Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited
[Korrespondent] 23.26 On the evening of Tuesday, April 14, the Russians launched an attack on Kharkiv and the region using guided aerial bombs. In the Kyiv district of Kharkiv, an aerial bomb hit the territory of a garage cooperative, which caused a fire. Four guided aerial bomb hits were also recorded in the village of Cherkaska Lozova. Two victims are known. According to the head of the OVA, Oleg Synegubov, a two-story administrative building on the territory of a civilian enterprise and about seven cars were damaged.
22.56 President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Russian occupiers could attack Ukraine on the night of April 15, using drones and missiles. He said this during a visit to Norway on April 14.
"Another Russian attack is possible tonight. Many "Shaheeds" are already in the sky over Ukraine, and the Russians may also use missiles," he noted.
Russia should enjoy ‘em while they’ve got ‘em. With the Strait of Hormuz closed and Iranian weapons manufacturing bombed to rubble, it may be quite some time before their supply of Shaheeds is replenished. They might want to quickly reverse engineer the things and start up a factory at home, perhaps staffed by more North Korean slaves.
22:35 President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre signed a declaration on defense partnership in Oslo on April 14. The signing was broadcast on the YouTube channel of the Office of the President.
"Today we launched a drone deal with Norway, our teams will now work on the details. We are also focused on our joint production projects, they are already working. We must make them stronger," Zelenskyy noted after signing the declaration.
He also expressed gratitude for the large contributions of this country to the PURL program, which strengthen the defense capabilities of primarily Ukrainian air defense, since it is from the funds of this program that it is possible to purchase American PAC-2 and PAC-3 missiles for Patriots, which are capable of intercepting ballistic missiles.
21.42 The number of victims of the Russian troops' strike on Cherkasy has increased to 14 people. An 8-year-old boy died. This was reported by the State Emergency Service. According to preliminary data, at least four high-rise buildings were damaged by falling debris from enemy targets.
21.19 Russian troops continue to create a buffer zone along the state border in Sumy region. This was reported by analysts of the DeepState project.
"The Muscovites took up this after some probing of our border for the possibility of taking control of the area and identifying weak points. The beginning of such advances was, to some extent, the village of Grabovske, and today the pressure continues in the Myropilske area, where you can see the enemy's advance in the latest update," the report says.
Currently, the newly formed area of enemy control and infiltration (red and gray zones) along the border in Sumy Oblast is about 150 sq km.
19.32 German company Quantum Systems announced the creation of two additional joint ventures within the framework of the Build With Ukraine initiative during Ukrainian-German government consultations on April 14 in Berlin. This was stated in the company's press release, Ukrinform reports. It is noted that Quantum WIY Industries (QWI) with Ukrainian partner company WIY Drones will strengthen Ukrainian air defense. The joint venture will focus on the development and scaling of air defense capabilities, in particular in the field of interceptor drones and related technologies.
On February 19, Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov and his German counterpart Boris Pistorius signed the first agreement for our country on the exchange of defense data with partners. He announced this on Telegram.
17.35 Ukraine and Germany have agreed on a large-scale defense cooperation package worth 4 billion euros. This was announced by Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov on Telegram.
17.31 Evidence has been collected against the command of the Russian army, which organized an air strike on Kharkiv on May 23, 2024. The SBU reported this on April 14. According to the investigation, the decision to shell the printing company was made by the chief of staff - first deputy commander of the joint grouping of troops (forces) in Ukraine of the Russian Armed Forces, Colonel General Alexei Kim.
It was established that the initiative to include the civilian enterprise in the list of objects of the air attack came from his subordinate - deputy chief of staff for intelligence, Colonel Sergey Monetov. On Kim's orders, Vice Admiral Alexander Peshkov - head of the Center for Planning and Coordination of Fire Destruction of the joint grouping of troops (forces) in Ukraine of the Russian Armed Forces was engaged in the preparation of the missile strike. The order to launch missiles from the territory of the Belgorod region was directly given by Lieutenant General Andrey Tsyganov, Chief of Staff of the Air and Missile Defense Forces of the Russian Federation.
17.23 In Berlin, President Volodymyr Zelensky and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz were presented with seven types of Ukrainian-made drones before a bilateral meeting. The Office of the Head of State reported this.
