Did you miss the latest events on the war in Ukraine? 20 minutes takes stock for you every evening at 7:30 p.m. Between the strong declarations, the advances on the front and the results of the battles, here are the main points of the day.
The fact of the day
Failing to repel Moscow’s forces, Ukraine continues its strikes deep into Russia. A source within the Ukrainian defense indicated that the security services (SBU) and the army carried out a “special operation” on the night of Thursday to Friday against the Morozovsk airfield, in the Rostov region. on the Don. “At least six Russian military aircraft were destroyed and eight others were significantly damaged,” said this source.
According to the latter, the Morozovsk base is home to Russian bombers in particular. It did not specify with what means this operation was carried out but affirmed that it had made it possible to “considerably reduce the potential” of the Russian air force.
Russia, for its part, has not mentioned such a strike but its Defense Ministry has reported one of the largest Ukrainian drone attacks, carried out on several regions, including that of Rostov-on-the-Russia. -Don, during the night and in the morning. In total, 53 Ukrainian unmanned aircraft were “destroyed”, including 44 over the Rostov region, the Russian ministry assured.
The number of the day
3,000. This is the number of drones that Lithuania will deliver to Ukraine for an amount of two million euros, Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte announced on Friday, alongside her Ukrainian counterpart Denys Chmygal. According to the latter, these devices could reach Ukraine during the year. Lithuania, a Baltic country of 2.8 million people, has so far provided Kiev with more than a billion euros in aid, more than half of which has been in the military field. According to the Kiel Institute, which is based in Germany, Lithuania is among the top five countries in terms of the share of GDP spent on helping Ukraine, at 1.54%.
Today’s statement
“ From March 31 to April 5 this year, the Russian armed forces carried out 39 group strikes […] against facilities in Ukraine’s energy sector in response to attempts by the kyiv regime to damage facilities in Russia’s oil, gas and energy sectors. » »
The Russian Defense Ministry justified in a press release this Friday its attacks against Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. Russia has in fact been facing multiple drone attacks against its refineries for weeks, several of which have caused damage. A recent Ukrainian attack targeted a major industrial site in Tatarstan, a region located more than 1,000 kilometers from the border. Ukraine had promised to bring the fighting to Russian soil in retaliation for the numerous bombings on its territory.
Today’s trend
The Russian army does not break through but continues its slow progression. In fact, Kremlin forces intensified their operations on Friday towards the town of Chasiv Yar, a key locality for advancing in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donetsk and towards the large city of Kramatorsk.
For a week, “the situation has been heating up”, the head of the military administration of Chassiv Yar, Serguiï Tchaous, admitted to AFP, stressing that the city was under “constant fire” from Russian soldiers. “The city has become even more dangerous. If before there were moments of silence, now there are none, he told AFP. The whole city is burning. »
Our file on the war in Ukraine
Continuing this slow progression, the Russian army also claimed on Friday the capture of the village of Vodiané, west of the town of Avdiïvka conquered in February and approximately 5 kilometers from the town of Donetsk in the east of the Ukraine, under the control of Moscow since 2014.