Strikes on Russian airfields and shelling of Zaporizhzhia: highlights for April 5
Four Russian airfields were attacked, and military aircraft were damaged. The occupiers struck at Zaporizhzhia, with four dead and more than 20 injured. A court sentenced fugitive ex—MP Oleksandr Onyshchenko in the 'gas case'. We have collected the main news for April 5.
Attacks on Russian airfields
The Defense Ministry's Main Intelligence Directorate, together with the Armed Forces of Ukraine, conducted drone strikes on three airfields in Russia, according to intelligence sources. As a result, at least five military aircraft were damaged at airfields in Kursk, Yeysk, and Engels.
The Morozovsk airfield in the Rostov region of Russia was also hit. According to the source hromadske, at least 6 aircraft were destroyed there. Another 8 aircraft were heavily damaged.
Onishchenko's sentence
The High Anti-Corruption Court has sentenced in absentia to 15 years in prison former Ukrainian MP Oleksandr Onyshchenko, who is hiding abroad from the investigation into the embezzlement of UAH 740 million through Ukrgazvydobuvannia.
Russian attacks destroyed 80% of Ukrainian combined heat and power plants
Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal has said that 80% of Ukraine's combined heat and power plants have been destroyed in recent weeks as a result of Russian strikes on the Ukrainian energy sector.
As a result, the Ukrainian power grid has lost more than six gigawatts of hydropower and coal-fired power generation capacity.
Shelling of Zaporizhzhia
Russian troops launched rocket attacks on Zaporizhzhia. The attack killed 4 people and injured more than 20 others. Among the wounded are one child, a police officer, and two journalists from TSN and Ukrinform.
In the middle of the day, the Russian army attacked Zaporizhzhia's industrial facilities and civilian infrastructure.
Ukraine will not be invited to join NATO at the July summit
At the 75th anniversary summit of NATO leaders to be held in Washington in July, Ukraine will not hear the desired official invitation to join the Alliance, the New York Times reports.
At the same time, member states want to demonstrate in other ways that they support Ukraine “in the long run”.
Shmyhal promises “softer mobilization”
Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal confirmed that there is no need to mobilize 500,000 people now: “We understand that not so many people are needed now, so the mobilization will be much softer.”
According to him, the country has new brigades that are already staffed. However, equipment, military hardware, and ammunition are now expected from partners.
Other important news
- Kharkiv is likely to be the main target of the Russian offensive, Andrii Yermak said.
- Lithuania will purchase 3,000 FPV drones for Ukraine and allocate funds for the rehabilitation of wounded soldiers.
- The unrecognized “Transnistria” again reports a drone attack on a military unit.
- A special tribunal for Putin may appear this year, the European Commissioner for Justice said.
- Children from two communities in Sumy region are being forcibly evacuated.