UPDATE:

Yesterday, the Daily Hog reported that German companies like Knauf and WKB systems may be violating sanctions by helping Russia to “rebuild” the occupied Ukrainian city of Mariupol. The German government warned countries against participating in propaganda projects orchestrated by the Russian government and urged companies to consider the moral and ethical issues surrounding such actions. Furthermore, a spokesperson for the ministry of economy said that the customs service and prosecutor’s office should begin investigating whether these companies are violating sanctions. Ukraine's Ambassador to Germany, Oleksii Makieiev, said that the reports of German companies working in Mariupol have caused a “sharply negative reaction” among his colleagues and German journalists.

Footage has emerged purporting to be a Ukrainian Baba Yaga drone firing a machine gun.

Footage has been published of a Russian Pantsir AA system being struck by 2 kamikaze drones. The extent of the damage is unclear; it does not seem to have catastrophically exploded, but 2 FPV drones should do significant damage to a Pantsir.


Lithuania will allocate $2 million for the purchase of 3000 FPV drones for the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Lithuanian Prime Minister, Ingrid Šimonite, announced that Lithuania will contribute €35 million to the Czech Republic’s artillery initiative.


Over the past month, there have been 371 recorded instances of the Russians using chemical munitions. This is an increase of 90 instances as compared to the previous month. They’re primarily K-51 and RG-VO grenades that have been dropped by drones. Since February 2023, there have been a total of 1,412 recorded instances of the Russian military using chemical weapons in Ukraine.


An explosion was reported in occupied Berdyansk.


Norway has not completely dismissed the possibility of sending troops to Ukraine, according to Norway's Foreign Minister Espen Bart Eide. However, there are no current plans to deploy troops to Ukraine. The discussion around Western military presence in Ukraine mainly revolves around non-combat roles like support, training, and advisory positions. Other countries, including the Netherlands, Estonia, Lithuania, and France, are also open to the idea of deploying troops to Ukraine.


The Wagner Group is reportedly recruiting Ukrainian men aged 22 to 50 from the occupied territories in Ukraine to fight and work in Africa. They are offering a salary of 240,000 rubles for a six-month contract. The recruits are used in both combat roles and as laborers working at mines. There are also reports of forced conscription in the occupied territories for deployment within Russia.


Russia's air forces received the first batch of Su-34 fighter-bombers for the year. These aircraft, produced at the Chkalov Novosibirsk Aviation Plant. The plant can apparently produce 2 Su-34s per quarter.


The State Emergency Service of Ukraine reported that Ukraine has received a significant amount of demining equipment from international partners since the start of the full-scale invasion. This aid has equipped nearly 80% of Ukraine's explosive ordnance disposal teams, providing gear for 1,010 personnel to form 202 fully equipped teams. The equipment includes rangefinders, binoculars, navigation equipment; means of destroying explosive objects — detonating machines, detonating cord, ohmmeters, explosives; protective equipment – vests, helmets, glasses, knee pads, elbow pads, and metal detectors. Japan and Canada have provided specialized vehicles for use in transporting unexploded ordnance to a safer location.


Ukraine has successfully tested a MV-4 demining machine, which was assembled domestically by A3TECH-UKRAINE using Croatian DOK-ING’s design and parts. DOK-ING is working with Ukraine to localize production of these machines inside Ukraine. The machine looks like a small bulldozer, but instead of a scoop, it has a tiller that digs up and tears apart explosives. The vehicle is remote-controlled and can be operated from a safe distance. Each pass by the machine clears a 170 cm wide swathe of land. The particular machine that was tested withstood destroying 5 explosive devices.


A new law simplifying the process for acquiring the status of a “participant in hostilities” during martial law, as well as benefits for disabled individuals and family members of fallen defenders, has come into effect in Ukraine. Applications can now be submitted electronically through the Unified State Web Portal of Electronic Services. Some members will be automatically granted veteran status. Additionally, one can become officially recognized a “participant in hostilities” if they were involved in“ direct participation of a person in measures necessary to ensure the defense of Ukraine.”


On April 5th, Russia launched two S-300/S-400 anti-aircraft missiles and three Iskander-M ballistic missiles from the Belgorod Region in Russia, as well as 13 shahed from Cape Chauda in Crimea. All 13 shaheds were successfully destroyed by mobile fire air defense teams.


Deepstatemap reported that Russian forces have advanced into Chasiv Yar, but the Ukrainian military denies this. According to Ukrainska Pravda, the Russians remain a few hundred meters away, continuously attacking. Nearby Ivanivske sees intense street fighting, with Ukrainians controlling roughly ⅓ of the city.


There is a report of a drone attack on a radar station in Transnistria, about 6 km from the border of Ukraine. The radar was damaged. The Defense Intelligence of Ukraine denies Ukraine is involved, saying this is a provocation and trying to sow panic and chaos, and create a justification for a conflict between Ukraine and the Russian troops stationed in Transnistria. DIU spokesman Andriy Yusov, said Ukraine wouldn’t waste drones on such “petty provocations.”


President Biden's aides are urging House Speaker Mike Johnson to schedule a vote on a $60 billion aid package for Ukraine. They've been in talks during Congress's recess and refraining from attacking Johnson for continuing to delay approving the aid package. The White House is not opposed to trying to find some sort of deal that allows Johnson to preserve respectability within his own party if it means bringing the Senate-approved aid bill to a vote. There is concern that support for Johnson’s removal as Speaker of the House may gain traction among Republicans if Johnson agrees to an aid plan more popular with Democrats than it is with Republicans.


Olha Stefanishyna, Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, stated that all NATO allies except the United States and Germany support inviting Ukraine to join NATO at the upcoming summit in Washington.


