UKRAINE WAR BRIEF DAILY DRAFT
For: 2024-04-30
Slava Ukraini! In early 2022 I began a Telegram channel aggregating news from a number of sources daily on the war in Ukraine. Since June 2023 I have provided a daily draft for the Ukraine War Brief Podcast collecting news from over 60 sources daily, much of which forms the basis of the script. While the Podcast is on hiatus I will make this Draft available here both on my own Substack and The People’s Media for those who wish to keep up with events on a daily basis.
ALONG THE CONTACT LINE
GSAFU Morning Report
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in its situation update at 06:00 on Apr. 30 stated that it was day 797 of the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation against Ukraine.
During the past day, 115 combat engagements took place. Over the past 24 hours, the enemy carried out 5 missile strikes, 47 air strikes, and 90 MLRS attacks across the positions of our troops and settlements. As a result of the Russian attacks, unfortunately, there are dead and wounded among the civilian population. Destruction and damage to residential buildings and other civilian infrastructure.
At the same time, Ukrainian soldiers continue to inflict losses in manpower and equipment on the occupying troops, exhausting the enemy along the entire front line.
More than 110 settlements in Chernihiv, Sumy, Kharkiv, Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Dnipropetrovsk, Kherson, and Mykolaiv oblasts came under enemy fire.
Ukrainian missile forces struck 1 concentration of troops and 2 radar stations
Air Force Daily Report
The Ukrainian Air Force in its situation update at 06:00 stated that during the previous day they launched air strikes on 5 concentrations of enemy troops.
The Khortytsia operational-strategic group
(Responsible for the Kup’yans’k, Lyman, and Bakhmut axes, in the northeastern part of Ukraine. )
Kup’yans’k axis: The enemy carried out 9 assaults, with air support, in the vicinity of the settlements of Berestove, Novoserhiivka (Kharkiv oblast) and Stel’makhivka (Luhansk oblast) attempting to improve its tactical position.
Lyman axis: Ukrainian defenders repelled 13 attacks in the vicinities of settlements of Tverdokhlibove, Nevs’ke, Serebryans’ke forestry (Luhansk oblast), plus Terny, Tors’ke, and south of Zarichne (Donetsk oblast). where the occupiers attempted to breach Ukrainian defensive lines.
Bakhmut axis: Ukrainian forces repelled 33 Russian attacks in the vicinities of Bilohorivka (Luhansk oblast), Verkhn’okam’yans’ke, Rozdolivka, Chasiv Yar, Novyi, Ivanivske, Klishchiivka and Andriivka (Donetsk oblast). With air support, the invaders attempted to improve their tactical position in that area.
The Tavria operational-strategic group
(Responsible for the Avdiivka, Novopavlivka, and Orikhiv axes, in the central-eastern and southeastern part of Ukraine.)
Avdiivka axis: Ukrainian defenders repelled 24 attacks in the vicinities of Arkhanhel’s’ke, Novokalynove, Ocheretyne, Sokil, Soloviove, Semenivka, Orlivka, and Netailove (Donetsk oblast). With the air support, the invaders attempted to dislodge Ukrainian troops from their positions.
Novopavlivka axis: Ukrainian Defense Forces continue to hold back the enemy in the vicinities of Kostyantynivka, Heorhiivka, and Urozhaine (Donetsk oblast). With the air support, the invaders made 20 attempts to breach Ukrainian defense in that area.
Orikhiv axis: The enemy, with air support launched 7 attacks on the positions of Ukrainian defenders in the vicinities of Staromaiors’ke (Donetsk oblast) and Novodarivka (Zaporizhzhia oblast).
The Odesa operational-strategic group
(Responsible for Kherson, Qırım, (also known as Crimea) and the Black Sea.)
Kherson axis: Ukrainian defenders continue to maintain their positions. Over the past day, the enemy carried out 4 unsuccessful assaults on the bridgeheads of the Ukrainian Defence Forces on the left bank of the Dnipro River attempting to dislodge them from their positions.
ATACMS Strikes on Qirim Become Systematic: Targets are Air Defenses and Airfields
Instead of trying to damage the Crimean Bridge, Ukraine's objective is to wipe out russian air defenses and airfields on the peninsula. Defense Express reports.
Overnight April 30th, another missile strike was inflicted on the russian forces deployed in the occupied Qirim. Media say explosions were heard across multiple places across the peninsula, in Hvardiiske, Krasnoperekopskyi districts, in the cities of Yevpatoria, Dzhankoi, and Simferopol. In the last two, air defense were engaged, as reported by local governor Vladimir Rogov.
According to his claims, it was Ukraine with an ATACMS ballistic missile, while the Ministry of Defense keeps silent about the incident as of the time of publication. Unofficial sources suggest that besides the ATACMS missiles, suicide drones were also deployed in this attack. Note that despite the russian claims that their S-400 air defense systems, deployed in Qirim, are capable of intercepting ballistic threats, this is at least the second time they fail to do so.
TEMPORARILY OCCUPIED TERRITORIES
Russians to Restore Old Equipment Because of Vehicle Shortage at Frontline
Ukrainian partisans scouted out a location in temporarily occupied Qirim where russians are restoring military equipment to be sent to the frontline, Defense Express reports.
