Timeline: day 49 of Ukraine's defense against russian aggression
Today is April 13. russia's military attack on Ukraine has been going on for forty-nine days. We're reporting on all the current news. The article will be constantly updated.
What about today?
Key points
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported the estimated losses of russian troops on the 49th day of the war against Ukraine. In particular, 1,800 soldiers were killed.
The list of russia's casualties will soon reach the mark of 20 thousand people. russia claims that their so-called special operation is allegedly going according to plan. "But to be honest, no one in the world understands how such a plan could have come about, which envisages the death of tens of thousands of its soldiers," said President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Over the past 24hrs, Joint forces have repulsed six enemy attacks. Ukrainian defenders destroyed 2 units of motor vehicles and 3 enemy artillery systems.
Air defense units shot down 1 helicopter and 2 enemy unmanned aerial vehicles in the skies of the Ukrainian Donbas.
On April 12, in the East and South of Ukraine, where russian aviation carries out the most air raids, the weather was not very favorable for the tasks. Therefore, the intensity of enemy aircraft flights was low. However, this did not prevent the anti-aircraft missile forces of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine to hit the enemy Su-25 attack aircraft!
And this is the 300th anniversary goal of anti-aircraft missile forces shot down since the beginning of russia's large-scale invasion of Ukraine! The targets of the Air Force air and missile defense troops are aircraft, helicopters, UAVs, and cruise and ballistic missiles.
"Do you remember how russia boasted that it would capture Kyiv in 48 hours? In 48 hours, which stretched for 48 days, the russian army reached a level of irreparable losses higher than the Soviet Union during the ten years of war in Afghanistan. Higher than russia for the two wars in Chechnya," Zelenskyy recalled in a video message following the 48th day of the war. If russia had studied history better, it would have known that it is impossible to capture Ukraine in 48 hours or 480 years.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy revealed the first details about Medvedchuk's arrest. The President said that Viktor Medvedchuk, a People's Deputy from the OPZZH and father of putin's godchild, was detained when he disguised himself as a Ukrainian soldier and tried to flee abroad. The President also offered russia to exchange the detained People's Deputy Medvedchuk for Ukrainians in captivity.
19:30 – on the air of the telethon, the Head of the Security Service of Ukraine Bakanov revealed details about Medvedchuk's detention. The operation to detain the odious People's Deputy lasted more than a month in military conditions. "Medvedchuk, under the guise of the military of the Armed Forces, allegedly accompanied by fellow law enforcement officers, wanted to be taken to the Ukrainian border. There he was to be transported by boat to Transnistria, where an evacuation group of FSB special forces was already waiting for him. They had to take Medvedchuk to Moscow." However, the SBU detained the politician on his way out of the Kyiv region. He was constantly accompanied by Ukrainian law enforcement officers, who, according to the head of the Security Service of Ukraine, will also be responsible for their actions. "Now Medvedchuk is awaiting trial, the election of a measure of restraint, and more correct confirmation of it," Bakanov added.
"Ukraine has signed EU membership with its own blood." This was stated by EU Ambassador to Ukraine Matti Maasikas and clarified that Ukraine wass moving towards the EU with unprecedented speed.
22:00 – "Moscow" is on fire! But not yet what everyone is thinking about. The largest ship of the Black Sea, the cruiser Moscow, was shot down by two Neptune missiles (Ukrainian-made!). The pride of the russian navy, almost the only ship that could somehow still fall under the "alternative to NATO" category, will most likely be sunk by the orcs themselves, although now, in a storm, they are trying to conduct a search and rescue operation. The Russian warship did go where the Ukrainians persistently sent it.
Humanitarian corridors
Authorities in the Luhansk region are asking residents of the region not to delay the evacuation. "Evacuate while we can pick you up! The russians are accumulating equipment near Rubizhne and other locations. Tensions are rising every day, tensions at the cost of thousands of civilians. There is no time to procrastinate; buses are parked at meeting places. Save yourself while it's possible, evacuate to the west of Ukraine, and choose where to wait for the escalation: in Lviv or Chernivtsi, Ivano-Frankivsk or Uzhhorod, and maybe somewhere closer. All our organized buses and trains are free," said the head of Lugansk Regional State/ Military Administration on Telegram.
