live blog
Status: 04/19/2023 04:50 a.m
The port city of Odessa has apparently been attacked by Russian drones. An infrastructure facility is on fire. Brazilian President Lula da Silva criticizes Russia’s war of aggression. All developments in the live blog.
4:47 a.m
Russian drone attack on Odessa
A fire in an infrastructure facility is reported from the southern Ukrainian port city of Odessa. According to the head of the regional military command, Yuri Kruk, the fire was caused by Russian drones.
The fire brigade is on duty. There were no injuries.
conflicting parties as a source
Information on the course of the war, shelling and casualties provided by official bodies of the Russian and Ukrainian conflict parties cannot be directly checked by an independent body in the current situation.
2:59 a.m
Pushilin wants to trade with Belarus
The head of the Donetsk region’s separatist administration, appointed by Russia, Denis Puschilin, met with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in Minsk.
Pushilin writes on Telegram that he is interested in machines, tractors, buses and construction products from Belarus. In return, his region will export grain to Belarus.
2:21 a.m
Ex-MPs killed in fighting
Former parliamentarian Oleh Barna is said to have been killed in fighting. This is reported by the “Kyiv Independent”, citing the Ukrainian army.
Barna belonged to ex-President Petro Poroshenko’s party. Poroshenko had made Barna’s death public the day before. However, the body has not yet been recovered.
1:13 a.m
Lula criticizes Russian war of aggression
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has condemned Russia’s violation of Ukraine’s territorial integrity. At a lunch with Romanian President Klaus Iohannis, Lula also reiterated his suggestion that a group of neutral nations mediate peace between Russia and Ukraine.
At the weekend, the Brazilian head of state sparked displeasure in several Western countries because, during a visit by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, he demanded that the US and the EU stop arms sales to Ukraine. Military support prolongs the war.