The Atesh Ukrainian partisan movement reported on its official Telegram channel that its agents conducted reconnaissance of a depot of non-working equipment in temporarily occupied Qirim. This depot is located in one of the military units in the Gagarinsky district of Sevastopol. As it turned out, russians are repairing equipment from this depot for military needs.
THE HOME FRONT
Zelenskyy: EU membership is a dream that will soon become a reality for Ukraine
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy said during the conference "20 Years of Czechia in the EU: A Vision for an Enlarged Europe" on Tuesday that the European Union is a dream, a dream that unites us. “Twenty years ago this dream became a reality for Czechia. And I am sure – it will soon become a reality for Ukraine.” Interfax Ukraine reports.
"All of this is not just about the enlargement of the European Union, but about how Europe can protect itself. Europe can be strong and really peaceful only when no one among Europeans is left behind Europe," he said.
"I am confident that during our lifetime, the same conference will be held but devoted to twenty years of Ukraine in the European community – twenty years of our full membership in the EU. And already in June we can begin this pathway by the actual start of Ukraine's accession negotiations. I am thankful to everyone who helps!" the Ukrainian president said.
Zelenskyy: Ukraine to become member of NATO after victory in this war
Ukraine will become a member of NATO after the victory, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said during a visit with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg to the National Defense University. Interfax Ukraine reports.
"We will be in NATO only when we win. I do not think that we will be accepted into NATO during the war. For some, this is a risk from NATO members, for others it is just skepticism because of this. And, of course, the level of Ukraine, which is going through a full–scale war, I think that no one will raise [the issue] of compatibility with NATO, the level of the military," he said.
"The issue of NATO is a majority issue, and the majority is a political issue. In order for Ukraine to be politically accepted into the Alliance, victory is needed for this," Zelenskyy said.
At the same time, he noted that "one of the reasons why this war is going on is because we have not been in the Alliance before." "And Russia has worked very hard with our current partners. They had a dialogue, it did everything so that Ukraine would not be accepted not only into NATO, but also into the European Union, so that Ukraine simply would not develop. And so that it is not cut off from the influence of the Russian Federation. Therefore, in order to break away from this influence, one needs to protect its independence with the ‘victory’ result,’"
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine
Death toll from Odesa missile strike increased to five, 32 injured, including a pregnant woman and two children.
The death toll in Odesa as a result of a russian missile strike on Monday has increased to five people, said Head of the Regional Military Administration Oleh Kiper.
"Unfortunately, the death toll of yesterday's Russian missile attack on Odesa has increased to five people. A man born, aged about 63, died in hospital. I express my sincere condolences to his family and friends."
Kiper said that 23 people who were injured continue to be treated in medical institutions. Eight people are in a serious condition, and four of them are in an extremely serious condition, including a four-year-old girl.
The reason for the high number of injuries was that Russia used cluster munitions on a crowded leisure area of thee city
Minister announces creation of the third combat brigade of the State Border Guard Service
Today, on the Day of the Border Guard of Ukraine, Ihor Klymenko the Minister of Internal Affairs announced the creation of the third combat brigade of the State Border Guard Service (DPSU) - "Gart", whose fighters are already reinforcing the Defense Forces on the eastern borders. Currently, there are two brigades in Ukraine formed by border guards - the Steel Frontier and Revenge Brigades of the Offensive Guard. Klymenko announced this in his Telegram channel, UNN reports.
"The border guards bravely proved themselves in the battles in 2014. To this day, the border guard detachments and the formed combat brigades of the Steel Frontier and Revenge Offensive Guards continue to beat the enemy, demonstrating great strength and endurance. The defense of Zmeinyi Island, Mariupol, the battle for Kyiv, and the liberation of the North and Kharkiv region from the occupiers are just some of the heroic resistance that continues to this day. This is a difficult but worthy path that leads us to the goal of reaching the 1991 borders. To a safe and peaceful Ukraine," Klymenko added.
RUSSIAN WORLD
Russia incapable of properly defending its airfields
The UK Ministry of Defence stated in their Apr. 30 Intelligence Update that they believes that the strike of Ukrainian drones on the Kushchevskaya airfield in the Krasnodar Krai of russia on April 27 was successful and damaged russian aircraft.
On 27 April 2024, Ukraine Interfax stated that the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) used Uncrewed Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) to strike Kushchevskaya airfield and the Ilsky and Slavyanskoil refineries in Krasnodar Krai. In total, the Russian MOD reportedly downed 66 UAVs, illustrating the scale of the attack.
Kushchevskaya airfield hosts a number of Russian fighter jets, including SU-34 FULLBACK and Su-35S FLANKER M. These are used daily in strike missions against Ukrainian frontline positions, including the heavy use of glide bombs. Open source videos show several glide bomb kits destroyed in a storage location at the airfield.
Russian fighters, from Kushchevskaya and a number of other airbases, typically conduct 100 to 150 sorties per day, a significant percentage of those launching munitions all along the frontlines as Russia attempts to force breakthroughs through sheer firepower.
