Russia admitted it received no applications from Western companies seeking to reopen their branches in Russia despite official claims. Deputy Finance Minister Ivan Chebeskov confirmed no applications have been submitted and the government was reviewing exit requests from four foreign companies. Putin claimed some Western businesses wanted to return and instructed the development of an approval procedure.


Russian Presidential Envoy Kirill Dmitriev met with Steve Witkoff, Trump's Special Envoy to the Middle East. They met in Washington. This is the first visit by a high-ranking Russian official since the start of the full-scale invasion. Reuters reported the Trump administration continues pressing for a Russia-Ukraine ceasefire. Dmitriev is a former Goldman Sachs banker with a Stanford education and maintains close ties with members of the Trump administration.


Ukraine's Human Rights Commissioner Dmytro Lubinets reported that nine from occupied territories and two from Russia were repatriated to Ukrainian-controlled lands.  The children’s ages range from two to seventeen.  A pregnant woman facing intimidation and who was denied medical care was also evacuated and later gave birth in Ukrainian territory.


Over 8,000 former convicts have joined Ukraine's Armed Forces, with 900 more applications currently under review. Deputy commander Dmytro Kulyk said these former prisoners demonstrate high motivation and heroism, comparing it to the dedication and enthusiasm seen in the first months of the full-scale invasion.


A Polish poll shows far-right presidential candidate Sławomir Mentzen’s support has fallen to 19%, putting him firmly in third place. Mentzen has previously made anti-Ukraine statements. Warsaw Mayor Rafał Trzaskowski is in the lead with 35%.


A survey by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology shows that Ukrainian opinions about Trump's presidency have worsened significantly, with 73% now viewing it negatively. In December, 21% viewed his presidency negatively. The percentage of Ukrainians expecting an unfair peace deal to be forced onto Ukraine has risen from 31% to 55%, with only 18% expecting a mostly or entirely fair peace agreement.



The UK will transfer 8-10 Puma HC2 helicopters to Ukraine. These helicopters were decommissioned from the Royal Air Force in April 2025. These helicopters were upgraded in 2007 as part of a £260 million program and received more powerful engines, advanced avionics, enhanced protection systems, and increased fuel capacity.


Latvia provided 1,500 drones to Ukraine as part of the Drone Coalition, with plans to supply 12,000 drones worth €17 million in the first half of 2025. The coalition has invested over €2 billion in Ukrainian drone production.


A Russian military court sentenced Ukrainian Stanislav Rudenko to 10 years imprisonment for "promoting terrorism" after donating approximately $120 to a drone fundraiser run by Ukraine's Azov Regiment. Russian prosecutors claimed Rudenko "shared the ideology" of the regiment. Rudenko is living in occupied territory.


A 17-year-old Ukrainian artist named Maria Haiduk won the 59th International Award for Illustration at the Bologna Children's Book Fair. Her project "Killing Gods" explores ecocide and humanity's relationship with nature. Haiduk is the youngest person to ever win the award and hopes her work will draw attention to environmental destruction.



A bipartisan bill introduced in the US Senate proposes new sanctions against Russia for refusing peace negotiations, including a 500% tariff on goods from countries buying Russian oil and gas. The bill was sponsored by 25 Republicans and 25 Democrats and would trigger primary and secondary sanctions if peace talks fail or agreements are violated.


US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who is leading negotiations on a potential Ukrainian mineral deal, has announced that a delegation from Ukraine will soon visit the US. Bessent stated, "We may have a team from Ukraine coming over as soon as the end of this week or the beginning of next week. We don't want to lose any time because we believe this deal is so important for the American people, for the Ukrainian people, and the peace process.” Ukraine's Foreign Minister Sybiha confirmed ongoing negotiations with the US regarding a critical minerals agreement. The ministry received a new proposal on March 28.


A Tu-22M3 strategic bomber crashed in Russia's Irkutsk Oblast, killing one of the four pilots who ejected. Early reports indicate that a technical malfunction caused the crash. The bomber struck a power line as it fell. Tu-22M3 bombers are used to launch missiles of various types at Ukraine, typically aimed at civilian infrastructure including hotels and hospitals.


