“Atacms missiles don’t change anything”

The Foreign Ministry of the Russian Federation has delivered a note to Latvia’s charge d’affaires in Moscow announcing the expulsion from the country of two diplomats stationed at the Latvian diplomatic headquarters. The decision comes just under a month after a Russian diplomat stationed in Riga was declared persona non grata by the Latvian authorities.

Sweden will deploy mechanized units to Latvia that will include CV90 and Leopard 2 tanks. This was announced by the Swedish Prime Minister, Ulf Kristersson, during a meeting held today in Stockholm with his Latvian counterpart, Evika Silina. “Strengthening the security of the Baltic region is now even more urgent than it was previously,” commented Silina. “The Swedish government’s decision to officially start preparations for the deployment of some of its armed forces units to Latvia is excellent news for strengthening our common security.”

A missile attack was launched by the Russian army against the Balaklia railway station in the eastern Kharkiv region, while passengers were on a commuter train waiting to leave, ten people were injured by shrapnel. Governor Oleg Syniehubov reported this on Telegram. “The missile hit the railway station while travelers were in the passenger carriages of the commuter train from Kharkiv and Izium,” he said.

The United Kingdom, the USA and Canada today announced yet another package of coordinated sanctions against Iran, in response to Tehran’s retaliation against Israel on 13 April. The British Foreign Office announced this, specifying that “the measures concern individuals and entities accused of being involved in the production of drones: which can also be used for war purposes and used both in recent anti-Israeli raids and in supplies guaranteed to Russia at war with Ukraine. London then announces further sanctions aimed at targeting the Iranian missile and drone components industry”.

With 465 votes in favor, 53 against and 16 abstentions, the European Parliament approved the changes to the current one EU budget resulting from the revision of the Multiannual Financial Framework, with an increase of 5.8 billion euros for the current year. In particular, they will be 4.8 billion euros allocated from the newly formed “Ukrainian Reserve” to allow the payment of grants to Ukraine, thus contributing to “maintaining the functioning of the State and essential services” and supporting Kiev in its “path of reconstruction, recovery, reform and accession to the Union”, highlight the MEPs.

A military tribunal of Chita cityin the Russian Far East, has two young people sentenceda 17-year-old and a 19-year-old, to several years in prison for managing Anti-war Telegram channels, he announced Novaya Gazeta Europequoting Net Freedom Projects. A third defendant, 23-year-old Vladislav Vishnevsky, was sentenced to a year and a half of community service. Lyubov Lizunova, 17, was found guilty of two separate charges, inciting extremism and terrorism, for publishing news about “direct actions against the war”. In the same trial, 19-year-old Alexander Snezhkov was sentenced to five years in prison.

Ukraine could use long range weaponsincluding i Atacms missiles (Army Tactical Missile System) supplied by the United States, to strike within Russian territory despite Washington’s instructions to use such weapons only inside Ukraine, the Financial Times, quoting the Chief of the British Defense Staff Tony Radakin. “As Ukraine gains more capabilities for long-range fighting… its ability to continue in-depth operations will become (increasingly) a feature,” Radakin told the newspaper, adding that “they definitely have an effect.” The official added that Kiev will stage “sabotage attacks and raids” using long-range weapons inside Russia, regardless by US instructions to deploy them on the battlefield in Ukraine.

It’s at least three dead and one injured the toll of the Russian bombings on the villages of Udachne and Kurakhivka, in Donetsk. This was announced by Vadym Filashkin, head of the local military administration quoted by the Kiev media.

A couple was sentenced to 15 years to prison in Ukraine for providing information to Russia which allowed a missile attack on a hospital. The two, husband and wife, sentenced with the accusation of treason, they were accused of providing information on Ukrainian army locations, including “places of recovery for wounded Ukrainian soldiers”. They were allegedly recruited by the Russian security service FSB after responding to an advert on a Telegram channel offering payments in exchange for information. Russian forces bombed a number of medical facilities in Kherson after Ukraine regained control of the southern city in November 2022.

Beyond 3,100 foreign mercenaries they fight for Ukraine during Russia’s special military operation and most of them are from the United States and Canada, the press service of the Russian Investigative Committee said in a statement. “Investigators have information on a total number of more than 3,100 foreign mercenaries who participate in combat activities from the Ukrainian side and most of them come from the United States, Canada, Great Britain and Georgia,” the statement read. The committee added that measures are underway to locate their whereabouts and bring them under criminal responsibility.

Six people were injured this morning in a Russian attack in Cherkasy regionin central Ukraine: the head of the regional military administration, Igor Taburets, made this known on Telegram, as reported RBC-Ukraine. In the attack, Taburets added, an unspecified critical infrastructure was damaged. “In the morning, the enemy attacked our Cherkasy region. A complex anti-aircraft defense worked against a high-speed air target,” the message read. “There are no victims. Six people received medical attention,” Taburets said.

The Russian S-300, the Pantsir and other systems air defense of the group of Dnepr troops are creating a “protective dome” on the Zaporizhzhia region, in Ukraine, the Moscow Defense Ministry announced in a statement. The ministry, as reported by Ria Novosti, explained that Russian units also use Buk-M2 anti-aircraft missile (SAM) systems to attack aerial targets of the Ukrainian armed forces. This is a highly mobile complex designed to destroy strategic and tactical aircraft, helicopters, cruise missiles, guided bombs and other aerodynamic flying objects. In particular, Pantsir systems are used to combat Ukrainian drones.

The Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Russia is preparing to stop the global peace summit which will be held in Switzerland in June. The Kiev media reported it. “We have precise intelligence information, specific data that Russia not only wants to interrupt the peace summit but also has a specific plan on how to do it, how to reduce the number of participating countries, how to act to ensure that there is no more peace for a long time,” Zelensky said yesterday during a meeting with the heads of foreign missions and international organizations accredited in Ukraine and those of Ukrainian diplomatic institutions abroad.

Russian forces launched yesterday 256 attacks against the region of Zaporizhzhia (sed-est): the head of the regional military administration, Ivan Fedorov, made this known on Telegram, as reported by Ukrinform. The offensive targeted eight villages, Fedorov said. “The enemy launched five air strikes on Huliaipole, Robotyne and Mala Tokmachka. Eighty-one drones attacked Bilenke, Huliaipole, Levadne, Robotyne, Mala Tokmachka, Malynivka, Novoandriivka and Mali Shcherbaky. Nine attacks with Mlrs (multiple launch rocket systems, ed) were launched on Levadne and Robotyne”, reads the message. Additionally, 161 artillery strikes were carried out on Huliaipole, Mala Tokmachka, Novoandrivka, Robotyne, Levadne and Malynivka. No injuries or victims were reported.

Warsaw will help Kiev to bring its men of military age back to Ukrainefollowing the new changes to passport laws and on consular service for Ukrainian men living abroad: this was said by Polish Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz. “I think many Poles are outraged by seeing young Ukrainians in hotels and cafes, hearing how much effort we have to make to help” Kiev, Kosiniak-Kamysz told Polish media yesterday. The minister also underlined that Warsaw had already offered to help Ukraine identify refugees living in Poland who are under military obligation. Poland hosts about a million Ukrainians fled from Russia’s total war. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said Kiev’s new measures aim to “restore fair attitudes towards men of military age in Ukraine and abroad.”