At the same time, Iryna Vereshchuk, Minister of Reintegration of Temporarily Occupied Territories, said that today, April 13, there would be no humanitarian corridors agreed with russia. According to the Minister, in the Zaporizhzhia region, the russian army blocked evacuation buses. There is a constant violation of the ceasefire in the Luhansk region. "All this creates such a level of danger on the routes that we must refrain from opening humanitarian corridors today," the statement said.
14:00 – Serhii Haidai reports that despite the lack of humanitarian corridors, more than 300 people were evacuated from the Luhansk region.
Ukraine's talks with Russia
Today, Mykhailo Podoliak, an adviser to the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, commented on the course of negotiations between Ukraine and Russia, emphasizing a possible meeting between Presidents Zelenskyy and putin. "A meeting at the level of presidents is necessary, because only in this way will it be possible to resolve the fundamental dispute between Ukraine and Russia and stop the war. But in order for this meeting to take place, it is necessary to have certain positions. For Ukraine, these positions are clear: we have to prove that we know how to fight, and we have already proved it; must prove that Russia will lose a lot, not only in sanctions and economic terms but also on the battlefield. And then it will be much easier to defend one's position at the negotiating table because we did not provoke the war, we were attacked," Podoliak said.
Trophies of the Ukrainian Armed Forces
Soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine seized the Grad multiple rocket launcher from the occupiers. And fully charged. Now it will not fire on peaceful Ukrainian cities, the adviser to the Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Anton Herashchenko wrote in Telegram.
The russian military, fleeing, threw military equipment three kilometers from the state border in the Sumy region. On April 11, the equipment was delivered to the place where it will be repaired and will serve in the Armed Forces of Ukraine
Who's coming to Ukraine?
About financial aid, weapons, and volunteer fighters
Today the presidents of Poland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania are going to Ukraine. The day before, the presidents met in Rzeszow for a summit to show solidarity with Ukraine. And then they went on a visit to our country. German President Steinmeier also wanted to join this trip, but Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called his person undesirable in Ukraine because of his close ties with russia.
But we are glad to see German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Kyiv, but he himself is in no hurry to respond to the invitation. He stated that he would not go to Ukraine in the near future. According to him, he was in Kyiv a few days before the war and often talks on the phone with Zelenskyy. "It is unlikely to find a head of state or government who has more intensive contacts with me," Scholz added.
Volodymyr Klychko expressed his opinion on German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier: "It is true that the federal president has made many mistakes in his policy towards russia in the past, which have severely damaged Ukraine. The federal president apologized for this and admitted his mistakes. Germany is the number one partner in financial aid to Ukraine, providing humanitarian support, massively helping refugees, and sending more weapons, even if we need more. Right now, it is incredibly important for Ukraine, together with Germany and the entire European Union, to demonstrate a clear common front against the russian invasion. I hope that the visit of the federal president to Kyiv has simply been postponed and we can come up with something in the coming weeks."
The United States is ready to announce an additional supply of weapons to Ukraine worth $750 million, according to Reuters.
But even now the amount of aid to Ukraine is unprecedented. Every day 8-10 planes arrive in Europe with defense, medical and humanitarian aid to Ukrainians, which is provided by more than 30 countries. These figures were given by Pentagon spokesman John Kirby during a briefing on April 12. According to him, the American side is helping to coordinate the delivery of international aid to Ukraine. He noted that weapons and other aid were not detained at transshipment bases, but are quickly loaded into land transport and sent to Ukraine.
The Minister of Defense of Ukraine Oleksii Reznikov addressed the partner countries from Hostomel, which was destroyed by the russian invaders, and called on them to provide us with long-range weapons so that what is happening in Ukraine does not come to other countries.
