[Epoch Times, April 2, 2022](Comprehensive report by The Epoch Times reporters Zhang Ting, Li Yan, Lin Yan) On Saturday (April 2), the Russian-Ukrainian war entered its 38th day. Ukraine said Russian missiles hit two cities in the central region, damaging infrastructure and buildings. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that Russian troops are slowly withdrawing from parts of the north.
EU Economic Commissioner Paolo Gentiloni said the bloc was preparing for further sanctions on Russia, but the additional measures would not affect the energy industry.
Ukraine will open seven humanitarian corridors on Saturday to evacuate people from areas besieged by Russian forces, Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said.
“After intense fighting, Ukrainian forces have secured a key route in eastern Kharkiv,” the MoD said in an intelligence update.
Russia on Friday accused Ukrainian helicopters of crossing the border in an airstrike that set fire to a fuel depot in a Russian border city. On Saturday, the Russian army said it had used “high-precision long-range air- and sea-based weapons” to hit an oil refinery in the central Ukrainian city of Kremenchuk.
The following is a real-time update of the situation in Russia and Ukraine on April 2:
U.S. official: Russia moved to Wudongji to win in early May
CNN quoted several officials familiar with the latest U.S. intelligence assessments as saying that Russia has revised its Ukrainian war strategy to focus on controlling the Donbass and other parts of eastern Ukraine, with a target date of early May.
U.S. intelligence intercepts suggest Putin is focused on May 9, Russia’s “Victory Day,” according to a U.S. official.
May 9 is an important holiday on the Russian calendar. To commemorate the victory of World War II and the surrender of the Nazis, Russia held a large-scale parade of troops and weapons on Red Square in front of the Kremlin. Putin wants to celebrate some kind of victory in his war on the day, the officials said.
But other officials noted that even with the Russian festivities, an actual victory could be farther away.
There are several reasons behind the May time frame, officials said. U.S. intelligence has assessed that with the end of the winter freeze and the softening of the ground, it will be more difficult for Russian heavy ground forces to maneuver, meaning it is critical that these forces be in place as soon as possible.
Russian-backed fighters have also been present in eastern Ukraine for years. The Donbas region in eastern Ukraine is where Russian separatist forces took control of territory in 2014.
The United States also assesses that Putin is now preparing, for the first time, to appoint a general commander of the war for greater success, two U.S. officials said. The United States believes that Putin is likely to appoint a general who has been in southern Ukraine, where the Russians have succeeded in achieving their goals.
News: Draft peace treaty enters advanced stage
Ukraine’s Interfax news agency reported that Russia had indicated that the draft peace treaty was in an advanced stage. The news agency quoted Ukrainian negotiator David Arakhamia as saying that the talks had entered the stage of direct consultations.
Arakamia told Ukrainian television that Russia had accepted Ukraine’s position in general, with the exception of Crimea, the report said.
If Russian President Vladimir Putin were to meet with Ukrainian leader Zelensky, it would likely be in Turkey, he said.
He also said that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called the two leaders on Friday and “it seems that he has confirmed that he is ready to arrange a meeting between Russian and Ukrainian leaders in the near future.”
Ukrainian president criticizes Western countries for holding back on arms deliveries
Ukrainian President Vozelensky said in a video address late Saturday night that Ukraine needs more modern weapons to continue fighting the Russian aggression, and Western allies have been reservations about support.
“Unfortunately, Ukraine has not received enough modern Western anti-missile systems, has not received aircraft, and has not received what the partners could have provided. They could have – and still can!” he said with The words published in English.
In the video, the Ukrainian leader also praised troops in the besieged port city of Mariupol, saying their defenses helped hold off a significant portion of the Russian army and bought Ukraine “precious time”.
British military intelligence: Ukrainian air defenses pose a major challenge to the Russian military
Ukrainian air defense capabilities continue to pose a significant challenge to the Russian military, with Russian aircraft still vulnerable to short- and medium-range air defenses, British military intelligence said on Saturday.
The British MOD said that Russia failed to gain control of the air because of its inability to locate and destroy Ukraine’s air defense systems. The situation has significantly affected Russia’s “ability to support the advance of its ground forces on some fronts.”
The report also said there was significant Russian air activity in southeastern Ukraine “probably the result of Russia’s concentration of its military operations in this region.”
Senior Ukrainian defense official: Kyiv region has been freed from Russian control
Ukraine’s Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar said Saturday that the Kyiv region has been freed from Russian control.