Memorandums have already been signed regarding these systems on the possible creation of joint Ukrainian-German enterprises.
17.15 The volume of Ukrainian weapons production capacity is twice as large as it is being used due to insufficient funding, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.
"The volume of potential is twice as large as we use. Our Ukrainian production is twice as large. We simply don't have enough money," the head of state said.
Zelensky noted that Ukraine expects that Germany will help unlock 90 billion euros, Ukrainian production can be replenished with investments, then the volume of use of products on the battlefield will be even greater.
17.03 The Ukrainian Defense Forces hit three more radar stations and an anti-aircraft missile system of the Russian occupiers. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported this on April 14.
It is noted that, in particular, the Nebo-U radar station in the temporarily occupied Feodosia (AR Crimea) was hit. The hit on April 13 of two objects in the territory of the Belgorod region of the Russian Federation was also confirmed - the radar station of the airspace control system in the Mykolaivka area and the Kasta-2E radar station near Lubyany-Pershy. The hit on April 13 of the Tor-M1 anti-aircraft missile system in the temporarily occupied Lozovo area of the Luhansk region was separately confirmed. The scale of the damage is still being clarified.
16.55 Since the beginning of the day, 40 battles between the Ukrainian army and the Russian invaders have taken place at the front. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported this in an operational report.
"In the Sumy region, our units carried out active operations and were successful," the military reported, without specifying details.
16.39 Metinvest Group is gradually transforming its participation in the defense of Ukraine. This was stated by the company's Chief Operating Officer Oleksandr Myronenko in an interview with journalist Roman Tsymbalyuk.
16.26 The Pecheneg Reservoir Dam in the Kharkiv region was not damaged after the attack by Russian KABs. Water is being released in a planned, controlled manner. This was reported by the 16th Army Corps.
16.20 According to the evidence base of counterintelligence and investigators of the Security Service, a Russian agent, whom the SBU exposed in November 2025 in Chernivtsi, received 15 years in prison with confiscation of property. He corrected the Russian air attacks on the city and called for the continuation of shelling of the entire western region of Ukraine. The SBU reported this on April 14. According to the investigation, the enemy's task was carried out by a local resident who was hiding from mobilization and at the same time working for the Russians.
15.53 On the afternoon of April 14, Russian military personnel dropped an explosive device from a UAV onto a street in Kherson. An 89-year-old woman died as a result of the shell explosion. Another 52-year-old man was injured. They were on the street at the time of the attack.
15.35 Law enforcement officers "hot on the trail" detained two perpetrators of a terrorist act in the city of Brovary in the Kyiv region. The SBU reported this.
"According to available information, the suspects acted on the orders of the special services of the aggressor country. The curator from the Russian Federation promised them a monetary reward for this," the message states.
15.31 Five people were killed and more than 20 others were injured in a Russian attack in Dnipro, the National Police reported.
The injured were taken to hospitals by doctors.
The gas station premises and vehicles were damaged.
15.21 German Chancellor Friedrich Merz considers it necessary to work on the issue of returning young Ukrainian men from Germany to their homeland. He stated this at a joint press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky after their talks in Berlin on April 14, Ukrinform reports.
Meanwhile, Volodymyr Zelenskyy supported the position of the head of the German government.
"I agree with you about those young people who are of mobilization age and who went abroad. And in the meantime, it turned out that for years.”
15.15 On April 13-14, the Ukrainian military struck a number of important targets of the Russian invaders. This was reported by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
"Our soldiers struck at the storage locations of strike drones in the area of Donetsk airport in the Donetsk region. The strike was carried out by units of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine using SCALP cruise missiles and GBU-39 guided aerial bombs," the message said.
15.09 A Russian drone hit a civilian vessel traveling along the Ukrainian sea corridor to the port of Greater Odessa. The Ukrainian Sea Ports Administration reported this.
"During an air alert in the region, a drone hit a civilian vessel that was traveling along the Ukrainian Sea Corridor to the port of Greater Odessa to load corn," the report said.
14.55 In the Odessa region, the director of a limited liability company was reported on suspicion of misappropriation of budget funds during the reconstruction of a barracks into a 39-apartment residential building for military personnel.
