During the night, Ukraine attacked Crimea and according to reports, explosions were heard in several cities and a fire broke out in a transformer station in Melitopol, leading to power outages in parts of the city. Read more at Kyiv Independent.
Russian losses in Ukraine
Today’s report from the general staff shows slightly lower losses than usual recently, with KWIA down to around 800 (the average this year is 1012 per day) except for UAVs, which are the fifth highest ever, and artillery and soft vehicles, which are about at the current average.
- 820 KWIA
- 2 Tanks
- 3 AFVs
- 38 Artillery systems
- 4 MLRS
- 2,459 UAVs
- 201 Vehicles and Fuel tanks
Russian activities
The number of battles is not very high, but the number of KABs is now back to a too high level, the number of suicide drones is the fourth highest in the war. Artillery is now back to a higher level (about the average before this year) after being unusually low for a couple of weeks.
- 125 battles
- 70 airstrikes (including 2 drones)
- 246 KABs
- 10,256 suicide drones
- 3,828 shells (including 72 from MLRS)
SLAVA UKRAINI
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Another decrease in the Russian attacks, while the total increased as the unlocalized attacks increased.
N Slobozhansky-Kursk 1
S Slobozhansky 5↘️
Kupyansk 3
Lyman 8↗️
Slovyansk 2↘️
Kramatorsk 1
Kostjantynivka 17💥
Pokrovsk 21💥↘️
Oleksandrivskij 7
Huliaipole 11💥
Orikhivsk 2
Prydniprovskij/Dnipro 3
Sum sectors 81↘️
Unlocalized 44↗️
Total 125↗️
👍
👍
“❗️During the night, 🇺🇦Ukrainian military shot down 1/4 guided aviation missiles and 114/129 🇷🇺Russian UAVs.”
https://bsky.app/profile/militarynewsua.bsky.social/post/3mjgnidzu2s2x
Regarding the relationship between Ukraine and Hungary.
Despite Peter Magyar’s victory, there is something between the countries that is causing friction. Is it just the issue with Transcarpathia? Hungary believes that Ukraine discriminates against the Hungarian-speaking population. But Ukraine did not determine the borders, it was Great Hungary and then the Soviet Union. Ukraine could only watch.
Magyar does not want to join Ukraine to either the EU or NATO. When it comes to the EU, I suspect that Hungary sees Ukraine as a major threat regarding agricultural policy. But NATO?
Regardless, things are getting better for Ukraine now than before. And worse for Putin.
Yes, he has said that he is against Ukraine’s membership in the EU as long as they are at war (haven’t checked if the same applies to NATO), however, he has stated that he will not stop EU’s loans to Ukraine and that is the most important thing right now and a clear improvement compared to Orbán.
Regarding EU (and mainly NATO membership) in the near future, there are probably more obstacles than just Hungary being difficult.
By the way, Ukraine can give a damn about NATO. They behave significantly more mature and competent than all of NATO combined.
This assembly has become a henhouse run by professional naysayers led by Trump and Rutte. Two slightly odd personalities, if I may express myself diplomatically.
The question is how Magyar chooses to read the map now that the election is won and the supermajority is secured.
Even though Magyar originates from Fidesz, he now has the opportunity not only to navigate in a new political landscape but also the opportunity to uniquely shape this landscape according to his own preferences.
I am inclined to believe that he largely exaggerated his distancing and skepticism towards Ukraine in order not to alienate parts of the electorate and expose himself, allowing Orban to wedge in and grasp the political discourse before and during the election campaign.
“A huge fire in occupied Melitopol’ tonight. One of the biggest electricity substations in the district has presumably been hit by Ukrainian drones. A partial blackout is reported.”
https://bsky.app/profile/twmcltd.bsky.social/post/3mjfynsklcc2f
Good that they are in the game!
“Spain, Belgium to allocate over $2 billion in defense support for Ukraine”
https://kyivindependent.com/spain-belgium-to-allocate-over-2-billion-in-defense-support-for-ukraine/
Did you fly the F16 as well?
No! Please enlighten us!