She posted on Facebook that Bucha (or Bucha), Irpin, Hostomel and “the entire Kyiv region are free from the invaders”.
CNN could not immediately confirm whether Ukrainian forces had removed Russian troops from the entire Kyiv region. But the Ukrainian army has regained control of suburbs around the capital, which remain under government control, in recent days. The Russian military said military operations around Kyiv were being “de-escalated”.
Zelensky: Russian troops retreat, mines threaten Kyiv
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned on Saturday that the Russian army had left landmines, abandoned equipment and the bodies of victims around houses, causing a “catastrophic” effect on civilians, as Ukrainian officials said the country had reclaimed several areas near the capital. situation.
“Even in the territories we have recaptured after fighting, it is still impossible to return to normal life, as it used to be,” he told the nation in a nightly video message.
“We need to wait until our land is cleared and until we can assure you there will not be another round of shelling,” he said.
Ukraine and Western allies report growing evidence that Russia is pulling troops from around Kyiv and sending troops to eastern Ukraine.
Ukrainian fighters have recaptured several areas near their capital, including the city of Brovary, officials said.
According to Fox News, however, the shift does not mean an alleviation of the war situation facing the country.
Ukrainian official: Russian missiles hit two cities in central Ukraine
Russian missiles hit two cities in central Ukraine on Saturday, damaging infrastructure and residential buildings, according to the head of the Poltava region.
“Poltava, during the night, a missile hit one of the infrastructures,” Dmitry Lunin said on Telegram.
“Kremenchuk, a lot of missiles hit the city (Saturday) morning,” Lunin added.
Russian forces attacked the refinery in Kremenchuk, destroying facilities that store gasoline and diesel, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said in a briefing on Saturday. Gasoline and diesel fuel were supplied to troops in eastern and central Ukraine.
Lunin said three Russian planes carried out the attack around 6 a.m. local time on Saturday.
Ukrainian State Nuclear Power Company: Attack near Zaporozhye nuclear power plant
The Ukrainian city of Enerhodar, near the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, was said to have suffered a series of explosions on Saturday.
Ukraine’s national nuclear agency reported the attack that day on its official Telegram channel.
The city and a nearby nuclear power plant have been under Russian control since March 4, Ukraine’s Interfax news agency reported. The nuclear power plant generates more than one-fifth of Ukraine’s electricity and is one of the largest nuclear facilities in Europe.
A video clip posted on Telegram by Ukraine’s state nuclear power company Energoatom showed a loud explosion during the alleged attack and debris could be seen flying away.
A second post on the state-owned channel said explosions and mortars could be heard near the Sovremennik cultural center, where residents held a pro-Ukraine rally.
“As the protesters began to disperse, the intruders arrived in police cars and began forcing local residents into the police cars,” the post read. “Minutes later, the city was rocked by massive explosions and shelling.”
Four people were injured and received medical assistance, the agency said.
The Ukrainian State Nuclear Power Company also claimed that Russian forces began to interfere with telephone and Internet communications throughout the city of Ennakhoda. The Associated Press said the agency’s claims could not be immediately verified.
Ukrainian military district chief: Russia attacked Dnipropetrovsk railway traffic was interrupted
The head of the military administration of the Dnipropetrovsk region in central Ukraine said that railway traffic in the region was disrupted after an attack by Russian troops and a fire started.
Valentyn Reznichenko said a rocket hit the railway in the Pavlohrad district, forcing a suspension of train traffic.
“A rocket hit the railway,” he said. “The rails and wires were badly damaged, the train wagon exploded, train traffic was suspended, and rescuers were fighting the fire.”
According to preliminary information, no one has died, Reznichenko said. But a second round of attacks hit an open area, causing a fire. One person was injured, he said.
Ukraine’s attorney general’s office said a criminal investigation had been launched into the attack.
“Guided missiles damaged railroad tracks and freight vehicles as a result of air strikes by Russian invaders,” the office’s statement on Telegram said.
Life in Odessa
Residents of Odesa are struggling to find normal living space as the threat of a Russian attack from the Black Sea hangs over the southern Ukrainian city.
“It’s home. We can, for example, live a normal life. But it’s only temporary. We don’t know what will happen tomorrow or a week from now,” said law student Taimur Kravchenko at told CNN over coffee with friends at the market.