The work was carried out under a contract with the Ministry of Defense. According to the investigation, the suspect organized a scheme to embezzle funds: he systematically entered false information into the acts of work performed regarding their volume and allegedly purchased materials that were not actually supplied. Budget payments were made on the basis of these documents.
To hide the transaction, after receiving the funds, he made only minimal purchases to create the appearance of work, and transferred the bulk of the money to a controlled enterprise with subsequent withdrawal.
As a result of such actions, the state suffered losses of 8.4 million hryvnias, which were intended to provide housing for the military.
14.47 Germany and Ukraine have signed 10 agreements of various levels. This was announced by President Volodymyr Zelensky at a joint press conference with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Berlin.
According to him, we are talking about agreements on air defense, namely, about PAC-2 missiles for Patriot systems.
"This includes PAC-2 and launchers. As for the IRIS-T systems, we are grateful for them. We thank you separately for this agreement," the Ukrainian leader said.
14.22 On the afternoon of April 14, Russian troops shelled Chernihiv. Administrative buildings were hit, two civilians were injured - a woman with a leg wound and a man with a hand wound. Both were hospitalized.
According to the results of a preliminary examination, 30 windows and balcony frames in residential buildings, as well as 35 windows in administrative buildings, were damaged as a result of the attack.
14.14 At least four people were killed in a Russian missile attack on the city of Dnipro, the head of the Dnipropetrovsk OVA, Oleksandr Ganzha, reported on Telegram.
"Four people died, 25 were injured - these are the consequences of the enemy attack on the Dnieper. 21 people are hospitalized. 10 are in serious condition," he wrote.
13.49 Russian troops struck the Pecheneg Reservoir dam in the Kharkiv region with six guided bombs. This was announced by the head of the OVA, Oleg Synegubov, during a telethon.
"The enemy continues to shell our settlements and civilian infrastructure. Today, the occupiers directed six guided bombs at the Pechenizka Dam in the Chuguiv district - this is one of the largest reservoirs in the region and a critically important facility," Sinegubov noted.
13.49 As a result of the Russian missile attack on the city of Dnipro, the number of injured has increased to 15 people. This was reported by the head of the Dnipropetrovsk OVA Oleksandr Ganzha in Telegram.
All of the injured are currently in local hospitals, most of them in serious condition.
13.01 President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had a telephone conversation with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. The Ukrainian leader reported this on Telegram.
According to him, the needs for protecting Ukrainian skies were discussed, in particular the further implementation of the PURL program, which allows Ukraine to receive missiles for Patriot anti-aircraft systems.
"Air defense power is our key priority, and people's lives must be protected. We are preparing news regarding PURL," the president said.
12.33 Russian forces attacked the Dnipro with a ballistic missile. A fire broke out at the site of the attack. Five people were injured.
Before that, the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported the threat of the use of ballistic weapons. "Dnipro! Missile!" - the military warned.
12.15 President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in Berlin. This was stated by the presidential press secretary, Serhiy Nikiforov, Interfax-Ukraine reports.
The Ukrainian leader will also visit Norway today, where he will meet with Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre.
11.56 Russian forces targeted a medical facility in the Central district of Kherson with a Molniya attack drone. Four hospital workers were injured in the attack: a 67-year-old man and women aged 42, 51 and 39. They had previously suffered blast injuries.
In addition, the Russians attacked Nadiivka, Belozersk community, with a drone. A 19-year-old boy who was on the street was hit by the enemy strike. He suffered a concussion, explosive and closed head injuries. The boy was taken to the hospital in moderate condition.
11.40 President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a law on charging fees for housing and communal services and accounting for losses due to damage or destruction of real estate.
The adopted law provides for the abolition of the fee for managing an apartment building if the building is damaged or destroyed and cannot be used for its intended purpose.
Owners of damaged or destroyed housing are exempt from paying for certain housing and communal services during the period when the facility is actually uninhabitable.
It also determines the procedure for accounting for losses caused to property owners as a result of armed aggression.
At the same time, the law regulates the issues of interaction between authorities, building managers, and utility providers regarding the recording of damage and the termination of payment accrual.
The relevant provisions will be in effect throughout the entire period of martial law and for another year after its termination or cancellation.
11.24 President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky will visit Berlin on Tuesday and meet with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, t-online reports, citing a spokesman for the German government.
The day before, Zelenskyy announced negotiations with European leaders on the creation of a joint sky protection system.
