Ukraine has confirmed that it has lost control of some villages and towns as a result of Russian attacks in the east; however, he noted that the cost of Moscow’s gains is also very heavy.
Oleksiy Arerestovic, adviser to Ukrainian President Zelensky, said: “We have serious losses, but the Russians’ losses are much greater. They suffered huge losses,” he said.
In a statement made by Zelensky’s office, it was reported that Russia hit the entire front in the eastern Donetsk region with rockets, artillery, shelling and air strikes. In the statement of the Ukrainian General Staff, it was noted that Russia kept the positions on the contact line with artillery fire in order to prevent the recovery of the Ukrainian forces.
England, on the other hand, stated that the clashes were intense especially in the cities of Lisichansk and Severodonetsk in Donbas, and that Russia was trying to advance towards Slovyansk in the south from Izyum.
“Due to Ukraine’s strong resistance, Russia’s territorial gains were limited and the cost to Russian forces was heavy,” the British Ministry of Defense said in a statement.
”Russian Submarine Hits Ukraine with Cruise Missiles”
The Russian Ministry of Defense announced that the Russian diesel-electric submarine in the Black Sea hit military targets in Ukraine with Kalibr cruise missiles. This is the first statement that Moscow is using its submarine fleet to strike Ukraine.
The ministry released a video recording of rapidly rising cruise missiles launched from the sea.
Russian Interfax news agency also noted that the Russian army carried out a submarine attack on Ukrainian targets for the first time.
”The rocket factory in Kiev was hit by missiles”
The Russian Ministry of Defense also reported that the facilities producing space rockets in the capital of Ukraine, Kiev, were destroyed by high-precision long-range missiles.
“The armed forces of the Russian Federation continue the special military operation in Ukraine,” the ministry said in a statement. High-precision long-range air weapons destroyed the Artem rocket and space industry facilities in Kiev.
”Russian checkpoint exposed to artillery fire from Ukraine”
The governor of Russia’s border Bryansk region reported that a military checkpoint in a village in the region was shelled by Ukraine.
Briansk Governor Alexander Bogomaz noted that there were no casualties in the artillery fire.
”Russian forces detain two aid workers in Ukraine”
British non-profit organization Presidium Network reported that two British aid volunteers working in humanitarian aid in Ukraine were detained by Russian soldiers at a checkpoint in the south of Zaporizhia.
The British Foreign Office has not yet made a statement regarding the detentions.
“The State Department is doing everything it can to identify the two detainees and provide support,” UK Trade Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan told Sky News.
Presidium Network said that two civilian male volunteers contributed to food and medical supplies in Ukraine and supported evacuation efforts.
Presidium Network co-founder Dominik Byrne reported that two aid workers went missing after crossing into Russian-controlled territory to evacuate a woman.
Byrne told Reuters news agency: “I received a phone call and messages from the volunteers’ acquaintances in England on Wednesday evening that they were missing. “We believe they were detained by Russian soldiers,” he said.
The UK government confirmed yesterday that a British citizen was killed in Ukraine and a citizen was missing. Local media reported that the deceased was a former British combatant and is believed to have fought alongside Ukrainian forces.
Britain sends war crimes experts to Ukraine
Britain has announced that it will send experts to Ukraine to collect evidence of war crimes and assist in the prosecution of their suspects. The expert team is expected to arrive in Poland in early May.
Ukraine said it was investigating 7,600 possible war crimes allegations and at least 500 suspects.
British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said: “Russia has brought barbarism to Ukraine and displayed disgusting brutality. “British experts will help uncover the truth and hold Russian President Vladimir Putin’s regime accountable,” he said.
Truss made this statement before traveling to The Hague to meet with Judge Piotr Hofmanski, President of the International Criminal Court, and Dutch Foreign Minister Wopke Hoekstra.