However, the city center was lined with anti-tank barricades to fend off the invasion. Displaced Ukrainians from the hardest-hit areas have fled here in search of food and shelter.
Olga Petkovich, her husband and their six children fled their village through a forest to avoid gunfire. According to her husband, Russian troops broke into their home and took everything.
“When we came here, volunteers asked us what we needed, but I was ashamed,” she said, tears welling in her eyes, “I’ve worked my whole life and never asked anyone for anything. Now I have to open my mouth. already.”
The younger daughter wiped away her tears and asked, “Mom, why are you crying?”
Ukraine says Russian troops are gathering in Moldova’s breakaway zone
Authorities in Moldova’s tiny Transnistria breakaway zone on Saturday denied Ukrainian claims that Russian troops stationed there were massing for a “provocation” along the Ukrainian border, the Associated Press reported. unreal”.
Earlier on Saturday, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces said that Russian troops already in Transnistria were “showing a posture of readiness for an offensive and possible hostilities against Ukraine”.
“The information disseminated by the Ukrainian General Staff is absolutely untrue.” Transnistria’s foreign ministry said in a statement that leaders had repeatedly “declared no threat to Ukraine.”
Moldova’s foreign ministry also said on Saturday that “there is no information to confirm the (Russian) mobilization of troops in the Transnistria region” and that “state agencies are closely monitoring the security situation in the region.”
Transnistria is a Russian-backed Moldovan territory that broke away after a brief civil war in the early 1990s and is not recognized by most countries. An estimated 1,500 Russian soldiers are stationed there.
Ukrainian army moves further north
Ukrainian forces moved further north from the capital Kyiv on Saturday, taking positions in the town of Bucha (or Bucha) after retaking territory from Russian forces.
An Associated Press reporter counted six civilian bodies on the ground on a street and in the front yard of a house.
Ukrainian troops tied cables to the bodies and used a train of tanks and armoured vehicles to pull them out of the streets for fear they might have booby-trapped explosive devices.
Residents of the town said the civilians were killed by Russian troops.
Rail loads too heavy, Ukrainian grain exports stagnate
Ukrainian railways are grappling with a grain backlog on the country’s western border as traders seek alternative export routes after Russia invaded and blocked major Black Sea ports, analyst agency APK-Inform said on Saturday.
According to the International Grains Council, Ukraine is the world‘s fourth-largest grain exporter in 2020/21, with most of the commodity shipped via the Black Sea.
But with much of the coast ravaged by war, traders are scrambling to transport more grain by rail.
APK-Inform said that the Ukrainian railway has opened 12 terminals for traders, but there was a problem with the freight train, which took two to three weeks for the railway to process, causing delays in the delivery of goods.
“Traders are continuing to look for the possibility of redirecting exports to the EU via rail or Romanian ports, but the main obstacle remains limited logistics bandwidth capacity and its high cost,” APK-Inform said.
Shipping Ukrainian grain to the Romanian port of Constanta costs 120-150 euros ($133-166) per ton, the agency said. Before the war, traders paid about $40 to ship grain to Ukraine’s Black Sea ports.
Analysts say Ukraine has exported 43 million tonnes of grain from the start of the July season to the end of February this year after being invaded, and will only be able to export about 1 million tonnes in the next three months due to logistical difficulties.
Before the war, the government forecast that cereal exports could reach 65 million tonnes this season.
Ukrainian presidential adviser warns: coming days ‘not easy’
Ukrainian presidential adviser Oleksiy Arestovych said heavy fighting was still expected in eastern Ukraine, near Mariupol and in the south of the country.
He warned that military efforts in these areas “will not be easy”.
“I think we’re going to take back Mariupol, eastern and southern Ukraine,” he said, “but – listen carefully – it’s not going to be easy there.”
In recent days, Arestovich and other senior Ukrainian officials have called on the United States and its allies to step up efforts to provide more heavy weapons. Arestovich told a daily briefing that over the past day, the main direction of the army has been the Kyiv region, where Ukrainian forces have recaptured more than 30 settlements from Russian control.
“We confiscated a lot of empty, unfueled equipment and transferred it to the Ukrainian armed forces,” he said. “That said, the offensive is going well.”
The importance of Mariupol
Why does Russia consider the southern port of Mariupol so important?
If Mariupol fell, Russia would take control of one of Ukraine’s largest ports and create a land corridor between Crimea and the Russian-backed separatist-held Luhansk and Donetsk regions.
