The war between Russia and Ukraine reaches its 55th day. In the news and news of the last hour today, Tuesday, April 19, the intensification of Moscow’s offensive in the east of the country to capture Donbass. Rockets over Kharkiv and Mykolayiv at night. The Azovstal Steelworks in Mariupol also continues to be attacked. Biden allies calling in the afternoon.
8:27 am 205 children have died in Ukraine since the start of the war, while the number of wounded has risen to 367, according to Ukraine’s prosecutor general, who states that “these figures are not definitive”. Most of the victims are reported from the Donetsk, Kyiv and Kharkiv regions. “As a result of the bombardment by the Russian armed forces, 1,141 educational institutions were damaged, 99 of which were completely destroyed,” added a wellknown federal prosecutor.
8.19 am Britain will soon send Stormer armored missile launchers to Ukraine. The Sun writes it citing the British Ministry of Defense which a few weeks ago showed the Stormer High Velocity Missile (Hvm) launcher destined for the Ukrainians in Salisbury. In a few days, the rocket launchers will be flown to Ukraine on board C17 aircraft. The Stormer is made by Bae Systems, requires three people to operate and uses Starstreak missiles capable of shooting down lowflying aircraft, the Guardian explains.
08.06 More than seven thousand alleged war crimes committed by Russian troops in Ukraine, which the Kiev authorities are investigating. This was announced by the prosecutor’s office in Ukraine and spoke of 7,280 suspected war crimes. The report released this morning also confirms the killing of 205 children since Russian military aggression began on February 24.
7:58 a.m. The dialogue with Vladimir Putin was interrupted more than two weeks ago after the Bucha massacres were uncovered, but does not rule out a resumption. This is what French President Emmanuel Macron said in an interview with France 5, in which he also said he would return to Kyiv “but to bring something useful, to make a difference”, not just to “show support”. “Since we discovered the massacres in Bucha and other cities, the war has taken a different turn,” Macron said, alluding to his relationship with Vladimir Putin, which he heard numerous times before and during the invasion of Ukraine, also by name current EU Council Presidency for which I have not spoken to him directly since then, but I do not rule this out in the future either”.
7.45am The United States is attempting to seize Russian oligarch Suleiman Kerimov’s USEUsanctioned superyacht ‘Amadea’, which is docked in Fiji. The Director of Public Prosecutions, Christopher Pryde, filed an application in the High Court to prevent the ship from leaving Fiji’s territorial waters, where it arrived a week ago, after leaving Mexico 18 days earlier and crossing the Pacific. The superyacht is 106 meters long and has an estimated value of around US$325 million.
7.33 am The city of Kreminna is “unfortunately under the control of the Russian orcs”. This was announced by the governor of the Luhansk region Sergei Haidai, while the head of the city’s military administration Oleksandr Dunets reported that “fighting in the suburbs continues”. Four people died from Russian gunfire as they tried to flee, the Ukrainian army said. Kreminna is located about fifty kilometers northeast of Kramatorsk, the capital of Donbass.
7:19 a.m. Ukrainian troops attack a Russian village on the border. This was announced by the governor of the Belgorod province Vyacheslav Gladkov, claiming that one person was injured. In recent days, Russia has repeatedly denounced Russian attacks across the border.
7.10 Emmanuel Macron does not rule out going to Ukraine, but on condition that he can do something useful. The French President said it in an interview with France 5: “I will return to Kyiv, but I will return to do something useful, not just to show support.”
6.50 a.m. At 3.45 p.m. Italian time, US President Joe Biden will hold a new video conference with leaders of allied and partner countries to discuss support for Ukraine. That’s what we read on the White House agenda.