Key events on the 1139th day of Russia’s war in Ukraine.
One can find the current information for Tuesday, April 8, presented as follows:
Combat Operations
- According to Russia’s defense ministry, its forces intercepted and destroyed 19 Ukrainian drones overnight, with 13 of these over the Sea of Azov.
- The ministry added that Ukraine had conducted six attacks on Russia’s energy infrastructure within the past day, including power facilities and electrical substations in Rostov, Voronezh, and Bryansk regions in Russia, and Kherson and Donetsk regions under partial Russian control.
- A Ukrainian drone, interdicted by Russian air defense systems, caused damage to railway tracks in the Krasnodar region of southwest Russia, as local authorities reported.
- Russian troops established control over the Katerynivka settlement in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region, as broadcasted by state news agency RIA, referencing the defense ministry.
- Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesperson, refuted claims that Russia attacked civilian infrastructure, following a deadly strike on Kryvyi Rih, a central Ukrainian city, which resulted in 20 fatalities including nine children.
- Russian forces launched several attacks on villages surrounding the eastern Ukrainian town of Pokrovsk, as declared by the Ukrainian military’s general staff.
Ceasefire Development
- While Russian President Vladimir Putin expresses support for a ceasefire, Kremlin spokesperson Peskov noted that numerous unresolved issues persist. Peskov also indicated mutual agreement with the U.S. that dialogue should persist.
- U.S. President Donald Trump expressed dissatisfaction with Russia’s bombings in Ukraine but suggested the parties are near to a possible agreement.
Politics and Diplomacy Updates
- Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko mentioned that a Kyiv delegation is set to travel to Washington to discuss a potential arrangement granting U.S. access to Ukraine’s rare earth minerals.
- Following the Russian missile strike on Kryvyi Rih last week, Kyiv called for an urgent United Nations Security Council meeting on Tuesday, with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha advocating for a robust international reaction against Russian activities.
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, for the first time, has acknowledged the presence of Ukrainian forces in Russia’s Belgorod region, justifying their active operations as a legitimate response in defending against enemy actions.