11.11 President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a law extending military conscription for three years after the end of the war. This is evidenced by the corresponding document card on the website of the Verkhovna Rada.
10.57 Russian invaders have once again attempted to launch a massive assault in the Sumy region through a gas pipeline. The 71st Airmobile Brigade of the Airborne Assault Forces reported this on Telegram.
10.57 The Russian Research Institute of Military Medicine of the Ministry of Defense is testing artillery ammunition on humans.
The research is being conducted on volunteer military personnel and is aimed at determining the characteristics of the projectile necessary "to destroy or disable enemy manpower." The research institute has become the only institution of the Russian Defense Ministry that is allowed to conduct research with the participation of people.
Experimental sites simulating fortifications and equipment were created at a special training ground. During the tests, the state of the volunteers' cardiovascular and nervous systems was recorded, the necessary samples were taken, and how the disruption of the body's functions depended on the distance from which the shot was fired from 122 and 300 mm caliber guns was evaluated.
To conduct such research, the institute opened a 100-bed scientific and clinical center with intensive care, therapeutic, and surgical departments in 2018. In the first year of operation, more than 300 observations of military personnel participating in weapons, drug, and vaccine testing were collected there.
In addition to ammunition, the institute tests performance-enhancing drugs, means of protection against extreme factors, as well as new models of equipment and equipment. In addition, the institute is one of the key participants in the chemical weapons development program in Russia.
10:40 In Chernihiv, one of the Russian "Shaheeds" hit an administrative building in the city center. This was reported by the head of the city's military administration, Dmitry Bryzhinsky.
"One of the suicide bombers hit an administrative building in the city center. Information on the consequences is being clarified," he wrote on Telegram.
According to him, there were no casualties. The explosion in the administrative building broke windows and damaged doors.
The press service of the Chernihiv City Council added that damage was recorded to the administrative building and an apartment building - in particular, broken windows.
10.36 On Monday morning, six regions of Ukraine experienced power outages due to new shelling by Russian invaders. Ukrenergo reported this. Emergency restoration work is already underway wherever security conditions currently allow.
10.25 Over the past 24 hours, 125 combat clashes with the occupiers were recorded at the front. The largest number was in the Pokrovsky direction, where the occupiers carried out 21 attacks. This is evidenced by the morning report of the General Staff, published on Telegram.
9.40 The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant was left without any external power source on the morning of April 14. This was announced by the IAEA.
This morning, the last external power transmission line of the Zaporizhzhia NPP stopped working. The station completely lost external power. To ensure the operation of safety systems, backup diesel generators were automatically turned on.
The IAEA is negotiating with Ukraine and the Russian Federation for a new local ceasefire - it is needed to repair another power line that could restore external power to the plant.
8.59 Russian war criminals attacked Ukraine with four Kh-59/69 guided aircraft missiles and 129 strike UAVs since the evening of April 13. One missile and 114 drones were neutralized, but there were also hits. The Ukrainian Air Force reported this on Telegram.
7.36 The Ukrainian Defense Forces killed and wounded 820 Russian occupiers over the past 24 hours. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported this on its Facebook page.
03.01 For the first time in history, the Ukrainian military and society have a sufficient level of armament to protect against Russian strikes. This was stated on Monday, April 13, by President Volodymyr Zelensky. He emphasized that this is a historic result for the state. Ukraine was able not only to withstand a full-scale war and defend itself with dignity, but also to be able to transfer the war to the enemy's territory.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited 21:32 Recorded advance of the Russian army in the Krivaya Luka-Kaleniki area. 21:13 Russian Armed Forces occupied the Plosky forest to the east of the village of Zelenoye in the Khar'kov border region, –MAP.
20:53 UAV operators from the Northern Forces group have uncovered the location of an Israeli-made enemy RADA radar near the village of Vesyoloye in the Liptsovsky direction, video.
20:29 Assault groups of the Russian Armed Forces are in the Khar'kov border area occupied new positions were established in Volchanskiye Khutor. The enemy retreated to the eastern part of the village.
19:13 Rocket artillery of the North group of forces daily strikes numerous enemy targets in the Khar'kov and Sumy regions, video.
18:37 In Cherkasy, thundered explosions, city under attack by UAVs.