The volume of Russian gas, oils, and diesel fuel exported to foreign ports between March 25-31 increased by 39% compared to the previous week, amounting to 1.04 million tons. Turkey, Brazil, and Senegal were the largest recipients, accounting for 71% of these petroleum product shipments. Turkey imported a total of 488,000 tons, Brazilian ports imported 150,000 tons, while Senegal imported 98,000 tons of Russian diesel.


Russia attacked residential areas in the Dniprovskyi district of Kherson. The attack wounded a 60-year-old man and a 54-year-old woman, who were both hospitalized with moderate injuries. The man sustained blast and closed-head injuries, while the woman suffered a blast injury and shrapnel wound.


Russia attacked Zaporizhzhia and Kharkiv in the afternoon on April 5. Kharkiv was hit by guided aerial bombs, and Zaporizhzhia was hit by rockets. More than 20 civilians were injured, including at least one child. Two victims in Zaporizhzhia were two media journalists. Russia “double tapped” this location, striking a second time in order to kill and wound emergency responders. Later, the attack at Shevchenkiv district of Kharkiv at night killed 6 civilians and injured at least 10 (23M, 25F, 71F, 6 men from 35-85 years of age). At least 9 high-rise buildings, three dormitories, several administrative buildings, a shop, and gas station were damaged. In New York, Donetsk, two women were killed (53F, 51F), and two civilians were injured during a strike from aerial bombs.


550,000 subscribers experienced a power outage in Kharkiv Oblast, due to network restrictions by Ukrenergo. An enemy drone attack hit equipment of a high-voltage substation of NEC “Ukrenergo” in the southern region.

The Coordination Staff of the Ministry of Reintegration approved a mandatory evacuation of children in two territorial communities in the Sumy Oblast under martial law. The plan is to evacuate 297 children from 52 settlements in Sumy to safe regions. Russians carried out 57 attacks against border territories and settlements of Sumy, leading to 253 explosions across various communities in the past day.


Citing an anonymous source in the military intelligence, Kyiv Independent reported that Ukraine launched drone strikes against military airfields in Russia, which damaged several warplanes. Ukraine hit the Engels-2 air base in Saratov Oblast of Russia in the early hours of April 5, which is 750 km away from the nearest border, where three Tu-95 strategic bombers (used to launch Kh-type air-launched cruise missiles) were reportedly damaged. Two Su-25 jets were reportedly hit in another airfield in Yeysk, Krasnodar region. A third airfield closer to Kursk was reportedly targeted. 7 people were reportedly killed or injured. The military intelligence has not yet confirmed the attack. Both CNN and Kyiv Post report having sources claim that 6 Russian aircraft were damaged at Morozovsk airfield, with CNN reporting that there were at least 20 Russian personnel killed and wounded at this base.

The governor of the Rostov region reported that Russian air defense systems destroyed over 40 aerial targets, resulting in falling debris damaging a power substation and electricity issues in the area. The Russian Ministry of Defense stated that 44 UAVs were destroyed. Witnesses reported numerous drones and over 60 explosions.


A Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) office in Pokrovsk, Donetsk oblast was damaged, and 5 people were injured, including an MSF security staff member. The attack occurred around 3:15 am on April 5. The staff sustained contusions and a skull injury. A 14-year-old boy was among the injured. MSF condemned the missile attack that completely destroyed the building their office was in. MSF has temporarily suspended medical humanitarian activities in Donetsk Oblast except for emergency care.

The World Health Organization reports an increase in Russian attacks on emergency medical centers in 2024, with 68 strikes in the first quarter. Ambulance workers are three times more likely to be injured or killed compared to other healthcare workers. Out of 68 attacks in the first quarter of 2024, nearly 20% targeted EMS, resulting in casualties.

WHO Ukraine and the Harvard Health Systems Innovation Lab are hosting Health Hackathon 2024 on April 5-7 in Kyiv, inviting participants to brainstorm health-technology solutions to cardiovascular diseases and diabetes, oncology, or mental health. Winners of each track will have an opportunity to participate in a global pitch for a place in the Harvard Lab’s Venture Incubation program. The prize fund for Ukraine is $10,000. The program is also supported by the Embassy of Canada to Ukraine.


Ukraine's Asset Recovery and Management Agency plans to sell a car and 20 luxury watches owned by Viktor Medvedchuk, who is a pro-Russian oligarch, politician, and close friend of Vladimir Putin. These assets, including a Maybach car, will go up for auction on April 25.


A search and rescue boat that was modified into a naval drone, with signal jamming equipment and an explosive device, was found off Romania's coast. It's believed to have been taken to a training range and detonated. It is unclear who made the boat, but it is relatively crude compared to the naval drones Ukraine has been using lately.


Ukraine proposed banning air transit of cargo to Russia and Belarus as part of its sanctions policy, aiming to limit their economic potential and increase pressure.


Japan expanded its export ban to Russia, adding 164 industrial products like lithium-ion batteries and gas pipes, thermostats, nitrocellulose items, engine oils, and woodworking machines. Japan has also banned the import of Russian industrial diamonds.



During the night of April 6, 2024, Russian forces launched an attack involving 32 Shaheds from the Primorsko-Akhtarsk and Kursk areas, and six missiles: three S-300 anti-aircraft missiles from Belgorod, two Kh-101 cruise missiles from Saratov, and one Kalibr cruise missile from the Black Sea. Ukraine successfully intercepted two Kh-101 cruise missiles, one Kalibr cruise missile, and 28 Shaheds. Overall, 28/32 shaheds and 3/6 missiles.


Quote of the Day:

“The mind of a hedgehog is capable of anything.”

― Joseph Conrad, Heart of Darkness