Ukraine Breaking News Today Live on 04-20-2024

Kyiv Post journalists met and spoke with more than a dozen fighters from the unit. It was the first time a reporting team had been allowed on the RDK’s secret training base.

Around 4,000 experts from over 40 countries are due to take part in the Locked Shields 2024 live-fire cyber defense drill aimed at simulating real-world scenarios.

For the first time, Ukraine will participate in the Locked Shields 2024, NATO’s annual cyber defense drill and the world’s largest live-fire cyber defense exercise.

According to the National Security and Defense Council (NCCC) of Ukraine, about 4,000 experts from more than 40 nations will take part in a simulated environment during Locked Shields to protect the infrastructure of a fictional nation and country.

Latest from the British Defence Intelligence.

• On 19 April 2024, Russia carried out airstrikes using Tu-22M3 BACKFIRE C strategic bombers likely against targets in southern Ukraine. Defence Intelligence of Ukraine announced that they had shot down one of the bombers, with reports circulating online that appeared to show a single BACKFIRE losing control in the air, and subsequently crashing into a field. 
• The Russian Ministry of Defence confirmed that a BACKFIRE had crashed and that a Search and Rescue Mission was ongoing but did not admit to the shoot-down. However, it is almost certain that reports of a S-200 missile (SA-5) being used are accurate and that this was another successful Ukrainian action against the Russian Air Force. This system is likely the same system used to shoot down a Russian A-50 MAINSTAY on 23 February 2024.
• This is the first instance of a strategic bomber being shot down by Ukrainian Air Defence systems. It is highly likely that Russia has now sustained at least 100 fixed-wing combat aircraft losses to date.

The world in focus, as seen by a Canadian leading global affairs analyst, writer and speaker, in his review of international media.

North Korea said on Saturday it had tested a "super-large" cruise missile warhead and a new anti-aircraft missile. A power test of a super-large warhead designed for the Hwasal-1 Ra-3 strategic cruise missile and a test launch of the Pyoljji-1-2 anti-aircraft missile took place on Friday, state media reported. "Through the test launch, a certain goal was attained," KCNA reported. It said Friday’s tests were part of North Korea's regular military activities and had "nothing to do with the surrounding situation." - DPA

After its midnight deadline, the US Senate voted early Saturday to reauthorize a key surveillance law after divisions over whether the FBI should be restricted from using the program to search for Americans’ data nearly forced the statute to lapse. The legislation approved 60-34 with bipartisan support would extend for two years the program known as Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. It now goes to President Joe Biden’s desk to become law. White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said Biden “will swiftly sign the bill…In the nick of time, we are reauthorizing FISA right before it expires at midnight,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said when voting on final passage began 15 minutes before the deadline. “All day long, we persisted, and we persisted in trying to reach a breakthrough and in the end, we have succeeded.” - AP

While trying to understand why Israel got the help that Ukraine so badly needs but didn’t, it may be necessary to look at the bigger picture.

After Iran's recent attack on Israel, the whole world breathed a sigh of relief, while in Ukraine, they sighed with envy and talked about double standards. NATO aircraft shot down Iranian drones over Jordan and Iraq. Almost all the missiles launched from Iran were intercepted by Israel and its allies.

“If they helped us like that, we would have liberated our occupied territories long ago!”  some Ukrainians wrote on social networks. Others said, “That was a perfect example of how to ‘close the sky’!”

With large-scale demonstrations in Tbilisi continuing, Georgia appears to be launching its own version of Ukraine's 2013-14 pro-European Maidan protests.

Georgian youths have dominated a week of street protests against plans for a "foreign influence" law and are increasingly vocal about affinity for the European Union and Western values.

For the fifth straight night Friday, hundreds of young protesters marched in the capital Tbilisi to make their voices heard.

Sources within Ukrainian intelligence told Kyiv Post that such a disinformation campaign aims to create the impression of “oppressed rights” for Romanians in Ukraine.

The pro-Russian Romanian party “Alliance for the Union of Romanians” (AUR) may soon launch a series of anti-Ukrainian informational provocations, according to sources in the Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR) of the Ministry of Defense who spoke to Kyiv Post.

These sources indicate that the purpose of such a disinformation campaign is to portray the oppression of Romanian rights within Ukraine.

Aleksey Botvinov holds two world records: the only pianist to have performed Bach’s “Goldberg Variations” on stage more than 300 times, and the first Ukrainian musician to play for the war effort.

On Feb. 24, 2022, Alexey Botvinov was between Switzerland and Germany with his wife and daughter. He had recorded the second CD with his South African violinist friend Daniel Hope for Deutsche Grammophon. On Feb. 26, he was the first Ukrainian classical musician to hold a benefit concert for Ukraine. Then he raised almost a million euros in charitable contributions for Ukraine in a month of concerts with Daniel Hope. Proceeds from the sale of the Deutsche Grammophon record also went to Ukraine. The German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier attended the concert at the Frauenkirche in Dresden. While the former German president, Joachim Gauck, also came to the show at the Gedechtniskirche in Berlin.

Botvinov is one of the many Ukrainians born in the Soviet Union, who were able to enjoy the excellent musical education offered at that time. He was born into a musical family in Odesa, where he studied at the Conservatory. In 1987-1989, he was a student at the renowned Moscow Conservatory with the renowned professor Vera Gornostayeva.