Ukraine's ability to disrupt Russian tactical air, particularly glide bomb usage, is key to the wider defence of the frontlines. This successful strike is likely to force further Russian dispersals of fighters as well as reallocation of air defence assets to plug gaps
NEWS WORLDWIDE
EU probes Facebook and Instagram for political advertising and disinformation ahead of European elections
The European Commission on Tuesday announced that it has opened an investigation into the handling of political advertising by Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, ahead of the European Parliament elections in June, for potential violations of the Digital Services Act related to misleading advertising, disinformation campaigns, lack of effective tools for monitoring public discourse and elections, inadequate mechanisms for detecting illegal content and compensating users, and shortcomings in providing access to data for researchers. UNN reports.
"Today, the European Commission opened formal proceedings to assess whether Meta, the provider of Facebook and Instagram, may have violated the Digital Services Act (DSA)," the statement said.
"The Commission has created tools to protect European citizens from targeted disinformation and manipulation by third countries. If we suspect a violation of the rules, we act. This has always been true, but especially large digital platforms must invest sufficient resources in this, and today's decision shows that protecting our democracies is a joint fight with our member states," said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
The suspected violations reportedly "encompass Meta's policies and practices regarding deceptive advertising and political content on its services.
In the area of misleading advertising and disinformation, the European Commission reportedly "suspects that Meta is not complying with the DSA obligations related to the dissemination of misleading advertising, disinformation campaigns and coordinated inauthentic behavior in the EU." "The dissemination of such content can pose a threat to civil discourse, electoral processes and fundamental rights, as well as to consumer protection.
The suspected violations, as indicated, also relate to "the lack of an effective real-time third-party public discourse and election monitoring tool in the run-up to the European Parliament elections, as Meta abandoned its real-time public analysis tool CrowdTangle without an appropriate replacement.
The opening of the proceedings is based on a preliminary analysis of the risk assessment report submitted by Meta in September 2023, Meta's responses to the European Commission's formal requests for information (on illegal content and disinformation, access to data, subscription to the advertising ban policy, and generative artificial intelligence), publicly available reports, and the European Commission's own analysis.
White House announces that Ukraine already receiving weapons from new aid package
Information provided by the Administration of the President of the United States indicates that Ukraine has already received arms shipments from the new aid package, which was announced last week after it was approved by Congress. Ukranews reports.
This was stated by White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre during a briefing, emphasizing the need to be "careful" in this matter, as it concerns operational security.
"Aid is going to Ukraine. They are currently receiving this security support," Jean-Pierre noted.
She expressed her hope that this weaponry will help the Ukrainian armed forces on the front line to defend themselves.
Russia renaming US-sanctioned oil tankers
Russia’s state-owned oil tanker company Sovcomflot renamed some of its ships after cities in the country following sanctions by the US. Bloomberg reports.
Sovcomflot PJSC was sanctioned in February as part of measures from the US to mark the second year of the war in Ukraine. Fourteen of its tankers were also added to the Treasury Department’s list of named vessels, bringing the total number of them designated to 21.
The tankers also switched their flags to Russia from Gabon, a step that will give Russia greater certainty about how it can use them. While the renaming may strike a defiant tone, it will nevertheless make the vessels — and their associations with Russia — more blatant.
In addition to assembling a shadow fleet of ships to transport its oil while under western sanctions, Russia has relied heavily on Sovcomflot’s giant tanker fleet to keep its oil moving. The company remains the world’s largest owner of Aframax-class tankers, each capable of hauling about 700,000 barrels of oil, according to Clarkson Research Services Ltd., a unit of the world’s largest shipbroker.
So far, at least four tankers have changed their names and reflagged to Russia from Gabon, according to data compiled by Bloomberg
MILITARY & TECH
Ukraine's Air Force explains how faulty F-16 can help Ukraine
Even faulty F-16 fighter jets can be beneficial to Ukraine, especially as "donors" for the repair of other fighters.
Illia Yevlash, Head of Public Relations of Ukraine’s Air Force during an interview on Ukrainian TV was asked whether Western partners can deliver to Ukraine malfunctioning F-16 fighter planes, among other things.
"Even if these are faulty aircraft, they are vital. Cannibalising planes is a totally acceptable practice in numerous countries... This is standard practice; if one of the pieces fails, the other parts can be used to replace components in other planes. Any aircraft, including those that have lost their combat capability, may be employed for maintenance and other tasks as determined by the leadership." Yevlash answered.
Ukrainian government allocates additional UAH 15.5 billion for the purchase of drones
The Ukrainian government has allocated an additional UAH 15.5 billion to purchase 300,000 drones for the Security and Defense Forces. UNN reports.
The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine allocates an additional UAH 15.5 billion for the purchase of drones. The allocated funds will be used to supply 300,000 drones to the Security and Defense Forces. This was announced by Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal following a government meeting on Tuesday, UNN reports.
Today, the government is allocating an additional UAH 15.5 billion for the purchase of drones. This is an additional resource to the UAH 43.3 billion we have already allocated for drones this year. The funds will go to the State Special Communications Administration, which is in charge of procurement
- Shmyhal said on Telegram.
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