4/16/24-4/17/24 Ukrainian General Update LanguageLearner

4/16/24-4/17/24 Update, day 783-784 of Russian invasion.


Belarus/Western Border:

A joint UA/Polish prosthetics and rehab center is being set up in Borodyanka.

On April 19th, the UA-NATO council will convene a meeting to discuss improving air defense.

A 49 year old resident of Rivne was arrested for trying to a smuggle a 23 year old man into Romania. Even with mobilization changes, 23 year olds are not subject to mobilization.

Romania exposed a network of RU spies masquerading as UA refugees, where they sought info on aid provided by Romania and military exercises.


Kyiv/Central Ukraine/Politics:

9/9 UAV were shot down overnight, mainly over SW Ukraine.

Zelensky signed the mobilization bill into law, which will enter into force on May 18th, which will seek to mobilize up to 500,000 new soldiers, broadly to replace existing forces. Demobilization specifics were not included in this bill.

Adoptive parents and guardians are now eligible for deferment, conscription is replaced with 5 months of military training (due to begin in late 2025), financial benefits for mortgages have been increased for veterans,

UA formed the Demining Corps, which will include some 5000 specialists in 1000 demining groups.

Zelensky is planning to submit legislation restricting online gambling, which is a notable issue among military forces.

Starting tomorrow (18th) UA may institute energy restrictions to non-critical business. It is encouraged that climate control be suspended from 1900-2200.

UA will participate in the NATO "Locked Shields" cyber defense exercise this year, working along Czech Republic forces in a joint team.

UA has reportedly deployed some 2000 UA produced short range EW systems to the frontlines. Approximately 200 standardized unmanned systems are being developed in UA currently, with 50 already in limited production.

Following RU jamming of the Astra 4A and Hotbird 13E satellites, 39 tv channels have been suspended.

Additional legislation has been modified regarding military service of convicts. Specifically, the convict must grant permission as will the receiving unit's commanders. Certain serious crimes such as treason, murder, and RU collaboration will be ineligible for military service.

The former soviet era "Arch of Friendship" which sits prominently over Kyiv and has been painted with a crack to symbolize the breakup, lost its historical monument status and may now be dismantled in the future.

Currently less then 20% of UA energy generation is available


Northeast Ukraine/Kharkiv city:

RU launched missiles into Chernihiv, targeting the center. At least 17 people were killed, and 78 injured. 5 apartment blocks, a hospital, and a university were damaged or destroyed.

UA drones hit a long-range Nebo-U radar station in the Bryansk region that surveilled some 700km deep into northern UA. This is the second Nebo-U destroyed, with one prior near Belgorod.

The Kharkiv mayor made statements with UK paper The Guardian, saying that unless US aid and air defenses arrive, Kharkiv could become "a second Aleppo", drawing reference to the syrian city heavily bombed by Assad forces. The UA military said such "apocalyptic scenarios are not appropriate for comparison", and UA has potential for response to RU bombings.


Kupyansk/Lyman axis:

RU launched 4 assaults to the E of Kupyansk, and none towards the city itself.

RU launched 3 assaults towards Terny, and UA cluster munitions targeted fairly deep towards the Luhansk oblast border, as RU apparently continues efforts to bypass the UA defenses in this region along the most direct route to Terny.


Kramatorsk/Bakhmut:

UA drone strikes E of Bilhorivka continue, closer to the Siversky Donets river and the town of Verkhnokamyanka, where a number of RU vehicles were hit.

RU launched 19 assaults W of Bakhmut, with no observed change into the Kanal exurb of Chasiv Yar, despite heavy glide bomb usage. UA drones apparently hit a long range RU artillery unit and ammo dump N of Bakhmut in Krasna Hora.

RU destroyed a UA batch of vehicles SW of Ivanivske with drones, broadly pickup trucks.

UA reports RU artillery volume is 2-10 times larger then UA units.


Avdiivka/Pokrovske:

RU launched 9 assaults W of Avdiivka yesterday, with focus being to the NW and SW of the city.

RU continues to heavily shell NW of Berdychi towards Novobakhmutiva, especially with MLRS and glide bombs

There has been no observed change with RU forces in Semenivka and along the river that bisects the frontline in this region, but deeper strikes continue here.


Donetsk City/occupied regions:

RU advanced into the SE of Krasnorhorivka, with a large armored push featuring more "turtle" tanks with heavy EW and top protection.

RU launched 15 strikes towards Konstantynivka in the last day, with increased air strikes on the town. There have been no observed changes around Novomykhailivka here.


Zaporizhia/Southern Axis:

RU launched 3  attacks in E Zaporizhia, near Staromaiorske. RU launched 310 strikes on 7 settlements in Zaporizhia, with 259 artillery barrages and 32 drones.


Kherson:

RU launched 2 assaults towards the Krynky bridgehead. UA and RU drones continue to operate on both sides of the river

Over 155 journalists have demanded the southern military forces spokesperson be replaced following increased restrictions on journalists in Kherson compared to other oblasts, including preventing access to hospitals and sites along the riverbank.


Odessa/Black Sea/Crimea:

UA missiles struck RU forces at the Dzhankoi airfield, destroying at least one S-400 modern air defense battery.

Ukraine, Turkey and Russia spent two months negotiating an agreement to ensure the safety of shipping in the Black Sea and reached an agreement on the text to be announced by Ankara, but Kyiv withdrew from the agreement.

Russia:

RU withdrew its peacekeeping forces from the Azerbaijani controlled Karabakh region, after essentially ignoring Armenian pleas for intervention last year. With continued bellicose language from Azerbaijan, it remains unclear what will happen to Armenia in the future as it has been left out in the cold by CSTO alliance members. The troops are likely to be rotated into regular military formations and needs.

RU is allegedly planning information warfare to indicate that GUR forces in Sudan are being supported by western governments.

General:

Over the last day UA forces launched 9 airstrikes and RU forces conducted 47 air strikes (including drones), and 43 MLRS strikes.

Yesterday Ukrainian forces eliminated:

710x soldiers (Total 456,050) [7 day avg 870].
18x APC
4x Tank
1x Air defense
15x Artillery (0xMLRS)
24x vehicles
2x UAV

Estimated cost: $50.4 million USD

total estimated cost- $100.1 Million/day per last 30 days, $3.0 Billion USD total over last 30 days.


Overseas:

The US House of Representatives will advance legislation by saturday pertaining to UA aid.

proposal-
$23 billion USD in US stockpile replenishment
$14.8 billion USD for US DOD ops in Europe.
$13.8 billion USD for USAI, purchasing US weapons for UA
$7.85 billion USD in direct financial support for the UA Gov, in the form of excusable loans.
$8 million for inspector general operations providing accountability

Total: $48.43 Billion USD. There is speculation on an additional amount in humanitarian aid, as some $25 billion from the senate combined bill is excluded. Otherwise this aligns with the previous Senate bill.

UA PM Denys Shmyal is visiting the US, and dialoguing with the IMF and world bank.

The EU will a send an additional 1.5 billion euros of financial support next week to UA, under the previously established 50 billion euro package.

Denmark has allocated some 295 million euros in military aid to UA.

Canada will transfer 1.16 billion USD of weaponry to UA over the next 5 years.

UA law enforcement officers in cooperation with German counterparts managed to find 161 abducted UA children on German territory.