"Friendly fire" between Russian forces, disclosure of information on defense procurement: highlights of the day

Disclosure of information on defense procurement

Starting April 23, the ProZorro state system will publish data on non-lethal defense procurement. However, the amount of information disclosed will be limited.

Defense contracting authorities and military units will publish information on unit prices for their procurement except arms-related. This includes food, clothing, fuel, etc. However, information on the total amount and volume of purchases, delivery locations and the name of the supplier will not be made public.

The situation at the front

Russian occupiers are focusing their main efforts on conducting offensive operations in the Bakhmut, Avdiyivka and Maryinka axes. The Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled over 45 attacks there over the last day. The most intense fighting is taking place for Bakhmut and Maryinka.

The joint press center of the Tauride Defense Forces believes that Russian occupiers may soon begin an assault on the town of Vuhledar in Donetsk Oblast.

Firefight between occupiers

In Luhansk Oblast, a fight escalated into a shootout between Russian Armed Forces and mercenaries from the Wagner PMC. The conflict resulted in casualties on both sides, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces reported.

Fighting in Kherson Oblast

Analysts at the Institute for the Study of War concluded that Ukrainian troops had taken up positions in the eastern (left bank) of Kherson Oblast as of April 22, based on reports from Russian "milbloggers".

Operational Command "South" responded by saying that in order to overcome such an obstacle as the Dnipro River, the military must carry out complex work that requires information silence.

New attacks and victims

In the afternoon, Russia massively shelled the village of Kizomys in the Bilozerska community of Kherson Oblast, as well as the Stanislav community. As a result, three people were injured and about 25 residential buildings were damaged.

Shortly afterward, Russians fired mortars at the city of Kherson, killing an 80-year-old man.

The city of Nikopol in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast was also affected: Russians attacked it with drones, which dropped shells. Three local residents were injured.

Attempts to solve the problem of Ukrainian grain imports

European Commission Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis held a videoconference with representatives of Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, and Bulgaria to discuss the import of agricultural products from Ukraine. However, the conversation ended without any agreements.

Meanwhile, it has been reported that Romania will start sealing trucks carrying agricultural products in transit from Ukraine on April 24. Carriers transiting through Romania need to prepare their trucks for sealing.

Reaction to the statement of Chinese Ambassador to France

France and the Baltic states — Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania — demand that China explain the statement by Chinese Ambassador to France Lu Shaye that former Soviet countries "do not have effective status under international law."

The EU called this statement "unacceptable" and questioning the sovereignty of countries that became independent after the collapse of the USSR. Chief Diplomat Josep Borrell added that the EU "can only assume" that these statements do not reflect China's official policy.

Flooding under control

The seasonal rise in water levels in Ukraine has flooded 21,215 hectares of farmland, 1,225 households and 219 homes. The hydrological situation is currently under control, with a downward trend in the rate of water level rise in rivers in the north of the country.

In Kyiv, the flooding has been decreasing for a week. Floodplains and low-lying areas are still flooded, but there are no emergency floods in the capital.

More news

• Dmitry Medvedev threatens to block the grain deal if G7 bans exports to Russia;
• Elon Musk responded to Stephen King's offer to donate money for his blue tick on Twitter to the Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundation: he claims he has donated $100 million to Ukraine.
• Germany says it is not yet time to accept Ukraine into NATO. Poland responded that if Berlin had not delayed Ukraine's accession to the Alliance, there would be no war now.
• In Kyiv, the police summoned representatives of the military registration and enlistment office to issue summonses to motorists drifting on the streets.
• Kyiv authorities are considering extending a subway line to the military memorial cemetery in Bykivnia.