Thousands of people have already contributed 575,000 euros ($610,000) since Monday, when the "Peace for Ukraine" group launched the initiative, organisers of a Slovak crowdfunding campaign say.

Organisers of a Slovak crowdfunding campaign said Wednesday they hoped to raise one million euros for ammunition for Ukraine, rejecting their government's refusal to send military aid to their war-torn neighbour.

Thousands of people have already contributed 575,000 euros ($610,000) since Monday, when the "Peace for Ukraine" group launched the initiative, organisers said.

As the war in Ukraine reaches a pivotal moment, it’s time to take stock of where we’re at, what needs to be done, and where we’re heading.

Despite all the sanctions designed to isolate Russia’s economy, billions of dollars’ worth of military assistance to Ukraine, and two years of grueling warfare, there seems to be no end in sight for this disaster.  Today, those of us living in Ukraine continually wonder: when will the war finally end and what kind of peace will it bring?

When will the war end?

The source told Kyiv Post that SBU drones once again effectively targeted critical infrastructure, ensuring uninterrupted military operations in Russia.

Sources within Ukrainian special services informed Kyiv Post that Ukraine utilized kamikaze drones to strike at the energy infrastructure supplying facilities of the Russian military-industrial complex. The operation resulted in damage to electric substations and a fuel storage base within Russia.

Earlier, Russia's Ministry of Defense reported kamikaze drone attacks on several fuel and energy complex facilities across the country.

SSO operators inflicted fire damage on Russian positions and personnel using FPV drones and a 122 mm D-30 howitzer.

The Special Operations Forces (SSO) reported on Telegram the destruction of a Russian field warehouse of ammunition and the elimination of three Russian soldiers in the southern direction.

According to the report, operators from the 73rd Marine Center of the SSO discovered a Russian field warehouse containing ammunition, provisions, and automotive equipment during reconnaissance operations.

Analysts have warned that North Korea could be testing cruise missiles ahead of sending them to Russia for use in Ukraine.

North Korea has tested a "super-large warhead" designed for a strategic cruise missile, state media said Saturday, the most recent test since UN sanctions monitoring against the nuclear-armed nation was upended last month by Russia.

The announcement comes after Russia in March used its United Nations Security Council veto to effectively end UN monitoring of violations of the raft of sanctions on Kim Jong Un's government for its nuclear and weapons programme.

Russian troops launched a ballistic strike from the temporarily occupied Crimea on Odesa, resulting in damage to an infrastructure facility.

Russian troops staged a massive missile attack on the Odesa region, targeting Odesa with ballistic missiles on Saturday, April 20, according to a report from the Defense Forces of Southern Ukraine via Telegram.

At dawn, Russian troops directed Kh-59 guided air missiles from tactical aircraft over the Odesa region.

His appeal to Western partners to provide at least seven more air defense systems came after Russia launched a wave of fatal drone and missile attacks across the country on April 19.

NATO must decide if it is Kyiv's ally, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Friday, urging defense ministers from the bloc's member states to step up arms deliveries to his struggling forces.

His appeal to Western partners to provide at least seven more air defense systems came hours after Russia launched a wave of fatal drone and missile attacks across the country.

The announcement was made by the head of occupied Crimea, who said the parade would be replaced by different “festive events” to “honor the memory of those who died.”

Russia will cancel the annual Victory Day parade on May 9 in occupied Crimea due to “security issues.”

Victory Day is a holiday that commemorates the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in 1945 celebrated in many post-Soviet countries, which is normally accompanied by a military parade as a show of strength by the Kremlin.

Following the drone attack, multiple energy infrastructure facilities were damaged, fires erupted at explosion sites, and two civilians died in the Belgorod region.

According to reports from Russian officials, 50 drones targeted eight regions of Russia late on the evening of April 19 and into the early hours of April 20. Following the drone attack, several energy infrastructure facilities suffered damage, with fires breaking out at explosion sites and civilians perishing in one settlement.

Russian air defense forces reportedly destroyed three unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) over the Belgorod region. Witnesses reported explosions near Stary Oskol, accompanied by a bright flash in the sky, while footage captured a fire outside the city.

Dnipro septuagenarian adopted Ukrainian after Russia’s full-scale invasion, saying she “saw how powerful and strong our country is, I felt like a Ukrainian. I felt like a part of this great country.”

A 70-year-old woman in the southeastern city of Dnipro who spoke Russian all her life has adopted the Ukrainian language, joining many others throughout the country who have switched their personal vernacular amid the Russo-Ukrainian war.

To practice the linguistic transition, Iryna Vinnichenko told the Ukrainian service Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) that she joined a club called Little Mariupol, as posted in Facebook.

The votes on the $95 billion foreign aid and arms bills are expected to begin at 1:00 pm (1700 GMT).

The US House of Representatives is poised to hold a crucial vote on Saturday on a major aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan -- and a possible ban of TikTok.

The votes on the $95 billion foreign aid and arms bills are expected to begin at 1:00 pm (1700 GMT), and embattled Republican Speaker Mike Johnson will need Democratic votes to get them passed.