Marcus Faber, a member of the Bundestag from the Free Democratic Party and a member of the parliamentary group on defense policy, said that the ruling coalition in Germany had agreed to supply heavy weapons to Ukraine: "Dear friends, Germany will now quickly supply heavy equipment to Ukraine. and our coalition partners were able to agree on that."
Not the ship alone. Another good news from you. Pentagon: the US will hand over to Kyiv:
* 200 M113 armored personnel carriers;
* 11 Mi-17 helicopters;
* 18 howitzers;
* 300 kamikaze drones Switchblade; * 500 Javelin missiles.
The United States is also providing a new $800 million aid package to Ukraine. US President Joe Biden told President Vladimir Zelenskyy during a conversation on the evening of April 13, the White House reports. The new aid package includes, in particular, artillery, armored personnel carriers, and helicopters.
Assistance to refugees
In Germany, the Perspective project was launched to support refugees from Ukraine on the path to adaptation and integration into German society. The main goal is to help in finding a job.
News from partners
russia needs denazification, such a statement was made by the Lithuanian Foreign Minister. "After so many horrific scenes of genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity committed by russian troops, it is the russian federation that needs real denazification," said Edgars Rinkēvičs. The idea, born of putin's sick imagination, began to work against him.
Yesterday, there were reports that russia was withdrawing troops to the border with Finland. However, the Pentagon says it sees no evidence that russia has begun moving weapons to the Finnish border, said Defense Department spokesman John Kirby.
For the first time in 22 years, Greece will start exploring its own gas fields to get rid of energy dependence, the country's prime minister said.
In Tallinn, women went to the russian embassy to protest against the mass rape of Ukrainian women by russian soldiers.
NATO is getting closer to russia. Sweden applies for NATO membership in June. Finland has started a parliamentary debate on joining NATO and the Finnish parliament will consider the issue next week.
French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen has said she still considered Crimea Russian and did not regret the ban on visiting Ukraine. She also said that if she wins, France will leave NATO. However, a little later she clarified her statement: "It is not about leaving NATO, but about leaving its joint command structures," she said at a press conference.
Reaction to the atrocities of the russian army in Ukraine
Biden first used the term "genocide" to refer to the war in Ukraine. He used to choose the phrase "war crimes." "I called it genocide because it's becoming clearer and clearer that putin is just trying to wipe out the idea of being Ukrainian. And the evidence is growing. It's different from what happened last week. We'll let the lawyers decide if it's appropriate at the international level, but it seems so to me." Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked the President of the United States for this assessment: "It is necessary to call things by their names in order to resist evil."
Macron refused to call russia's actions in the war against Ukraine a "genocide," and called the russians and Ukrainians "brothers." When asked about the term "genocide," he said: "I am careful with such terms today, because these two peoples [russians and Ukrainians] are brothers." Well, putin's propaganda has brainwashed the French president.
Macron also stated that he did not plan to visit Kyiv at this stage because he does not believe that such a visit will bring concrete results and does not want to "go on a string of fashion." "Unfashionable" Macron prefers to just flirt with putin on the phone.
Meanwhile, after the atrocities in Bucha rascists became known to the world, russia ordered the destruction of any evidence of crimes by its army in Ukraine. Intelligence reports that 13 mobile crematoria have been located in Mariupol to clean the streets from the bodies of dead civilians. The occupiers are trying to identify all witnesses to the atrocities through filtration camps and destroy them. Crematoria were also used in the Chernihiv region and in Novoaidar, Luhansk region.
What's in russia?
According to the Schemes project, the russian federation is increasing its military aviation forces at the Lipetsk-2 airfield in the Lipetsk oblast. The number of fighters and bombers at the airport has doubled since the end of March. There are currently more than 30 military aircraft there.
More than a hundred severely wounded orcs were brought to hospitals in St. Petersburg. According to Ukrainian intelligence, most of the invaders have severed limbs. The blitzkrieg called "one foot here, the other there" can be considered quite successful for these soldiers.
