Russia’s war against Ukraine

Military personnel, war veterans, and civilians take part in the Spring Kordon Race 2025, a military-style obstacle course held in Lviv on April 5, 2025. Organized with support from the State Border Service of Ukraine and the 7th Carpathian Border Detachment, the event features master classes in tactical medicine, mine safety, and canine training, aiming to equip civilians with survival skills (Olena Znak / Anadolu via Getty Images)

Ukrainian drones hit Russian explosives, fiber optic factories near Moscow. Insider identified one of the factories hit as a remarkably effective link in the chain, providing Russia with foreign-derived components for its war machine.

Zelensky welcomes French, British army chiefs in Kyiv, talks troop deployment. “There is tangible progress and initial details on how the partner security contingent might be deployed,” President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

Zelensky: Russia must be held accountable for everything it has done. “We need to put pressure on them there — really put pressure, don’t waste time on empty talk — to end this war,” President Volodymyr Zelensky added.

US embassy’s response to Russia’s Kryvyi Rih attack ‘surprisingly disappointing,’ Zelensky says. The U.S. Embassy to Ukraine’s response to Russia’s attack on the Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih on April 4, which killed 19 people and injured 68, was “unpleasantly surprising,” President Volodymyr Zelensky said on April 5.

Over 150 clashes recorded on front lines, half of them near Pokrovsk, General Staff reports. “The most intense situation is in Pokrovsk, Lyman, Toretsk, and Kursk directions,” the General Staff wrote. Sixty-five clashes were reported near Pokrovsk alone.

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Ukraine investigating leaked US minerals deal, FT reports. The measures include the use of polygraph tests on those with access to the deal across several government ministries.

Minerals deal disrupted by those with ‘their hand in the till,’ US official claims. “It’s a genuine economic partnership… we don’t make any money unless they make money, and you know who doesn’t like that? People with their hand in the till,” U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent claimed in an interview released on April 4.

Russia attacks Mykolaiv with drones, residential buildings on fire. “As a result of the attack by Shaheds on Mykolaiv, a fire broke out in two residential buildings,” Governor Vitalii Kim said.

US neo-Nazi terrorist group pays recruits to carry out attacks in Ukraine, Guardian reports. The Base, an American neo-Nazi terrorist group with links to Russia, is offering recruits payment to carry out terrorist attacks in cities across Ukraine, the Guardian reported.

Lithuanian FM on Europe’s role in ending Russia’s war

Human cost of Russia’s war

Russian attack on Kryvyi Rih kills 19 people, including 9 children, injures 74. Russia’s missile attack on the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast city of Kryvyi Rih on April 4 killed 19 people, including nine children, according to local authorities. Seventeen out of 74 injured victims are hospitalized in critical condition.

International response

‘Russia owes an answer to the US’ — West pushes Putin on ceasefire deal. After convening in Brussels on April 3 and 4, NATO’s representatives are demanding an immediate response from Russian President Vladimir Putin to a ceasefire deal that the U.S. and Ukraine have already agreed to.

European leaders condemn Russia’s deadly attack on Kryvyi Rih. “Another reckless Russian attack struck a crowded residential area… Russia continues to destroy Ukraine, no interest in peace,” European Commission Vice-President Kaja Kallas wrote on X.

Macron to helm EU’s talks with Putin, the Telegraph reports. French President Emmanual Macron is readying to become Europe’s point person in negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin, per the Telegraph.