conflict could last until the end of the year. That’s what US Secretary of State Antony Blinken reportedly said to his European allies, according to two European officials who spoke to CNN.
12:54
EU would prepare embargo on Russian oil, but ‘reluctantly’
According to the New York Times, the European Union is “reluctantly” preparing a multi-stage embargo on Russian oil to give Germany in particular time to find alternatives. This embargo would not be proposed to EU member states for negotiation before the second round of French presidential elections.
12:32
Evacuation Buses Target of Deadly Fire?
Seven civilians were killed and 27 injured in Russian fire on evacuation buses in the Kharkiv region yesterday, Ukraine’s Prosecutor General’s Office said.
On April 14, Russian soldiers shot at evacuation buses with civilians in the village of Borova. According to initial information, seven people were killed and 27 injured,” prosecutors wrote on Telegram.
12:25
The Russians claim to have taken the Ilyich Steelworks from Mariupol
“Russian troop formations and units of the Donetsk People’s Militia completely liberated the Ilyich Steel Plant from Ukrainian nationalists after the offensive in the city of Mariupol,” the military spokesman said in a statement by Russian Major General Igor Konashenkov.
On Wednesday, television images showed the surrender of Ukrainian soldiers holed up in the complex, with the Russian army summoning 1,026 soldiers to surrender. Subsequently, the command of the Azov regiment and the 36th naval brigade, two Ukrainian units defending Mariupol, said they managed to consolidate their forces in the city. He realized that “a few” soldiers had surrendered during their escape from Ilitch to the vast Astoval complex, the current scene of the fighting.
12:15 p.m
Donetsk pounded
“Almost all settlements in the Donetsk region along the front line are under attack,” said Pavlo Kyrylenko, head of the Donetsk regional military administration.
According to him, 11 civilians have been killed in Maryinka since the Russian invasion began. The city suffered major damage, almost 100 houses were destroyed, 13 residential towers and three schools were affected.
11:50
Russia again threatens Sweden, Finland and Europe
Sweden and Finland’s accession to NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) would have consequences for those countries and for European security, the Russian Foreign Ministry warns. These countries “need to understand the implications of such a measure for our bilateral relations and for the European security architecture as a whole,” said ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova. “De facto (Finland and Sweden) will be the front line of NATO,” she said.
11:20
Capture of a Briton from the Ukrainian army
A Briton, a member of the Ukrainian army, was captured by the Russians. Russian public television broadcast pictures Thursday night showing a young man with handcuffs and a cut on his forehead, claiming it was Aiden Aslin. His mother Ang Wood confirmed to The Daily Telegraph, which has devoted several articles to the 28-year-old, including before the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, that it is indeed her son who, among other things, has a distinctive tattoo. “Aiden is an active member of the Ukrainian armed forces and therefore a prisoner of war” who “needs to be treated humanely”.
11:05
A minister mocks the Russian army
Ukraine’s defense minister pokes fun at the Russian army, whose flagship sank on Thursday. Photograph of a dive alongside a supporting turtle, Oleksii Reznikov writes that such a vessel is a worthwhile dive site. We now have a new one in the Black Sea. We will definitely visit the wreck after our victory.
10:45
New prisoner exchange
A new exchange of Russian and Ukrainian prisoners of war took place in the Kherson region, a region in southern Ukraine partially under Russian control, on Thursday, the Ukrainian army said. Four Russians were exchanged for five Ukrainians. On Thursday, Ukraine announced that 30 Ukrainians had been freed in another prisoner swap, without specifying the number of Russian soldiers released in return.
10:25
Cancellation possible at the beginning of May
According to the rating agency Moody’s, Russia could default on payments at the beginning of May. Reuters agency says the problem stems from an attempt to pay off debts it owes in dollars in rubles.
10:10
Versailles and Nice have the most students
The academies of Versailles and Nice are the ones that accept the most Ukrainian students, 1046 for the first and 1059 for the second.
10:00 a.m
11,220 Ukrainian students in France
According to the Ministry of Education, 11,220 Ukrainians are accommodated in schools, colleges and high schools in France. The figures were finalized on Thursday. The increase is less sharp than a few weeks ago.
