Russian forces in northern Ukraine have ‘fully withdrawn” but will be redeployed, UK ministry says
Russian troops that had invaded the northern part of Ukraine have “fully withdrawn” to Belarus and Russia, the U.K. Ministry of Defence said on Friday.
In an intelligence update, the ministry said at least some of those units will be transferred to the eastern part of Ukraine to fight there. Moscow is widely expected to shift the focus of its offensive to the Donbas region, where Russia has engaged in military adventurism for years.
However, the redeployment of those much-depleted Russian units — which were defeated by determined Ukrainian resistance around Kyiv and elsewhere — is not expected to happen easily or quickly.
“Many of these forces will require significant replenishment before being ready to deploy further east, with any mass redeployment from the north likely to take at least a week minimum,” the British ministry said.
Meanwhile, Russia continues to shell cities in the east and south of Ukraine, the ministry said.
Russia denies that it uses artillery barrages to attack Ukrainian cities, despite incontrovertible evidence to the contrary.
— Ted Kemp
Kremlin spokesman admits ‘significant’ Russian troop losses in Ukraine
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has admitted that Russia has suffered “significant” casualties in its invasion of Ukraine.
“We have significant losses of troops, and it’s a huge tragedy for us,” Peskov told Sky News Thursday night.
Ukrainian forces have surprised leaders and military experts the world over in their ability to push back on Russian military advances six weeks into the war, though both sides have suffered high casualty numbers.
NATO estimates that Russia’s death toll could be as high as 15,000 troops, while Moscow last announced its casualty figures on March 25 at 1,351 deaths.
— Natasha Turak
Ukraine tells NATO that Donbas battle could be like World War II
Residents run near a burning house following a shelling Severodonetsk, Donbass region, on April 6, 2022, as Ukraine tells residents in the country’s east to evacuate “now” or “risk death” ahead of a feared Russian onslaught on the Donbas region, which Moscow has declared its top prize.
Fadel Senna | AFP | Getty Images
The fighting to come in Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region will be reminiscent of battles during World War II, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has told NATO.
“The battle for Donbas will remind you of the Second World War, with large operations, maneuvers, involvement of thousands of tanks, armored vehicles, planes, artillery — this will not be a local operation based on what we see in Russia’s preparations to it,” Kuleba said.
“Either you help us now — and I’m speaking about days, not weeks — or, your help will come too late. And many people will die, many civilians will lose their homes, many villages will be destroyed, exactly because this help came to late.”
EIU warns Asia-Pacific remains vulnerable to fluctuations in commodity prices, despite less direct exposure to the war
Asia-Pacific countries may be less exposed to the war in Ukraine compared with other regions, but they could still see less direct hits in areas ranging from commodities to tourism and weapons, according to a new report from the Economic Intelligence Unit.
Russia and Ukraine account for a significant proportion of global supply of some food commodities, such as wheat and fertilizer. Any jump in prices will be a concern for Asia, given the region’s high levels of dependence on energy and agricultural commodity imports, warned the EIU.
Russia is also the world’s second-largest arms supplier and is a major source of arms for China, India and Vietnam, the research firm pointed out.
The report also listed which countries in Asia-Pacific would be most and least affected.
— Weizhen Tan
Biden has authorized more than $1.7 billion in security aid to Ukraine since war began
Ukrainian servicemen load a truck with the FGM-148 Javelin, American man-portable anti-tank missile provided by US to Ukraine.
Sergei Supinsky | AFP | Getty Images
The Biden administration has approved more than $1.7 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since Russia’s invasion in late February, according to the White House. The U.S. has provided a total of $2.4 billion to Ukraine since the beginning of Biden’s presidency.
The Pentagon also confirmed that all of the anti-armor and anti-air systems from the two weapons packages announced in March have been delivered to Ukraine. The Defense Department added that the U.S. is working to “identify additional weapons systems to help the Ukrainian military.”
Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelenskyy has requested “longer-range anti-aircraft systems,” the Pentagon said.
More than 30 nations have sent Ukraine security assistance. Here is the firepower the U.S. has committed thus far, according to the Defense Department:
— Amanda Macias
Pro-Russian forces fight in Mariupol
Pro-Russian forces search houses and inspect streets in the southern port city of Mariupol.
Service members of pro-Russian troops carry out a search of a house during Ukraine-Russia conflict in the southern port city of Mariupol, Ukraine April 7, 2022.
Alexander Ermochenko | Reuters
A service member of pro-Russian troops checks the documents of a local resident during Ukraine-Russia conflict in the southern port city of Mariupol, Ukraine April 7, 2022.
Alexander Ermochenko | Reuters
A local resident looks on as service members of pro-Russian troops inspect streets during Ukraine-Russia conflict in the southern port city of Mariupol, Ukraine April 7, 2022.
Alexander Ermochenko | Reuters