18:05 The Russian Armed Forces are advancing in the Gulyai-Polye direction, MAP.
16:54 Ministry of Defense posted a selection of footage of Russian drone operators working in various fields.
15:48 Over the past week contributed updating enemy fortifications in the Nikolaev, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, Khar'kov, Sumy, Chernihiv and Kyiv regions.
15:15 Published footage of the "arrival" of FABs from the UMPK on the dam near the village of Pechenegi in the Khar'kov region.
The Khar'kov administration stated that this is an object of critical importance for the entire region.
14:20 Crew of the T-80 BVM tank and crews of the 122mm D-30 howitzers destroyed strongholds of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhia regions.
13:23 In Sumy Oblast destroyed Dutch IFV YPR-765.
12:53 From the seats arrives operational information about the battles in Stary Karavan and Brusovka, which lie between Nikolaevka and Krasny Liman.
Their control is the control of the enemy's main supply route to Krasny Liman from Slavyansk.
12:25 Summary of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation on the progress of the Special Military Operation as of April 14, 2026
Units of the "North" force group improved their tactical position. They defeated the personnel and equipment of the Ukrainian Armed Forces' mechanized brigade and the territorial defense brigade near the settlements of Novodmitrovka, Bachevsk, and Sukhodol in Sumy Oblast.
In the Khar'kov region, units of three mechanized brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and a territorial defense brigade were defeated in the areas of the settlements of Kolodeznoe, Ryasnoe, Staritsa and Zybino in the Khar'kov region.
The enemy lost up to 220 troops, a tank, four armored combat vehicles, 25 vehicles, an artillery piece, and two electronic warfare stations. Four ammunition and supply depots were destroyed.
Units of the "West" force grouping improved their position along the forward edge. They defeated formations of two mechanized brigades, an assault brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, and a territorial defense brigade near the settlements of Shiykovka, Chervony Oskol, and Kutkovka in the Khar'kov region, and Krasny Liman and Svyatogorsk in the Donetsk People's Republic.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces lost over 200 servicemen, four armored combat vehicles, 20 vehicles, and three field artillery pieces. Four ammunition depots were destroyed.
Units of the Southern Group of Forces occupied more advantageous positions and lines. They defeated the personnel and equipment of three mechanized brigades, a motorized infantry brigade, an assault brigade, and a territorial defense brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces near the settlements of Konstantinovka, Artema, Novoselivka, Ilyinovka, Nikolaevka, and Slavyansk in the Donetsk People's Republic.
The enemy lost up to 195 service members, seven armored combat vehicles, 22 vehicles, and four field artillery pieces. Two Bukovel electronic warfare stations, two ammunition depots, and seven supply depots were destroyed.
Units of the Center Forces Group improved their tactical position. They defeated the personnel and equipment of two mechanized brigades, an airborne brigade, an assault regiment of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, a naval infantry brigade, and a National Guard brigade near the settlements of Petrovske, Rubizhne, Grishino, Sergeyevka, and Gulevo in the Donetsk People's Republic and Novopavlivka in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast.
Ukrainian armed forces lost over 280 servicemen, two armored combat vehicles, 11 vehicles, two field artillery pieces, and a Grad multiple launch rocket system. Two electronic warfare stations were destroyed.
Units of the "East" force group advanced deep into the enemy's defenses. They defeated formations of two mechanized brigades, an airborne assault brigade, and two assault regiments of the Ukrainian Armed Forces near the settlements of Pokrovskoe in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, and Volnyanka, Charivne, Vozdvizhevka, and Novoselivka in Zaporizhia Oblast.
The enemy lost over 255 service members, two armored combat vehicles, and six cars. Two supply depots were destroyed.
Units of the Dnepr group of forces inflicted losses on the manpower and equipment of the mechanized, mountain assault brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the territorial defense brigade in the areas of the settlements of Dimitrovo, Novoandriyevka and Orekhov in the Zaporizhzhia region.
Up to 30 servicemen, an armored combat vehicle, 11 vehicles, and five electronic warfare stations were destroyed.
Operational-tactical aviation, strike unmanned aerial vehicles, missile forces, and artillery of the Russian Armed Forces groupings have damaged energy and transport infrastructure facilities in Ukraine used in the interests of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, storage facilities for long-range unmanned aerial vehicles, fuel and lubricant storage facilities, as well as temporary deployment points for Ukrainian armed forces and foreign mercenaries in 142 districts.
