The Russian troops have conquered the village of Ocheretyne, in Donetsk, about twenty kilometers north-west of Avdiivka. This was announced by Moscow’s Ministry of Defense, according to which the village had been “completely liberated” and detailing all the Ukrainian losses in the battle to conquer the outpost.
Orthodox Easter, Kiev under Russian missiles
L’Ukraine celebrates Orthodox Easter today under the threat of Russian missileswith Moscow pressing along the front line and in Donetsk, besieging the stronghold of Khasiv Yar, a crucial hub for the control of the region and for the possible organization of a broader offensive. Avoid going to church, is the warning issued to the faithful by the authorities in recent days Ukrainians who, if on the one hand have decided to increase the level of security in religious places in view of the holiday, on the other fear that churches could become a target. Serhiy Popko, head of the military administration of the city of Kiev, warned against risk of an increase in missile provocations by the Russian army.
On the occasion of the holiday, the Ukrainian president has meanwhile sent his message to citizens through social channels. “The Bible teaches us to love our neighbor – he wrote Volodymyr Zelensky -. And the present revealed the true meaning of this word. We all became close to each other. And our former neighbor, who made us believe he was a brother, has always been distant from us. They have broken all the commandments, coveted our home, and have come to kill us. The whole world sees it. God knows, he has a chevron with the Ukrainian flag on his shoulder, “the words of the Ukrainian leader, who adds:” With such an ally, life will triumph over death. Happy Easter to all of you Ukrainian friends.”
Meanwhile, just after Orthodox Easter, the picture regarding weapons could change due to the arrival on the scene of a new ‘protagonist’. In fact, Ukraine is preparing to welcome the arrival of F-16 jets after the holiday. Ilya Yevlash, spokesperson for the Kiev air force, refers to the date. “We are waiting”, he says – as reported by the Ukrainian media and as Newsweek relaunches – and announces that the planes could ‘debut’ “after Easter”. For months, pilots have been training to exploit the fighters, supplied in particular by Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway and Belgium.
It is not clear, at this point, what the impact of the F-16s would be on the balance in the field. In recent weeks, an anonymous Ukrainian military source highlighted to Politico that “the F-16s were needed in 2023, they are not good for 2024”. In recent months, the Dutch government has announced the dispatch of the planes “in the second quarter of 2024”. In March, Belgium committed to delivering the aircraft by the end of the year. “This year, more than one squadron of F-16s will begin arriving in Ukraine with pilots and maintenance personnel,” one of the latest communications from US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.
Putin at mass in Moscow, thanks to Patriarch Kirill
“Today, amid serious challenges, Christian religious bodies ensure effective and disinterested help to those who need support and attention”, says Russian leader Vladimir Putin in a message on the occasion of Orthodox Easter released by the Kremlin in which he underlines the ‘”constructive, productive activity of the Russian Orthodox Church and other Christian denominations”. From Putin also comes a message of thanks to Patriarch Kirill, very loyal to the Russian leader, for “his tireless selfless service”, for his “productive collaboration in this difficult period”.
In the past few hours, Putin participated in a function led by Patriarch Kirill in Moscow, in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, in which the mayor of the Russian capital, Sergey Sobyanin, was also present. The Russian agency Tass also reports a message from the religious leader thanking Putin for “his constant attention to the activity of the Russian Orthodox Church”.