😳
Spain and Belgium are going to send
Belgium sends F16 when they receive F35. I know one plane has arrived. Then there are six Norwegian F16s in Belgium. But these are not in a condition to be handed over to Ukraine.
Now that Hungary has disappeared as an obstacle in the support for Ukraine, the spotlight falls on Spain and Belgium. These two countries have had a highly unclear role in supporting Ukraine. For Belgium, obstruction of the allocation of frozen assets to Ukraine can be mentioned. On the other hand, Spain hosts the entire Russian monarchy, or the Romanoff tsarist family, whose heirs are alternately located near Madrid and sometimes in St. Petersburg. When they are not on the Crimea to inaugurate some monument in honor of Catherine the Great.
It doesn’t seem like the USA and China are cooperating – that’s good.
Now the USA has started to eye the Strait of Malacca as well.
That’s good because a world divided between the USA-China-Russia is dystopian.
An outburst in Asia between the USA and China is probably inevitable, and then they will eventually get tired of war and we will have a long period of peace.
At least the lesser evil for Europe.
Ukraine is well on its way to breaking Russia’s back, and Europe seems willing to support Ukraine, at least as long as we don’t get hit.
We have long discussed a USA that defends the petrodollar with war, and that seems to be the case?
By the way, China has sold off a lot of US treasury debt.
The traffic can be directed via the Sunda Strait (between Java and Sumatra). Then it will be a problem for Trump if he gets a feeling. It is Indonesian territory. There used to be problems with pirate attacks there. But haven’t heard anything about it for many years. So Trump is messing with Malacca, so the traffic is directed via the Sunda Strait.
An exciting year this
“It’s good because a world divided between the USA-China-Russia is dystopian.
An outburst in Asia between the USA-China is probably inevitable and then they will eventually get tired of war and we will have a long period of peace.
At least bad for Europe.”
You usually say the USA is trying to weaken Europe and does what is good for the USA. Is it the opposite? Is Europe behind the increased friction between China and the USA in order to come out stronger than these two? Is Europe doing what is good for Europe?”
The world is changing
Putins days are probably numbered now as Ukraine is just warming up still
Hungary was apparently a channel for bribing our politicians by RU
good good
https://x.com/chriso_wiki/status/2043926830634221901?s=46&t=Vah3JXV31B9lXwZOK5gF7w
The War in Iran
If it is true, it seems that the USA does not dare to stop Chinese ships, or that they have not yet managed to implement the blockade.
“A Chinese ship under US sanctions passed through the Strait of Hormuz outside Iran on Tuesday, Reuters reports. This despite President Donald Trump’s blockade.
The ship, Rich Starry, is the largest to pass through the strait since the blockade began on Monday, according to the news agency.
The USA imposed sanctions on Rich Starry due to dealings with Iran.”
https://omni.se/kinesiskt-fartyg-passerade-sundet-trots-sanktioner/a/rrMV73
—
“Experts and analysts doubt that Donald Trump’s own blockade will compel Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz, writes the New York Times. Danny Citrinowicz, an Iran expert at the Israel-based think tank Institute for National Security Studies, says that the leadership in Tehran is convinced that it would inflict more damage on the international economy than on Iran.
Citrinowicz believes that it is unlikely that Donald Trump’s blockade of the ports will make Iran ‘wave the white flag’.
– I can spare you the wait: Iran will not capitulate.
Ahmet Kasim Han, professor of international relations, says that Iran’s regime has shown itself to be ‘willing to take more than a few hits’ and that it doesn’t care how it affects the country’s own citizens.” https://omni.se/expert-tvivlar-pa-strategin-kommer-inte-kapitulera/a/Rj54J2
—
From yesterday
“The USA has initiated its own blockade of the Strait of Hormuz in an attempt to increase pressure on Iran to open the important oil passage, CNBC writes. In a social media post, President Trump sends a warning to Iranian attack boats. ‘If any of these ships come near our blockade, they will be immediately destroyed,’ he writes.
In a document seen by Bloomberg, the USA plans to block Iranian ports. Ships that violate the blockade may be seized.