Linking Crimea to mainland Russia through rebel-held areas would make it easier for Russia to get goods and people to and from Crimea. Russia has wanted to do this since the conflict began in eastern Ukraine in 2014.
Currently, the peninsula is connected to Russia by a bridge.
Ukrainian photographer killed
Maksim Levin, a photographer and videographer working for the Ukrainian news site and a longtime Reuters contributor, was killed while reporting on the Russian invasion of Ukraine. He leaves behind a wife and four children.
The news site LB.ua, where he worked, said Saturday that Levin’s body was found on April 1 in a village north of the Ukrainian capital Kyiv.
Born in 1981, Levine is a documentary filmmaker who has contributed to Reuters coverage of Ukraine since 2013.
He has been working in the village of Huta Mezhyhirska. The area was heavily shelled.
The Ukrainian Prosecutor General’s Office said Levin “was hit twice with small arms by members of the Russian Armed Forces”. There is currently no independent verification of Levine’s death.
U.S. will help send Soviet-made tanks to Ukraine
The New York Times first quoted U.S. officials as revealing that the White House will help allies send Soviet-made tanks to Ukraine to support Ukrainian defenses in the country’s eastern Donbass region.
The official told the Times that shipments would begin soon, but he declined to say how many tanks would be sent or which countries they would come from.
The tanks will enable Ukraine to conduct long-range artillery fire on Russian targets in the Donbass, the report said. The official said the decision marks the first time the United States has helped transfer tanks in a war, and the move was in response to a request from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Soviet-made tanks that Ukrainian troops know how to use.
Officials declined to say how many tanks will eventually be shipped to Ukraine or when.
Russian troops shelled evacuated convoy in Luhansk
The head of the military administration in the Luhansk region said 2,700 civilians were evacuated from the area on Saturday, but Russian troops shelled those evacuated from towns where heavy fighting took place.
Serhiy Haidai said: “The Russians attacked deliberately during the evacuation. There were shells near the gathering. Fortunately, everyone was still alive.”
Haidai said tons of humanitarian aid had also been provided to those left behind, and police had already begun delivering supplies to the bomb shelters.
“Let me remind you that the evacuation is still going on,” Haidai said. “There is a bus waiting for you every morning.”
Stepping up pressure on Russia, EU preparing for more sanctions
EU Economic Commissioner Gentiloni said the bloc was working to increase pressure on Russia with further sanctions, but said any additional measures would not affect the energy sector, Reuters reported.
Germany and Austria announced plans to take precautionary measures for gas rationing to avoid possible disruptions to Russian supplies.
Gentiloni told a conference in Cernobbio, Italy, that the war in Ukraine certainly meant slower growth in Europe, but a recession was not inevitable.
“The EU has decided to respond to this war by supporting the countries under attack rather than participating in (the war),” he said. “This must continue and not succumb to extortion; but this response comes at a cost, and we need deal with it together.”
“The EU, along with its international partners, has imposed tough sanctions on Russia. Our goal is to put pressure on the Kremlin,” European Council President Charles Michel told a news conference after the EU-China summit on Friday. To end the war. These sanctions also have a price for us in Europe, but it is the price of defending freedom and democracy.”
Russia threatens to end Russian cooperation with ISS
Dmitry Rogozin, the head of the Russian space agency, tweeted on Saturday that Russia may end cooperation on the International Space Station (ISS) due to Western sanctions.
“I believe that normal relations between the ISS and partners in other joint projects will only be possible after the full and unconditional lifting of illegal sanctions,” Rogozin tweeted.
Rogozin warned that Roscosmos would be ready “to make concrete proposals to our country’s leaders” on the possibility of ending cooperation with space agencies of the United States, Canada, the European Union and Japan on the International Space Station.
Zelensky: Sanctions on Russia are working but should be strengthened
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview with Fox News on Friday (April 2) that sanctions on Russia are working but need to be strengthened.
“Sanctions are definitely working, Russia is definitely afraid of sanctions. It makes them uncomfortable. It hits their economy. But one question is how sanctions work. We are showing US and European leaders and telling them that everyone has to be quick cooperation,” Zelensky said.
“They (sanctions) must have an impact on the oligarchs, the Russian president, all political parties and the country as a whole. If the United States wants negotiations to be successful, the United States should continue to work on (strengthening sanctions).”
Responsible editor: Lin Yan#