Officials from Trump's administration have discussed the likelihood that the US will not be able to finalize a peace deal on Ukraine in the coming months and said they are working on new plans to pressure both Ukraine and Russia. Initially, Trump and his advisers claimed they’d be able to achieve a ceasefire by April or May, but it has become apparent that this is impossible. Officials are reportedly growing increasingly frustrated with Russia, as Putin opposes peace efforts.


DeepState reports that Russian military advances slowed dramatically in March, with only 133 sq km being captured. The Russians continue their offensives on multiple fronts, including intensifying their attacks in the Pokrovsk region.


Russia began dropping homemade chemical weapons from drones. These improvised munitions contain substances similar to those found in K-51 gas grenades, which are prohibited under the Geneva Protocol. The munitions weigh about 300 grams and are effective in a 15-meter diameter. Ukraine recorded 767 chemical munition uses in March 2025 alone, with 7,730 total instances recorded since February 2023.


Russia attacked the city of Kryvyi Rih on April 2, with a ballistic missile, killing four people and injuring seventeen. Among the injured were a 6-year-old girl and an 8-year-old boy who was left in serious condition. Eleven injured people remain in the hospital according to the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Military Administration. The explosion damaged a gym, and windows in an administrative building and multi-story residential buildings.


In March, Russia attacked Kharkiv twice as many times as it did in February, with 42 attacks and 172 air raids recorded. Mayor Ihor Terekhov reported that Russia is using Shahed drones to conduct strikes followed by “double tap” attacks targeting emergency responders. The attacks killed two people and injured 99 residents, including 12 children.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​


Russia's largest drone manufacturer, Geoscan, has significantly increased its revenue after after a fund linked to Vladimir Putin's daughter, Katerina Tikhonova, acquired a stake. The company's revenue rose 3.6 times to about $55.5 million in 2024, while net profit surged nearly 6.2 times to  $15 million.


The European Commission transferred €3.5 billion to Ukraine under the Ukraine Facility program on April 1. Prime Minister Shmyhal said these funds will help maintain economic stability. Economy Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko said that €3.1 billion came in concessional loans and €400 million in grants after Ukraine fulfilled all 13 requirements for the fourth quarter of 2024. Svyrydenko added that Ukraine met all 36 requirements last year and is expected to meet 56 this year. A concessional loan is a loan that is provided at terms that are more favorable than what standard loans would offer. These favorable terms may include lower interest rates, extended repayment periods, or a grace period before loan repayment begins.


Russia's Office of the Prosecutor General has declared the Elton John AIDS Foundation an "undesirable" organization, accusing it of promoting an economic blockade of Russia, non-traditional sexual relations, and "Western family models." The foundation was established by Elton John in 1992 and is one of the world's largest AIDS charities. Russia is suffering from an AIDS epidemic; more than 1.5% of the Russian population has the illness.


Ukraine will open a special prosthetics clinic at Kyiv Oblast Hospital. The facility will have modern equipment to produce custom prosthetics and will provide rehabilitation services, streamlining the treatments amputees need to undergo during their recuperation period.


Russia dropped 10,577 guided bombs on Ukraine in the first three months of 2025. In March, Russia dropped around 4,800 guided bombs compared to 3,370 in February. The defense ministry reported that Russia used approximately 40,000 guided bombs against Ukraine in 2024. Additionally, the Ukrainian General Staff reported that “combat clashes” on the front increased in March compared to February. There were 4,270 in March and 3,274 in February, with a total of 12,631 “combat clashes” occurring so far this year.


Ukrainian developers successfully tested fiber-optic controlled FPV drones with a 20 km range. The tests were organized by Brave1 and included drones navigating an obstacle course and attacking practice targets.


The US complained that European countries intend to reduce the amount of American weapons they purchase. Secretary Rubio told Baltic ministers that US companies being excluded from EU defense procurement would be viewed negatively by the US government. The EU is heavily focused on strengthening its domestic defense industries due to waning confidence in the relationship Europe has with America. The US has made repeated demands that the EU increase its military spending, but at the same time has revealed itself to be mercurial and aggressive towards its would-be allies. Every country in the EU has been struck by tariffs by the Trump administration, potentially dramatically increasing the cost of purchasing American-made equipment.


