Newsletter 15/04/2025
A daily news digest covering important war, political, economic, and cultural topics in Ukraine
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U.S. rejects to support G7 condemnation of Russian missile strike on Sumy – Bloomberg
President Donald Trump’s administration informed allies that they could not endorse the statement because they are "working to preserve space for peaceful negotiations."
Canada, which currently holds the G7 presidency, reportedly told other member states that without U.S. approval, a joint statement could not be issued.
Drafts seen by Bloomberg indicated that the proposed G7 statement would have characterized the attack on Sumy as evidence of Russia’s determination to continue its war against Ukraine.
The missile strike on Sumy occurred just two days after Russian President Vladimir Putin reportedly met for nearly five hours in St. Petersburg with Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff to discuss a potential ceasefire in Ukraine.
Zelensky, Rutte visit military hospital in Odesa
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte have visited a hospital where Ukrainian defenders are recovering from injuries.
"We spoke with our warriors. I presented state awards to our defenders. I am grateful to our guys for their strength, resilience, and for protecting our people," Zelensky said.
He also presented awards to combat medics who not only assist Ukrainian warriors in hospitals every day, but also saved lives under fire in the Kherson, Kharkiv, and Mykolaiv regions.
According to the presidential website, at a medical facility in Odesa, both leaders spoke with soldiers and medical staff about the conditions of treatment. Ukrainian defenders are receiving all necessary care there after being wounded during combat missions in the Donetsk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia regions, as well as in Russia's Kursk region.
Andrii Sybiha, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine
The Antalya Diplomacy Forum is getting underway in Turkey on April 11-13, focused on the restoration of diplomacy in a divided world. This year, it is attended by about twenty heads of state, over seventy ministerial rank officials, among them fifty ministers of foreign affairs, some six dozen high-level representatives of international organizations, in addition to over 4,000 guests.
At the Antalya Diplomacy Forum-2025, Ukraine is represented by Minister of Foreign Affairs, Andrii Sybiha. In addition to active bilateral meetings, negotiations, and multilateral contacts, Mr Sybiha spoke at a panel on European security and Ukraine's role in its protection.
The minister sat down for a blitz interview with Ukrinform to brief about the results of the work done on the sidelines of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum.
'Five territories,' no NATO: Witkoff reveals details of 'peace deal' proposed by Putin
U.S. President Donald Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, described his recent talks with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin as "compelling," stating that they discussed a ceasefire in Ukraine and the creation of new business opportunities.
"This peace deal is about these so-called five territories, but there's so much more to it. […] There's a security protocol, no NATO, NATO's Article 5. […] There are a lot of details attached to this complicated situation. Some real problematic things are happening between the two countries. But I think we might be on the verge of something that would be very, very important for the world at large," he said, without specifying which territories were being discussed.
Trump says he expects 'very good proposals' soon on ending war in Ukraine
U.S. President Donald Trump has said he believes that Vladimir Putin, along with Presidents Joe Biden and Volodymyr Zelensky, are to blame for the war in Ukraine. He added that his team is "doing well" in addressing the issue and expects "very good proposals" to emerge soon.
Russia reports massive drone attack in Kursk region
Fires broke out in several residential buildings in Kursk following a massive drone attack on the city on the night of April 14-15.
That's according to BBC News Russian, citing the operational headquarters of the Kursk region, Ukrinform reports.
According to Russian authorities, an 85-year-old woman was killed and nine people were injured. The victims suffered shrapnel wounds, traumatic brain injuries, and burns.
Local officials stated that the 8th and 9th floors of one apartment building were damaged. The fire has since been contained. At least two other apartment buildings and three private homes were affected by the fires. One of the drone strikes hit an ambulance garage, damaging 11 vehicles. The full extent of the damage is still being assessed.
The Russian Defense Ministry claimed that air defense systems had shot down 115 drones overnight across several regions. According to the ministry, the majority were intercepted over the Kursk region: 109 drones were "shot down or intercepted" there, three over the Voronezh region, and one each over the Moscow region, Bryansk, and Oryol regions.
China says it will assess conduct of its citizens captured in Ukraine in accordance with law
The Chinese government denied any involvement of its citizens in Russia's war against Ukraine and promised to assess the actions of its nationals captured in the Donetsk region in accordance with national legislation after verifying all the circumstances.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said that the Chinese government's position on the matter was clear, with multiple warnings issued to Chinese citizens to stay away from conflict zones, avoid involvement in armed conflicts in any form, and refrain from participating in military operations on either side.
The spokesperson said that the conduct of individual Chinese citizens abroad would be reviewed in accordance with China's current laws and that the necessary consular and other measures would be taken.
Ukrainian forces strike site of Russian missile brigade which launched attack on Sumy
The Ukrainian Defense Forces successfully targeted the permanent deployment site of the 448th Missile Brigade of the Russian Armed Forces in Kursk region, which was responsible for the missile attack on the city of Sumy on Palm Sunday, April 13.