However, those who want to earn extra money on a "business trip" to Ukraine, even at the cost of their own limbs, are still in russia. The occupiers continue to send so-called "volunteers" to Ukraine. Thus, according to available information, a battalion of about 400 people was formed in the Leningrad oblast.
putin is trying to gather forces in Donbas that will outnumber Ukrainian troops in the east by 5 to 1, The Times reported, citing sources. According to them, russian troops are moving from all over the region for a decisive battle in Donbas, but even such an advantage does not guarantee victory for russia. putin simply wants to cover Ukraine with corpses at Ukraine.
russia will consider US and NATO vehicles carrying weapons on the territory of Ukraine as legitimate military targets, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Riabkov said.
It was decided to retrain Ukrainian children who do not speak russian forcibly deported to russia, but again it will be forcible. In addition, the Ministry of Education of the russian federation is preparing a bill that will allow the transfer of orphaned children abducted in the Ukrainian Donbas to russian families.
15:30 – according to russian mass media, a border checkpoint was fired at in the Kursk region. No details are available at this time. But Ukrainian intelligence has repeatedly warned of possible provocations in russia in order to accuse Ukraine.
Russian Aleksandra Skochilenko left such plates in St. Petersburg stores instead of price tags. She now faces up to ten years in prison for that.
The kremlin Defense Ministry has announced the alleged sabotage attempted by Ukrainian troops in russia, effectively announcing new strikes on Ukrainian cities. "If such sabotage continues, the russian armed forces will strike at decision-making centers, including in Kyiv, which the russian army has so far refrained from doing," the Defense Ministry said.
Meanwhile, a criminal case has been opened in russia against Dnipro Mayor Borys Filatov: "incited to genocide." Employees of the Investigative Committee of russia said that Filatov on social media called for the killing of russians. "Boris Filatov in his social media accounts, with thousands of readers, published a post calling for the killing of russians around the world, justifying the need for such actions," said those who have already committed genocide in Ukraine.
What about Belarusians?
Belarus is carrying out "runs of solidarity with Ukraine" in Minsk; as a result, such eloquent routes appear on the map.
Such minor "protests" cannot change the official course of the Belarusian government. Yesterday, Lukashenko repeated Belarus' possible accession to Russia: "putin and I are not so foolish as to use the old methods. We will rebuild such a unity that we will learn how to overcome sanctions and so on."
Lukashenko also felt like a reincarnation of Khrushchev. Speaking about the integration from Brest to Vladivostok, he said: "putin and I will show what's what."
russian lies
Russian pro-state telegram channels write that 1,000 Marines surrendered in Mariupol. A selection of photos of alleged surrendered and wounded Ukrainian servicemen is provided as evidence. At the same time, none of them shows a group of close to a thousand people, but the author of the report promises a great story about the prisoners in the near future. Official sources have not yet confirmed either the Marines' breakthrough or their surrender.
Earlier, Ukrainian media reported that a Marine unit was able to break out of the encirclement and join the Azov Regiment. And Ukrainians should remember that everything that russia does not broadcast is a lie and propaganda.
In the Belgorod region, a provocation by the FSB is being prepared, namely the imitation of the Ukrainian Armed Forces' invasion of border villages. At the same time, the Ukrainian military will be "played" by disguised Wagner fighters. They are tasked to go to russian settlements and start killing civilians. All this will be filmed "accidentally" by russian journalists who were there. It is likely that this planned provocation will be an occasion for putin to announce mobilization.
In general, nothing new, just as in the last century, the Chekists under the guise of "Banderas" destroyed the residents of Ukrainian villages.
Also, to justify the mobilization in the russian federation, enemy special services are preparing terrorist attacks to inject anti-Ukrainian hysteria into russia and the occupied Crimea. According to the statement of the head of the Defense Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, "russian special services are planning a series of terrorist attacks with mining and exploding residential buildings, hospitals and schools in russian settlements. As well as rocket and bomb strikes."
The Center for Countering Disinformation at the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine warns that russia is launching a large-scale campaign to mythologize the war in Ukraine. In the foreign and russian information field, the kremlin spreads the topic that the russian army is "more effective than NATO troops" and "experts noted that the russian army uses non-standard methods of fighting in Ukraine." The enemy uses mythologizing to make the russian population believe that the russian army has heroically accomplished all its tasks. Propaganda captures non-existent victories.