Air defense systems shot down 14 guided aerial bombs, six US-made HIMARS multiple launch rockets, and 391 aircraft-type unmanned aerial vehicles.
Two Ukrainian unmanned boats were destroyed in the Black Sea.
12:19 Operators of the Unmanned Systems Forces from the Rubicon Center shared footage of the destruction of equipment and several communication systems of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Krasnolimansk direction.
12:13 Posted footage of the destruction of a T-64 tank of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Khar'kov region.
11:43 Several Geraniums inflicted attack on the Central Mining and Processing Plant in Krivoy Rog.
10:40 Two civilians died, three more people were injured in the past 24 hours as a result of attacks by the Ukrainian Armed Forces on the Kherson region, the region's governor, Volodymyr Saldo, reported.
A man born in 1956 died in Aleshki when a mine detonated. A man also died in Radensk when a car hit a mine; his identity is being investigated.
10:22 Summary about the operational situation in the Kursk region over the past 24 hours.
In total, 85 enemy drones of various types were shot down between 09:00 on April 13 and 07:00 on April 14.
9:33 Enemy committed another strike on an energy infrastructure facility in the southern Zaporizhzhia region. Some equipment was damaged.
Drone activity remains high.
Power engineers and emergency services are making every effort to quickly stabilize the situation.
9:01 Frontline summary as of the morning of April 14, 26
Zaporizhzhya Front:
In the Kamensk sector, fighting continues along the previous lines.
In the Gulyai-Polye sector, Russian forces are advancing near Vozdvizhevka and taking up new positions in the southern part of Kosovtsevo.
Fighting is reported near Alexandrograd.
Donetsk Front:
On the Krasnoarmeysk front, Russian troops are advancing north of Udachny toward Sergeyevka.
There are gains in the Kotlino area. On the Dobropolsky front, fighting continues near Novy Donbas.
In the Konstantinovka direction, Russian Armed Forces are advancing in Dolgaya Balka.
Fighting is ongoing in Ilyinovka.
South of Konstantinovka, Russian troops are expanding their control in the industrial zone.
Russian Armed Forces are holding the line in the Chasov Yar area.
In the Krasnolimansky direction, Russian Armed Forces are taking up new positions south of the village of Stavki.
In the Seversky direction, fighting continues in the western part of Reznikovka, Krivaya Luka and Kaleniky, as well as in Fedorovka Vtoraya.
Khar'kov Front:
Positional fighting continues in Kupyansk.
Russian forces are reported to be making progress in the Kurilovka and Kovsharovka areas.
Sumy Front:
In the Krasnopolsky District, Russian Armed Forces are fighting for Novodmitrovka.
There is progress near Pokrovka.
8:40 UAV operators from the Burevestnik separate unmanned aerial vehicle regiment of the Yuzhnaya group of forces destroyed an armored vehicle of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, video.
8:24 Artillery crews of the "East" group of forces destroyed strongholds of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Zaporizhzhia region, video.
8:05 During the past night, in the period from 20:00 Moscow time on April 13 to 7:00 Moscow time on April 14, air defense systems on duty intercepted and destroyed 97 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles of the fixed-wing type over the territories of the Belgorod, Bryansk, Voronezh, Kursk, Lipetsk, Rostov and Tula regions, the Republic of Crimea and the waters of the Sea of Azov.
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited by Gevorg Mirzayan
[REGNUM] Viktor Orbán's defeat in Hungary's parliamentary elections has disillusioned many who still hoped for a miracle in the form of a quick peace between Russia and Europe. Not because Orbán facilitated the negotiation process, but because his departure tempts the European Union to overconfidence.
That it can consolidate, that the trend toward the rise to power in European countries of forces alternative to the Atlanticist agenda is reversible—and not necessarily through the cancellation of elections, as in Romania. And that the Eurocentric idea is alive and well and looks more attractive than even an alliance with the Americans. Europe wants to reassure itself that it can still win a war of attrition against Russia.
Moreover, Europeans may soon experience new surges of confidence. For example, Donald Trump's actual defeat in Iran and the predicted defeat in the midterm congressional elections will give them hope that transatlantic relations can still be restored to their former form. Or, at the very least, that the US president will stop pressuring and humiliating Europe.
