7:21 p.m
Lavrov: US crusade against Russia
“Everyone understands that the Americans have declared a crusade against the Russian Federation, against its legitimate interests, against Russian culture, against Russian traditions, by spearheading the Nazi regime in Kiev and pumping it with new weapon systems.” This was stated by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov during his visit to Cuba. The Kremlin labels the Ukrainian authorities as “neo-Nazis”, but these accusations – under the pretense of Moscow to ignite the conflict – are seen by many observers as clearly false .
4:01 p.m
Zelenskyy: “NATO must now allow Ukraine to enter the war”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged NATO to invite his country to join the alliance during his visit Stoltenberg in Kyiv. “I am grateful for the invitation to participate in the summit” in Vilnius in July, “but it is important that Ukraine also receives a similar invitation. There is no objective obstacle preventing the adoption of political decisions on inviting Ukraine to join the alliance,” he said. “It is time for appropriate decisions. The security of the Euro-Atlantic area is no longer imaginable without Ukraine and people understand that,” he said in a statement.
1:17 p.m
GB Secret Service: “Huge casualties of Russian army in Dnipro”
“This is – the report continues – one of the first indications of the existence of a Dnieper Forces Group. In fact, Russia explicitly uses the term “group of forces” to indicate a large operational formation organized by task. At the start of the invasion, Russian forces were organized into groups of forces, each named after their home military districts in Russia, such as the Western and Central Groups of Forces. “The existence of what appears to be a new group – he concludes – suggests that the original organization of the armed forces has evolved, probably due to heavy casualties. The mission of the new group should be the defense of the southern sector of the occupied territory, and in particular the south-western flank, which is currently marked by the Dnipro River,” the report concludes.
1:11 p.m
After the EU, Switzerland is also sanctioning the Wagner Group
Following the EU’s lead, Switzerland has decided to sanction the Wagner Group – made up of mercenaries operating alongside the regular Russian army in Ukraine – and the Ria Fan news agency, which the EU has shut down for spreading pro-government propaganda and disinformation were sanctioned. The measures come into effect at 6 p.m. On April 14, Brussels sanctioned the Wagner Group for its active involvement in Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine. According to a statement by the Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research (Defr), it is a Russian military organization led by Evgenij Prigozhin, which acts as an instrument for hybrid warfare.
12:32
Mattarella: Support for Kiev as long as necessary
«We talked a lot about the war in Ukraine and – he explained – the topic sees our countries in harmony in defending the territorial integrity of Kiev. Italy will provide support for as long as it is necessary and requested by all sides, because it is not only about independence, but also about the future of Europe in peace. More attacks would follow and we cannot allow that: therefore we will guarantee our commitment to any measure. This was stated by the President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella from Bratislava.
11:58
Putin reintroduces pioneers
Vladimir Putin insists that the youth organization “Movement of the First,” which was founded last December, be renamed the Soviet term “pioneers,” which was initially discarded. “What are we talking about? They are the pioneers, right?” Putin said, interrupting a presentation by Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova with a reference to the Movement of the First. “It’s the old saying,” Golikova replied. “The new way, as it was and as it is, there is no escape. The terminology, this name, unlike Komsomol, the youth wing of the Communist Party, is devoid of any ideological connotation. Think about it,” he replied President: “I know that a different name was chosen, but if we use it now, we have to think about it and consult with the young people, right?” Putin urged.
11:42
ISW: “Moscow is changing the security authorities”
Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) is conducting a “major swap of internal security organs” after leaking news about the war in Ukraine, the Institute for the Study of War, ISW, a US think tank, reports in its latest update. Russia’s state news agency Tass reported on April 19 that the FSB and the Main Directorate of the Security Service of the Interior Ministry (MVD) conducted mass inspections at the Central Directorate of Internal Affairs of Moscow’s Central District and several police departments in the Moscow District for “data leaks by Russian security forces at the request of Ukrainian citizens ” in the last weeks. Russian media have reported that police officers have leaked personal information about Russian security forces to outsiders, some of whom are citizens of Ukraine. The alleged FSB and MVD raids on Moscow police stations come amid a series of arrests and dismissals of high-ranking members of the Rosgwardia (Russian National Guard) leadership.
10:41 a.m
Moscow, maxi salaries for the recruitment of 400,000 professional soldiers
The Russian military has launched a video campaign to recruit and challenge more professional soldiers to fight in Ukraine, prove you’re “a real man” and transform everyday civilian life for the adrenaline of the battlefield. The announcement, set to impressive rock music, follows a report by British military intelligence suggesting that Moscow is trying to recruit up to 400,000 professional soldiers – on a voluntary basis – to bolster its armed forces in Ukraine. The Guardian reports on it. The announcement has so far been published on major Russian social networking sites. He invites you to sign a contract with the Russian Ministry of Defense for a salary starting at 204,000 rubles ($2,495) per month (double the standard salary) and begins by showing a man in a supermarket in military uniform holding a heavy machine gun . “Is this the kind of defender you dreamed of?” is the question. Later in the video, a man walks through the fog with other soldiers on a battlefield.
“You’re a man,” the ad concludes. In recent weeks, posters have appeared in the Russian capital calling for professional soldiers and declaring: “Our profession is the defense of the fatherland”.
10:35
First visit of the NATO Secretary General to Kiev
Jens Stoltenberg came to Kiev for the first time since the beginning of the war. The Kyiv Independent writes it by publishing two photos of the NATO Secretary General in the city. Stoltenberg “was seen by an independent journalist from Kiev on the morning of April 20, paying tribute to the fallen Ukrainian soldiers on Michael’s Square,” in the center of the Ukrainian capital, the portal writes on Twitter.
10:33
Denmark and Holland will deliver 14 Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine
Denmark and Holland will deliver 14 Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine. This was announced by the Danish news agency Ritzau. Denmark’s Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen spoke of a “very important contribution”, quoted by Danish broadcaster DR. Copenhagen Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen said that the tanks in question could arrive in Ukraine in early 2024.
10:32
The Zaporizhia nuclear power plant ceases production
The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine, captured by Russia last year, will stop using US-made nuclear fuel as soon as possible. The Interfax news agency wrote, citing a Russian official. Renat Karchaa, adviser to the general manager of Russian nuclear power company Rosenergoatom, who now heads the facility that Russia seized and captured in March last year, said the facility has had US-made fuel reserves for about four years, Interfax reports. But the Russian leadership will try to replace the fuel with Russian fuel as soon as possible, believing that its own technologies are superior.