The russian military command claims that the russian army allegedly took control of a sea trade port in Mariupol, Donetsk region. At the same time, the Azov Regiment, which holds the city's defenses, declares a successful operation and regrouping.
Sanctions on the aggressor!
Argentina and Chile have suspended supplies of lithium ore to russia, a raw material for battery production.
And Greece has announced its rejection of russian gas.
The Netherlands has frozen up to 600 million euros in russian assets.
206 individuals and legal entities have come under new UK sanctions. The new sanctions apply to those who support russia's war against Ukraine, all of whom are on the updated list of sanctions.
Also on April 14, Britain bans the import of russian iron and steel, the export of quantum technology and advanced materials.
Switzerland has approved the latest package of EU sanctions against russia and Belarus.
The company that produces Durex leaves russia. We are waiting for a video of the battle for condoms. But this company should've stayed, orcs should not breed.
The European Space Agency (ESA) has suspended cooperation with russia on a Moon program. ESA has announced its withdrawal from the russian missions Moon-25, Moon-26, and Moon-27. "russia's aggression against Ukraine and further sanctions are a fundamental change of circumstances and make ESA's planned monthly cooperation impossible," the agency said in a statement.
Life considering hostilities
There will be no shortage of food in Ukraine because of the war, says the Ministry of Agrarian Policy. Losses in poultry and milk production are 10-15%, which will not lead to a shortage of these products in the domestic market. According to the pessimistic forecast, this year Ukraine will lose 30% of the gross production of crops. At the same time, 70% of arable land will be enough not only to meet domestic demand but also to export.
For the first time, the cover of Vogue CS does not have a photo but is dedicated to Ukraine. "There are times when fashion and fashion photography have to take a back seat. Let's not forget what is happening in our fragile world. Let's appreciate what we have. With the new era come questions that we haven't had to ask ourselves for a long time. These include the choice between escape, resolute heroism, or quiet survival in difficult situations. But nothing easy. Rapid trials can do as much harm as weapons, and a reluctance to listen can be worse than a reluctance to help," Vogue Czechoslovakia wrote in an official release. The cover of the May issue was created together with Ukrainian Vogue and Beko Gvishiani.
Kyiv and region
Bucha, the cemetery of shot cars
A new number of victims killed by the occupiers has been named in the Kyiv region: more than 700 people have already been killed, and more than 200 people are still missing.
This day, while serving in the village of Korolivka, Kyiv region, servicemen of the National Guard of Ukraine discovered a place where the russian occupation forces had set up an ammunition depot. About 100 boxes of 125-caliber shells were found in the vault. Now all this '"russian good" will fly towards the positions of the invaders.
This morning in Bucha, police began exhuming the second part of the mass burial of victims of russian murderers and rapists. According to the police, 65 innocent victims are in the mass grave. They were shot, burned, and crushed by tanks. All investigative actions will be recorded on video as evidence of putin's crimes against humanity.
In the village of Mykolaivka in the Kyiv region, russians shot a carved roadside cross with a crucifix. Photo by Bohdan Tymoshenko.
It is too early to return to Kyiv en masse, Klychko stressed again. "We rely solely on the recommendations of the military, and they say that today's threat is still quite large. This is, firstly, the threat of missile fire. And, secondly, demining of the adjacent territories to the capital continues, where, unfortunately, there are already cases of death as a result of explosions in the territories mined by the occupiers. Our key task is to save people's lives and peace. Therefore, there is no need to hurry back to the capital. Those who return must weigh all the risks," said the mayor.
Today, the presidents of Poland Andrzej Duda, Lithuania Gitanas Nauseda, Latvia Egils Levits, and Estonia Alar Karis saw the destroyed Borodianka with their own eyes.
Donetsk and Luhansk regions
russia continues to draw troops to eastern Ukraine. This is confirmed by satellite images for April 11, released by Maxar Technologies.