This does assume that Iran will defeat America and the Democrats will win in November, of course.
And ongoing discussions about allocating the notorious 90 billion to the Kyiv regime maintain the belief among Europeans that the Ukrainian authorities will continue to resist Russia at the cost of the lives of their citizens and the destruction of what remains of the country.
This means that Europe, on whose soil no one is dying, will be prepared to continue its war of attrition against Russia. And not just continue it, but hope for victory.
The West is accustomed to resolving all conflicts by force—or the threat of its use.
Even under Biden, the US arbitrarily divided the world into "democracies and autocracies," declaring a trade and information war on the latter. Then a record number of sanctions were imposed against Russia.
It is not only the United States, which is now waging war in Iran, kidnapping the president of Venezuela, and organizing a blockade of Cuba, that is relying on forceful methods, but also Europe, which speaks the language of sanctions, pressure, and interference in internal affairs.
"The European mainstream assumes that Europe <…> is the planet's leading economy, with a population of half a billion people, second only to Russia in terms of direct military power and nuclear potential," Alexander Nosovich, a member of the Council on Foreign and Defense Policy, told Regnum News Agency. According to him, Europe is convinced that all its failures in the Russian direction are due solely to its own lack of mobilization and cohesion—and therefore must now pull itself together.
This is precisely why the EU is being militarized. EU member states are increasing defense spending to 5% of GDP (or, in other words, increasing it exponentially), meaning they intend to spend hundreds of billions of euros on weapons.
And other things. In Spain, as I recall, they are including spending on green energy as part of their defence increase.
The European Commission will play a central role in this, having already concentrated power in its hands and even created the post of European Commissioner for Defence, appointing the inveterate Russophobe from Lithuania, Andrius Kubilius, to this position. However, a number of EU member states are taking their own initiative.
Germany, for example, is prepared to reinstate conscription, has launched the process of reviving its national military-industrial complex, even lifting the so-called "debt brake" to achieve this goal, and intends to attract significant amounts of borrowed funds for military spending.
Germany just announced that military age males can no longer be out of the country for more than three months without permission, which will be interesting.
Polish Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz announced his intention to increase the size of the national army by almost 2.5 times, to 500,000 personnel.
Poland has seriously invested in their military since they took back control of their country from the Soviet Union.
France and the Baltic states have sharply increased their aggressiveness at sea, launching illegal seizures of foreign vessels entering Russian ports. Finland intends to host additional contingents of foreign troops threatening Russia from the north. Finally, drone factories are currently being built throughout Eastern Europe—primarily Poland and the Baltic states. Currently, they serve the interests of Ukraine, but in the future, they will certainly serve the interests of a pan-European army.
Its creation is planned for completion towards the end of the decade, but for now, the EU intends to wage war against our country through Ukraine, regularly injecting it with funds at both the European and national levels. For example, Belgium and Spain have promised to allocate a billion euros each to the Kyiv regime in 2026.
At the same time, a crackdown is underway on all those who disagree with the "unified party line" and who deny the need to further escalate relations with Russia through the adoption of new sanctions and military provocations in the Baltic Sea.
Meanwhile, Europeans seem oblivious to Moscow's clear statement: a blockade of Kaliningrad will be considered a direct attack on Russia, with all the consequences and consequences that entail. And Russia—and Europeans manage to forget this—has the most modern nuclear arsenal in the world, as well as a new nuclear doctrine that expands the grounds for a first nuclear strike.
Why then is Europe behaving this way? Is this the madness of the brave? No, rather the madness of the doomed. An attempt to hide its own weakness through aggressive behavior.
Russia's advantages, according to Europe's calculations, should be offset by the United States, a country with the world's largest military budget and a powerful army, which, they believe, everyone should be terrified of.
For some reason, Europe isn't bothered by the fact that all the American defense technologies and weapons supplied to Ukraine have failed to break the Russian army. And that Russian soldiers are scrapping both American Abrams and European Leopard tanks in the fields, while Russian weapons, which often cost much less, prove more effective than the much-hyped, expensive American systems.