The blockade is said to cover the entire Iranian coastline, including areas east of the Strait of Hormuz. Neutral ships not heading to or from destinations in Iran will be allowed to pass through the strait, but may still be searched, according to the document.
Trump announced plans for a separate blockade of the strait on Sunday after talks between the countries broke down.”
https://omni.se/usa-inleder-blockaden-av-hormuzsundet/a/gkdJpL
💥👀 Yelets, Lipetsk region [Russia], there was an attack by strike UAVs on the industrial zone of the city, the results of the raid are currently unknown.
“Israel has accepted a Russian ship with stolen Ukrainian grain from the temporarily occupied territories. This was reported by Kateryna Yaresko, a journalist for the SeaKrime project of the Myrotvorets Center. The Russian dry cargo ship ABINSK received permission to enter the port of Haifa with a cargo of wheat in the amount of over 43.7 thousand tons. The ship loaded at the anchorage of the port of Kavkaz, where the grain was delivered from the occupied Ukrainian ports.”
https://x.com/UkrReview/status/2043950489855820079
I’m starting to get tired of Israel
It probably does the USA too.
Israel is in many ways better than the surrounding states, but Israel is a country with major corruption problems, and they say the fish starts rotting from the head.
https://youtu.be/pDKlaJM_vys?is=5OHX6xyXznIM7SUj
4 weeks ago he predicted America would send troops to Iran, now Robert Pape returns to reveal what could happen next!
Robert Pape is a Professor of Political Science at the University of Chicago and one of the world’s leading authorities on military strategy and security affairs. He has advised every White House since 9/11 on military strategy and bombing campaigns and is the author of ‘Our Own Worst Enemies: America and the Age of Violent Populism’.
He explains:
◼ The 4-stage escalation trap and why every prediction he made has come true
◼ How Iran and Russia controlling 30% of the world’s oil could crash your economy
◼ Why killing Iran’s leaders is making the country stronger, not weaker
◼ Why America can bomb Iran’s nuclear sites but still can’t stop them getting the bomb
◼ The only deal that could stop Iran getting nuclear weapons and why it probably won’t happen
“‘Chemical Giant’ Hit: Ukraine Strikes Russian Apatit Plant for Second Time Ukraine confirms a drone strike on Russia’s Apatit chemical plant in Cherepovets – a key producer linked to explosives – marking the second hit on the facility in a month.” https://www.kyivpost.com/post/73874
This is an official confirmation that they were behind the attack yesterday, so it is not a new attack.
China is really mad at Hormus.
What does that tell us?
As long as they weren’t affected, they were completely satisfied 😀
TACO or shots fired?
Johan! I imagine that the likelihood of some variant of TACO is probably greater than the opposite. However, if it were to lead to a confrontation, an armed one or otherwise, at Hormuz between the US fleet and Chinese interests, I believe the probability is higher that China will back off somewhat because they are probably not interested at this point in time in escalating their conflict with the US into a more or less full-scale war. This is partly due to the fact that the US is militarily strong, especially in the Middle East, and that China does not see a direct conflict as something that is good for business.
IEA has today published its Oil Market Report based on March data. Titled the April report.
“Global oil supply plummeted by 10.1 mb/d to 97 mb/d in March,..”
One could say that IEA is somewhat concerned.
https://www.iea.org/reports/oil-market-report-april-2026
“☠️ In Sumy region, a massive assault attempt – again through a gas pipeline. 29 occupiers attempted to infiltrate the rear of the positions of the 71st Airborne Assault Brigade. The entire group of occupiers was neutralized…”
https://bsky.app/profile/maks23.bsky.social/post/3mjgxeevlb22c
“For the first time in history, Ukraine is armed well enough to defend against Russia’s strikes,” Zelenskyy said. Drones replaced artillery as the decisive battlefield factor. Next goal: domestic anti-ballistic air defense — Ukraine aims to lead Europe”
https://bsky.app/profile/euromaidanpress.bsky.social/post/3mjgwgl47zo2c
https://euromaidanpress.com/2026/04/14/ukraine-has-enough-weapons-to-defend-itself-for-the-first-time-in-history-zelenskyy-says-and-wants-to-sell-that-expertise-abroad/