The Moscow Times reports that twenty-four formerly Russian billionaires have changed citizenship and now represent different countries in Forbes' updated world billionaire ranking. They have a combined wealth of nearly $110 billion. Those who changed citizenship include Alexey Kuzmichev (whose personal value is estimated to be $7.5 billion) who switched his citizenship to France, Petr Aven ($4.7 billion) who switched his citizenship to France Latvia, Elena Baturina ($1.3 billion) who switched to Great Britain, and Leonid Fedun ($10.4 billion)  who switched to Monaco. Switzerland has become the most popular alternative to Russia. Billionaires who switched citizenship to Switzerland include Mikhail Prokhorov ($10.7 billion), Egor Kulkov ($4.1 billion), and seven others. Additional notable citizenship changes include Andrey Melnichenko ($17.4 billion) to UAE, Alisher Usmanov ($16.7 billion) to Uzbekistan, and Dmitry Rybolovlev ($6.4 billion) to Monaco. This trend has increased since the start of  Russia's full-scale invasion which resulted in significant obstacles for Russian passport holders conducting business in the West due to sanctions. At least six billionaires have officially renounced their Russian citizenship entirely, including Nikolai Storonsky.


NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte stated that Russia will continue to pose a threat to NATO countries for many years, even after a peace agreement with Ukraine is worked out. Rutte said NATO must plan for long-term defense against Russia. He said that the US remains a reliable ally.

On the night of April 3-4, drones attacked Lipetsk, Russia causing about 20 explosions. Targets included an airfield and the NLMK metallurgical plant. Explosions were also reported in Taganrog. One UAV was shot down near Moscow and 7 over Kaluga. Russia claims to have downed 107 UAVs overnight.


Ukraine faces a $10 billion funding shortfall for reconstruction projects in 2025, according to Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal. International donors have pledged $7.4 billion, but an additional  $10 billion is still needed. The total reconstruction cost is estimated at $524 billion over the next decade.


Ukrainian security services detained a Russian agent named Kyrylo Molchanov in Poland and extradited him to Kyiv. Molchanov is a political commentator and associate of Viktor Medvedchuk. He has worked for both Russia’s FSB and Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service after fleeing to Russia in 2022. He appeared on Russian propaganda programs 35 times, organized pro-Russian protests in the EU, and used Telegram to spread information-gathering chatbots targeting Ukrainian troops.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​


Estonia is currently planning to construct new border fortifications along its border with Russia, which includes constructing 600 concrete bunkers. The first strongpoint with 14 bunkers will be completed by fall this year. Some private land will need to be used for the project, it’s currently not yet known which private landowners will need to be consulted regarding the installation of the bunkers on their property. Estonian generals say it’s important to complete as much of the fortifications during peacetime using civilian equipment so that in the event of war with Russia, Estonia is prepared.


Denmark announced its 25th military aid package for Ukraine with a value of roughly €900 million, to be allocated from 2025 to 2027. It will go towards air defense, drones, artillery, and support for the Ukrainian Air Force. €186 million of this will go towards implementing financial contributions for the donation of artillery pieces via allied countries to allow Denmark to react quickly when opportunities arise. Some of the funds will go towards supporting the drone and IT coalitions for Ukraine, with some of that going towards purchases from Ukraine’s defense industry.


South Korea will provide Ukraine with a €100 million aid package, according to Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha after a meeting with his South Korean counterpart.


The artillery shell initiative led by the Czech Republic has funding secured to deliver artillery shells to Ukraine through September of this year, says Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky. He says that the initiative has reduced Russia’s artillery shell advantage from 10:1 to 2:1.
 

Ukraine received the 5,000 Starlink terminals from Poland that were recently promised to be delivered.


Satellite imagery of Russia's Zalid shipyard in Kerch shows Russia is making progress in building its new Flagship for the Black Sea Fleet which will be larger than the previous Flagship, the cruiser Moskva, which was sunk early in the war. The new Flagship appears to be a Project 23900 Ivan-Rogov Class Amphibious Assault Ship. The ship has an estimated displacement of 30,000 tons, is 220 meters long, can accommodate up to 900 Marines, and operates 75 pieces of combat equipment, three smaller landing aircraft, and 15 helicopters (including Ka-29 and Ka-52K models). In comparison, the Moskva was 186 meters long and displaced 11,490 tons.


Quote of the Day:

“The hedgehog kingdom is a world of subtlety and complexity. Some species have developed such toxic chemicals or physical defenses that they can kill or paralyze any creature that dares to harm them."

-David Attenborough