War in Ukraine. Daily updates. Day 51 [10.00 am, 15.04.2022🇬🇧🇪🇸🇸🇰🇱🇻🇷🇺🇭🇷🇯🇵🇬🇪🇫🇷🇦🇪🇵🇱🇩🇪 🇭🇺]

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Moskva is down. Now it is official if Kremlin media RIA-News says that their $ 750 million cruiser ‘Moskva’ sank. On Thursday, Ukrainian authorities claimed that two Ukraine-produced missiles ‘Neptune’ hit Russian cruiser ‘Moskva’. The symbolism of the name of the vessel is particular as in Russian it sounds the same way as the name of Russian capital. At the beginning, Russia was denying that the ship was struck. However, Thursday evening it was confirmed saying that due to some incident on board, an ammunition explosion took place, leading to the damage of the ship. This is so far the most expensive loss of Russia in the war unleashed against Ukraine. Analysts say though the explosion will not break the course of the war, but from the psychological perspective, this is a heavy slap as it is capital-named flagship. UK Ministry of Defense says ‘the incident means Russia has now suffered damage to two key naval assets since invading Ukraine, the first being Russia’s Alligator-class landing ship Saratov on 24 March. Both events will likely lead Russia to review its maritime posture in the Black Sea’.

Foreign policy. Speakers of the Parliament of Poland and the Czech Republic visited Ukraine. Along with the visit to Kyiv and meeting with Ukraine’s Speaker of Parliament, the Speakers visited Irpin, Bucha, Borodyanka.

The European Commission is currently analyzing the compliance of Ukraine with two basic criteria for joining the EU: a functioning democracy and a functioning market economy. ‘We intend to be ready with this work by June’, said EU Ambassador Matti Masikas.

While Finland and Sweden consider joining NATO, Russia issued a stark warning to NATO that the Baltic cannot remain “non-nuclear” if Finland and Sweden join the alliance.

Cities under attack. Explosions and shelling are back just a little bit more than a week after the withdrawal and the regrouping of the troops in Northern Ukraine. At night an explosion was heard in Kyiv. This morning, national authorities informed that it has been anti-airсraft warfare. National authorities warn that return to Kyiv is yet too early, as Kyiv still remains a target for missile strikes from Russia. Before, shelling of the border crossing and border villages in Chernihiv and Sumy regions were recorded. Intense shelling renewed once again in Kharkiv over the evening. In Dnipro city a missile hit a non-residential building. In Luhansk region, 24 shellings recorded within the last 24 hours. 2 people killed and 2 wounded. In the Donetsk region, shellings continued in Novosilka, Zarichne, Vugledar, Kramatorsk and Kramatorsk district, Bakhmut. 3 people dead and 7 wounded. In Krasnohorivka a residential house was hit with fire due to the shelling.

In Mariupol, Russian troops are trying to create so-called ghettos. Local residents are urged to wear an identification ribbon on the arm. A white ribbon serves as an identification sign for the occupying troops that these are ‘their’ civilians. However, white arm ribbons are the identifiers of the Russian army at the battlefield, thus forcing civilians to put them on makes them a target for the Ukrainian army. Also information circulates about the introduction by the occupiers of certain passes – permits to move around the city, says advisor to the mayor of the city. Mariupol city council reports that the Russian troops started the exhumation of the bodies from the graves in the city. Also the Russian troops do not allow to bury the bodies of dead Ukrainians. Assumable the Russian military burns the bodies of murdered Ukrainians in Mariupol.

Mayor of Oleshky amalgamated community informed that Russian troops entered the city and the Russian flag is now at the city council. Oleshky is around 20 km away from occupied Kherson. Up until now no evacuation corridors have been launched. The Mayor of Skadovsk informed that Russian troops occupied the city council and put Russian flags on the building. Local authorities refused to cooperate with occupant troops. Mayor of Tavriysk amalgamated community, Kherson region, resigned after release from the Russian captivity. The official reason is due to health conditions.

UNOSAT released satellite images of the scale of destruction of Ukrainian cities. The maps show that village Horenka, Kyiv region was destroyed up to 77%, Irpin -71%, Hostomel – 58%, Bucha – 26%, Western areas of Kyiv – 1.4%

Disinformation. The Ministry of Defense of Russia announced a new theory about ‘US biolabs’ in Ukraine. After reports that such laboratories were developing a plan to infect Russians with dangerous air diseases, Russia has now seen a water threat.

‘Terrorist attacks’. Just a few days ago Russian has introduced state of emergency in four of the neighbouring regions with Ukraine due to potential terrorist attacks from Ukrainian ‘nationalists’. Yesterday Russian media and local authorities started circulating news about explosions in cross-border villages in two regions – in Belgorod and Bryansk region. Previously all civilians were evacuated from the village Zhuravliovka, Belgorod region, where the explosion was recorded. However one person was allegedly injured in the region after the air strike in the region. In Briansk region, local authorities report six buildings were damaged and seven people were injured.

Security Services of Ukraine has released an intercepted call of the Russian soldier saying that shelling was from Russian territory.

Human rights. Approximately 2.7 million people with disabilities are at risk in Ukraine, says the UN. The presented report at The Committee of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities states many people with disabilities are trapped or abandoned in their homes, care centers and orphanages without basic supplies or medicines.

The Verkhovna Rada (Parliament of Ukraine) adopted a resolution recognizing the actions of the Russian armed forces, its political and military leadership during the last phase of the aggression against Ukraine, which began on February 24, 2022, as genocide of the Ukrainian people. Find some recommended reading on the topic in our ‘Reading corner’ section.

Digital frontline. The IT army of Ukraine got access to the data of the courier service, which the Russian army used to send the items looted from Ukrainian homes. After withdrawal from Kyiv regions, the Russian soldiers sent stolen things from the Belarusian Mozyr, the Russian Kursk and Zheleznogorsk, and other border towns. The IT army prepared the map with complete information about the Russian marauders army — where they live and where they sent the looted items.

Culture. Artists Support Ukraine prepared a ready-made to download exhibition with works of Ukrainian artists. Everyone can print or present digitally the exhibition in their city. The organizers call to launch a corner #ArtistsSupportUkraine in your city, gallery, museum, festival by printing out ready-to-print poster exhibitions.

Reading corner.

Watch a video by a popular Ukrainian travel blogger on how volunteers help to defend Ukraine.

Every action counts, no contribution is too small!

Support Ivano-Frankivsk volunteers and activists ‘Port Frankivsk’ deliver gear to the hotspots like Mariupol. Former culture activists, artists, and organizers of the biggest rave parties fundraised and delivered military support (e.g. bulletproof vests, drones, thermal vision systems, etc) in the amount of nearly $250 000.

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