Russian drones are currently among the best in the world, and its assault infantry has vast combat experience. Meanwhile, Western countries are unaccustomed to fighting on the ground. It's no surprise that the United States, having spent hundreds of billions of dollars supporting the Kyiv regime, is scaling back its involvement in the Ukrainian conflict and is unwilling to burn the remaining equipment and ammunition it needs in the Middle East.
The West's notions of its own superiority are, to put it mildly, exaggerated, even when viewed through the prism of numbers and their dynamics.
"Europe itself is depleting. Its share of global GDP and demographics is significantly decreasing with each passing decade," Dmitry Ofitserov-Belsky, a senior research fellow at the IMEMO RAS, explains to Regnum.
"And European leaders see this. Ursula von der Leyen's predecessor as President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, already spoke of the EU's strategic shrinkage. It has become clear that if things continue as they are, there will be nothing left of Europe," the expert notes.
The optimal solution for Europe at that time was to increase economic and political cooperation with Russia, maintain the competitiveness of its own economy through Russian energy resources, and protect its sovereignty—including from the Americans—by relying on a special relationship with Moscow.
Instead, the European Union chose the path of expansion, which consisted of "devouring" the post-Soviet periphery with the desire to control Russian resources. This is precisely why Germany—Russia's closest partner in the 2000s and early 2010s—immediately after the events in Ukraine led the anti-Russian camp and a new "march to the East." Its success is already perceived as an existential challenge. "Strategically, Europe without Russian resources is doomed in the 21st century," says Alexander Nosovich.
Not to mention that the ultimate failure of the anti-Russian strategy will make Europe a guest in its own house. "Europe already sees that Moscow is negotiating a European security system directly with Washington and not inviting Brussels to the table. And to prevent the Russians and Americans from agreeing on a Europe without Europe, the EU must ensure Russia's defeat," says Dmitry Ofitserov-Belsky.
Theoretically, Europe still has the opportunity to change its mind and gain Russian resources—and even a coveted seat at the table. Even now, Moscow is not closing the door to the negotiating process. It merely demands a constructive approach from Europeans—or, simply put, a willingness to negotiate on an equal basis.
But Europe, having collectively entered the conflict, must also collectively—that is, by a unified decision—exit it. But such a solution does not exist—and is unlikely to emerge. This is partly due to the reckless belief of some countries in the possibility of defeating Russia.
However, Europe forgets that a war of attrition is won not only by the army and resources, of which Russia has plenty, but also by a society that knows what it is fighting for and understands the need to continue fighting.
What is European society fighting for now? For Ukraine? A foreign country, known to the average European only by the Ukrainian license plates on luxury cars, articles about rampant corruption, and "outsiders" behaving like boors? Or are they fighting for their own countries, which Russia is supposedly preparing to attack?
But no one has touched the Baltics, through which Ukrainian drones fly toward Ust-Luga. Moreover, European propaganda contradicts itself here: if Russia were truly as weak as the EU claims, Moscow wouldn't have the strength to attack anyone.
Or perhaps Europe is fighting for its own prosperity? Russia is not to blame for the sharp rise in utility bills, the bankruptcy of industrial enterprises, and the decline in living standards. Nor is it Russia's fault for European authorities declaring Russian gas "hostile" and abandoning its use.
It turns out that European society is fighting for the interests of others against its own. Meanwhile, Russian society, conversely, is fighting for its own. For the right to ignore arrogant statements like, "The EU is a blooming garden, and the rest of you are a wild jungle." For the Russian people, who are currently living under the occupation of Ukrainian terrorists with the help of European sponsors. For their well-being, threatened by Western sanctions. For their way of life, which Europe, without any right, is trying to declare "wrong" and remake to suit its own wishes.
Finally, for its history, which Europeans are trying to slander and distort. Russia knows what it is fighting for and what it is making sacrifices for. And it is prepared for further confrontation with the collective West, despite the fact that this confrontation arose and continues solely at its initiative.
#3
Picture that old lady walking to market in the snow.
Posted by: Abu Uluque ||
04/15/2026 13:19 Comments ||
Top||
#4
I've read France and UK already have their war plans and are just waiting for Trump's term to expire. Leaves me with little expectation for a peace agreement btwn UKR and RUS.
Winston Churchill was acutely aware of the demographic strain and depletion of British stock caused by what some call, the Banker Wars.
We need to remain cautious, as many of our alphas get culled in these events.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