Military deployments are observed along Route 14k-34 and the corridor leading from Solota and Valuiok in western russia to the border with Ukraine.
"Open steppes will facilitate russia's offensive in eastern Ukraine, but the Ukrainian military can make up for it because the russians are fighting in numbers, not skills," said the former CIA director, former commander of US Central Command, and US and NATO forces in Iraq and Afghanistan General David Petraeus. The expert also suggests that russian troops near Kharkiv aim to distract the Ukrainian military so that they cannot act in other directions.
Confiscate the property of collaborators and politicians from the OPZZh/ Sharia party in favor of the victims of russian aggression. Such a petition was registered on the website of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine by Dmytro Zabavin, a deputy of the Mariupol City Council. It was the traitors who provided the occupiers with information about the critical infrastructure of Mariupol and the location of food warehouses. They actually adjusted enemy fire and helped create a humanitarian catastrophe.
In Mariupol, the russians and the DPR are preparing a "victory parade" for May 9. The adviser to the mayor of Mariupol Petro Andriushchenko reported it. According to Andriushchenko, the parade will be organized by ex-deputy of the Mariupol City Council Kostiantyn Ivashchenko, who was appointed "mayor" by the leader of the so-called "DPR." According to our information, the self-proclaimed "mayor" of Mariupol Ivashchenko was ordered to clean up the central part of the city from debris and the bodies of the dead to ensure the parade on May 9. Apparently, the russians plan to hold a "victory carnival" in Mariupol on May 9 in case of success of the "special operation," Andriushchenko wrote.
At least seven people were injured in a rocket attack by the russian occupiers on Cherkaske in the Donetsk region. The attack took place this morning. Apartment buildings were damaged, said the head of the Donetsk regional military administration Pavlo Kyrylenko.
The terrorist state continues to fire on towns and villages along the entire front line. Today Avdiivka and Velyka Novosilka have already come under attack. In Avdiivka, a residential building and city infrastructure facilities were damaged. In Velyka Novosilka, it is known that it hit a private house, the owner of which received a minor concussion.
Chernihiv region
The Road Service has started cleaning the Kyiv-Chernihiv highway. Eight kilometers have already been cleared here. This was announced by the spokeswoman of the service in the region, Alina Levochko. According to her, the restoration of destroyed bridges and the installation of temporary structures in their place are also underway.
In particular, road workers restored the temporary bridge in Snovsk. Also, two kilometers on the same road, they provided access to another destroyed bridge. In addition, a pontoon crossing in the village of Politrudnia has already been opened.
To recap, yesterday road workers began arranging temporary crossings on the Kyiv-Vyshhorod-Desna-Chernihiv road near the villages of Smolyn and Yakubivka. The works are planned to be completed in two days.
Zaporizhzhia region
In the Melitopol district of the region, the russians continue to use terrorist methods to intimidate the local population and persuade them to their side. According to businessmen, the illegal occupation authorities ordered the businessmen to give part of their income in exchange for a work permit. The occupiers are also collecting tribute in favor of the so-called "people's militia."
Similar actions are taking place in the Berdiansk district of the region. In addition, there is daily information that the occupiers are kidnapping people with Ukrainian positions, and among the locals, there are collaborationists who help to introduce terrorist methods of war.
In the Polohy district, the occupiers fired phosphorous bombs at the village of Novodanylivka. Regional Military Administration spokesman Ivan Ariefiev wrote about this on Facebook. According to the official, the house caught fire as a result of the shelling. Units of the SES of the Zaporizhzhia region eliminated the consequences. No one was injured in the fire," the statement said.
Cherkasy region
An enemy agent collecting data on the Ukrainian military was detained in the Cherkasy region. This was reported by the SBU Office in the Cherkasy region. According to counterintelligence, a resident of the Cherkasy region collected data on the location of military and strategically important facilities in the region, leaked geodata, and informed about the movement of military equipment of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. At the same time, the attacker used methods of conspiracy: he changed the phones and cards of various subscribers, from which he sent intelligence. But this did not help him; the traitor was tracked down and arrested.
