WAR IN UKRAINE: April 9, 2022
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS: Day 44
Ukrainian police inspect the remains of a large rocket with an inscription “for the children” in Russian at a railway station in Kramatorsk, Donetsk Oblast, which was hit by a missile attack killing at least 39 people on April 8, 2022. (AFP via Getty Images)
Outrage within and outside Ukraine continues to grow over a Russian missile strike on the train station in Kramatorsk yesterday in which at least 50 people were killed and more than 100 injured. On the scene, Ukraine defense minister Oleksiy Reznikov pleaded with western partners to provide multiple launch rocket system and long range missiles in order to counter Russian aggression. “Give is the tools we will get the deal done,” he said, adding modern and not outdated Soviet weaponry is what’s needed
Russians armed forces are feeling “self-imposed pressure” to achieve some sort of victory by May 9, according to two European officials cited by CNN. May marks the Victory Day celebration of Russia’s defeat of Germany in World War II. With one month to go, the officials say Russia is regrouping and shifting its forces to southeastern Ukraine with the aim of achieving some sort of regional victory, CNN said
Ukraine calls on civilians in the eastern region of Luhansk to flee immediately. Governor, Serhiy Gaidai, warns that Russia is "amassing forces for an offensive"
A Western official confirmed Russia had now reorganised the command of its operations in Ukraine with the general now in charge having had extensive experience from Syria - BBC. Read the full report here
EU officials, Slovak Prime Minister visit Bucha. The President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell, and Prime Minister of Slovakia Eduard Heger visited Bucha on April 8. Borrell announced earlier that the EU would allocate 7.5 million euros to investigate alleged war crimes in Bucha and other Kyiv suburbs - The Kyiv Independent
The former nuclear power plant at Chernobyl was taken over by Russian forces on the first day of the invasion. It's now back under Ukraine's control. The BBC managed to get a look inside it since the Russians left. Full story here
Are “biting” Russian sanctions putting a damper on the lives of Moscovites with money? Not according to reporting by Air Mail: The longer Putin wages war on Ukraine, the more likely it will be that the country sinks into Cold War–style isolation. In the meantime, though, Russians will be enjoying afternoon espresso and vodka with friends. “If you still have money, you can pretend you live as you used to live,” Katya says. “Though I don’t know for how much time.” Read the full Air Mail feature by Elena Clavarino here