War
CCD: Kremlin spreading fakes about deaths of “foreign mercenaries of AFU” in Kursk region
“Propagandists claim that since the summer of 2024, 4,781 soldiers from Poland, Georgia, Colombia, France, Germany, Great Britain, the United States, Australia, and Japan have been killed in the Kursk region. It is emphasized that most of the foreigners “killed” in the Kursk region were Polish citizens,” the statement said.
Russian resources cite a German online platform specializing in data collection and visualization as the source of this so-called statistics.
In fact, the company has not conducted such research, and the materials disseminated by ru-propagandists are not available on its website or social media pages, the Center emphasizes.
“The purpose of such fakes is to justify armed aggression against Ukraine and promote the narrative that “the whole world is fighting against Russia,” the Center emphasized, adding that in this way ru-propaganda is trying to explain to its own population why the war against Ukraine, an enemy with a much smaller army, has been going on for three years. This disinformation is also aimed at causing anti-war sentiment in European countries and increasing pressure on governments that support Ukraine,” the statement added.
Ukrainian forces repel massive Russian assault with over 20 tanks, IFVs in Novopavlivka sector
In the Novopavlivka sector, paratroopers from Ukraine's 71st Jaeger Brigade, together with neighboring units, repelled a massive Russian assault involving motorcycles, more than 20 tanks, and infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs).
According to the military, Russian motorcyclists maneuvered ahead of the armored vehicles, attempting to break through the defensive trenches of the Ukrainian paratroopers at high speed.
Ukrainian reconnaissance forces detected the enemy movement in time. Artillery units and drone operators from the 71st Jaeger Brigade and adjacent units disrupted the enemy's combat formation and then systematically destroyed it.
Death toll from Russian missile strike on Sumy rises to 36
The death toll from Russia's April 13 missile strike on Sumy has risen to 36 after another person injured in the attack died in hospital.
War update: 58 clashes on frontline since day-start, fighting ongoing in five sectors
Zelensky submits bills to parliament to extend martial law, mobilization
Defense forces stop Russian assault on border of Sumy region
Forty-four people injured in Sumy missile strike remain hospitalized, seven in critical condition
Russians shell 37 settlements in Kherson region over past day, eight people wounded
Ukraine's Special Operations Forces capture three Russian soldiers/Video
“Hart” Brigade fighters strike Russian personnel clusters near Vovchansk
Artillerymen and aerial reconnaissance units of the “Hart” Brigade of the 1st Border Detachment of Ukraine’s State Border Guard Service delivered fire strikes on clusters of Russian military personnel near Vovchansk in Kharkiv region.
Defense
Ukraine conducts large-scale testing of ground robotic platforms
Fifty teams from the Brave1 cluster carried out testing of ground robotic platforms in conditions close to combat.
In total, more than 70 domestically produced ground robotic complexes (GRCs) were involved in the trials. The robots had to complete a 10-kilometer course and were also tested for payload capacity and compliance with technical specifications. The conditions were made as challenging as possible — an unknown route and electronic warfare (EW) on frequencies that changed continuously.
Ukrainian armored vehicles Djura, Kozak to be manufactured in Spain
Ukrainian armored vehicles Djura and Kozak will be produced at the facilities of Spanish defense company Tecnove.
According to the news story, the Spanish factory will launch serial production of the Djura multi-purpose armored vehicle -- designed for operations in extreme conditions and adaptable to various mission configurations -- and the Kozak armored vehicle, which features high levels of protection, mobility, and a robust design for tactical missions ranging from troop transport to medical evacuation.
It is expected that the Ukrainian armored vehicles will be manufactured in three configurations: armored ambulance, troop transport, and a vehicle for security and special operations.
Tecnove said in its social media posts that the "armored vehicles, designed with advanced armor and mobility technology," will now be available on the global market.
Politics
Democrats in U.S. House of Representatives prepare bill to back Ukraine
The bill, which is focused on security aid, reconstruction efforts for Ukraine, and imposing tough sanctions on Russia, was introduced by Representative Greg Meeks, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
The document consists of three main sections and provides more support for Ukraine than the Senate's version.
The first section reaffirms U.S. support for Ukraine and NATO. It also includes measures to help Ukraine rebuild, including creating the position of a special coordinator for Ukraine reconstruction.
The second section focuses on security assistance for Kyiv, including direct loans and military financing.
The third section proposes strict sanctions and export controls against Russia targeting financial institutions, the oil and mining industries, and Russian officials.
Minerals deal talks progressing – Zelensky
"The negotiations have taken place, and they were positive. It was a meeting of the technical team. Meetings at this level will continue throughout this week in different formats. So far, both sides have completed their meetings positively. I believe this is a good result," said Zelensky.
He added that after all these consultations, when the teams are ready, they will present their findings.
EU exploring ways to bypass Hungary’s decisions on sanctions against Russia – Bloomberg
Zelensky meets NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in Odesa
Ukraine continues talks with Germany on Taurus missiles – ambassador