09:40
Russia claims to have killed “Polish mercenaries”.
Russia said it killed around 30 “Polish mercenaries” in a strike in northeastern Ukraine. As a result of the strike, a mercenary detachment of a private Polish military company … was liquidated in the village of Iziumske, Kharkiv region. Up to 30 Polish mercenaries were eliminated, the Russian Defense Ministry spokesman said in a statement.
09:35
Russia announces it has bombed an arms factory near Kyiv
The Russian defense minister announced the demolition of a surface-to-air missile production facility at the Vizar factory in a suburb of Kyiv.
09:30
Russia intensifies strikes in Kyiv
Russia says it will step up its strikes in the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, in response to attacks on its soil it accuses of Ukraine. “The number and scale of rocket attacks on Kiev locations will increase in response to all terrorist attacks and acts of sabotage carried out on Russian territory by the nationalist regime in Kyiv,” says the Russian Defense Ministry.
09:20
Five dead in Donbass in 24 hours
In the largest region of the Donbass, that of Donetsk, where “fighting is going on along the entire front line,” according to the president, three people have been killed and seven injured in the last 24 hours. The other region of this mining basin, Luhansk, was the scene of 24 bombings, killing two and injuring two.
09:00
4.5% inflation in March
Inflation hit 4.5% over a year in March, a level not seen since the 1980s, according to the INSEE (National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies). As in recent months, this acceleration in inflation is explained by the increase in energy prices, which rose again by 29.2% in March, after +21.1% in February. They are driven in particular by petroleum products (+43.5%). Food price inflation also increased by 2.9% from 2.1% in February. Fresh products in particular recorded an increase of 7.6% within one year.
This high inflation will result in an automatic 2.65% revaluation of the Smic on May 1st. For full-time employment, the gross monthly minimum wage is EUR 1,645.58. Net it goes from 1269 to 1302.64 euros. The gross hourly minimum wage drops from 10.57 to 10.85 euros.
08:35
Nine humanitarian corridors
Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine Iryna Vereshchuk announced by telegram that nine humanitarian corridors will be established today. For example, civilians can leave the cities of Mariupol, Berdyansk, Tokmak and Enerhodar for Zaporizhia on their own.
08:10
Almost 200 children killed
A very preliminary report circulated by independent Ukrainian media Kyiv reports at least 198 children killed and 355 wounded since the start of the war. “The actual number is likely to be significantly higher,” the media said.
07:55
New French Aid
After his telephone conversation with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy, French President Emmanuel Macron announced new humanitarian aid from France. Tomorrow (editor’s note: today) our firefighters and rescuers will transport 24 fire engines and ambulances as well as 50 tons of emergency equipment. This is the second convoy in a month. »
07:45
Ukrainians go to the East
Some Ukrainians decide to flee to the east of the country out of pro-Russian convictions or out of a pragmatic decision. “They think that the territory will be occupied by the Russians and that they can return home faster if they flee to the Russian zone,” explains a member of the Territorial Defense. More in the report of our special correspondents.
07:20
2 million euros raised
Large organizations such as the Red Cross and Doctors Without Borders are at work to help Ukraine and its residents. But small and medium-sized structures are also involved in this movement. In France, the HelloAsso platform, which supports this type of structure, reports that 256 associations have raised more than 2 million euros. The average donation is 117 euros per person. More details in our article.
06:55
” Never again “
In his speech, President Zelenskyy also recalled a concept from World War II (1939-1945): “Never again”, in reference to the massacres committed during this conflict. “It happens again. We will make sure that this time really is the last. »
06:45
Donbass is the main target
In a video posted to his Facebook account overnight, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy explains, among other things, that the Russians’ “main target” is the Donbass region in eastern Ukraine. It is the Donbass that Russia wants to destroy first (…) as if they wanted only stones and no people to remain. He also calls this war “absurd” while Russia claims to “protect” territories. He accuses this country of causing material and human damage for “decades” and “generations”.