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UKRAINE WAR BULLETIN - April 6, 2022 - 6:30 p.m. EDT
Embassy of Ukraine in the USA
Wash, D.C., Wed, April 6, 2022, 6:30 pm EDT
Distributed by U.S.-Ukraine Business Council www.USUBC.org
President Zelenskyy: “If there is no really painful package of sanctions against Russia and if there is no supply of weapons we really need and have applied for many times, it will be considered by Russia as a permission. A permission to go further. A permission to attack. A permission to start a new bloody wave in Donbas”.
Minister D. Kuleba: There are 10 powerful blows to Russia's economy, financial system and trade inflicted by our partners just in these three days.
The main focus of enemy's efforts is to conduct offensive operations in order to break through the defenses of the Joint Forces in the Donetsk direction and take full control of the city of Mariupol.
WAR ROOM
General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
Russian enemy continues to prepare for an offensive operation in eastern Ukraine in order to establish full control over the territory of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts. The Russian occupiers are regrouping troops and conducting reconnaissance, trying to improve the tactical position of separate units in the South Buh area and gain a foothold on the administrative borders of the Kherson region.
The main focus of enemy's efforts is to conduct offensive operations in order to break through the defenses of the Joint Forces in the Donetsk direction. It is also trying to take full control of the city of Mariupol.
The regrouping of Russian troops and the restoration of combat capability of the Central Military District units deployed to the Bryansk and Kursk oblasts are nearing completion.
Training and relocation of units of the occupying forces of the armed forces of the Russian federation to the territory of Ukraine are underway. The enemy planned to move units of the 38th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 35th All-Military Army of the Eastern Military District from the territory of the republic of Belarus to the Belgorod Region. The movement of some units of the Central Military District to this region is also recorded.
In the Volyn and Polissya directions, no significant changes were found in the position and condition of the enemy troops. Units of the Eastern Military District withdrawn to the territory of the Gomel region are completing the regrouping.
The movement of Russian enemy units to railway stations for loading and subsequent redeployment is noted.
The enemy continues to block Kharkiv in the Slobozhansky direction. Mostly at night, the Russian occupiers shell the city using multiple rocket launchers, artillery, and mortars. In the area of the city of Izyum, the enemy did not take active action. By forces of separate divisions of the 20th all-military and 1st tank armies of the Western military district, it carries out regrouping.
To increase the efficiency of the transfer of military cargo, the enemy began to use the railway. The arrival of railway echelons with weapons and military equipment from the Valuyki station (Russian federation) to the Kupyansk railway station (Ukraine) has been recorded.
In the Donetsk and Luhansk directions, the enemy's main efforts are focused on hostilities in the areas of the settlements of Popasna and Rubizhne and the establishment of control over the city of Mariupol.
The enemy carried out artillery shelling in the areas of Kreminna, Pisky, Ocheretino, Rozivka, Novobahmutivka, Novosilka Druha, Marinka and Krasnohorivka.
In the areas of Popasna, Stepny, Novotoshkivske, Rubizhne, Severodonetsk, and Solodky, the enemy carried out assault operations but was unsuccessful.
The storming of the city of Mariupol continues, while the enemy is actively using aircraft.
In the South Bug direction, the enemy continues to shell the settlements of Shcherbaki, Komyshuvakha, Novodanylivka, Mala Tokmachka, Huliaipilske, Lukyanivske, Preobrazhenka, and Huliai Pole.
As a result of the offensive actions of units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the enemy lost control over the settlement of Osokorivka.
The Defence Forces of Ukraine continue to hold certain borders, destroy the enemy and liberate Ukrainian lands from the invader.
Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine - Minister for Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine
Iryna Vereshchuk: The Red Cross has its own experience of what Russia's promises are.
She announced that the military of the so-called DPR finally released the representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross, who tried to get to Mariupol the day before. The Red Cross representatives tried to reach agreement with the Russian side on the opening of a humanitarian corridor from Zaporizhzhia to Mariupol and were captured by the so-called DPR representatives.
I look forward to the public statement of the International Committee of the Red Cross leader Peter Maurer about the worth of Russia's promises and assurances that the humanitarian corridors will work, she stressed.
Iryna Vereshchuk: We will seek the release of all Ukrainian hostages
Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine, Iryna Vereshchuk, said she called on the representatives of international legal organizations to join the process of release of Ukrainian hostages.
Currently, there are about 600 Russian prisoners in Ukraine and we are constantly negotiating their exchange for our defenders. We compile lists and involve the International Committee of the Red Cross in the process. But there is another problem. The Russians are holding hostages not only the military but also many civilian Ukrainians: mayors, journalists, volunteers, clergy, and ordinary workers who have never taken up arms. Russia requires the exchange of prisoners of war for soldiers, civilians – only for civilians.
"Russia has ratified the rules of international humanitarian law but now does not stick to them. The Geneva Convention prohibits the exchange of military for civilians. Therefore, I appeal to the international community and human rights organizations to demand the release of Ukrainian civilians from the occupiers! - summed up the Deputy Prime Minister.
Prosecutor General’s Office of Ukraine
Prosecutors jointly with Security Service of Ukraine and other experts document war crimes in Bucha and Borodyanka, Kyiv region. During the armed aggression, the enemy launched numerous attacks on the peaceful town of Borodyanka - aerial bombardments, shelling from multiple rocket artillery systems and prohibited cluster munitions. The settlement was under constant attack by the Russian forces.
Kyiv region prosecutors, Security Service of Ukraine investigators and experts recorded numerous unexploded shells and numerous craters created as a result of artillery shelling during investigations in these areas. The destruction of civilian infrastructure in the settlements was also extensive: bombed private and multi-storey residential buildings, schools, kindergartens, medical facilities, churches, shops, garages and warehouses, damaged public and private vehicles. There are no military facilities in the vicinity of the locations where the shells of the Russian invaders hit. In addition, other critical evidence of armed aggression by the Russian Federation has been identified and documented.
https://www.facebook.com/pgo.gov.ua/posts/344832904346216
Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights
Russian forces are escalating the genocide of the Ukrainian people in Mariupol.
Residents report that no one is allowed in / out of the city.
Another filtration camp has appeared in Mangush and now all those leaving for Berdyansk have to go through filtration. Hard and long.
The occupiers are carrying out a "sweep" - trying to identify all the "Nazis", which include all those who disagree with their regime and occupation.
Deportation of Ukrainians to the Russian Federation is carried out on a regular basis, according to witnesses, the last operating hospital in the city of Mariupol № 4 with all staff and patients was admitted to the filtration camp.
There are testimonies of the city's citizens about the delivery of special equipment to Mariupol - mobile crematoria and equipment for dismantling debris.
Pro-occupation residents and terrorists of the illegal pseudo republic DNR are collecting the bodies of those killed and tortured inhabitants in the city for further destruction in mobile crematoria or simply at campfires.
The website of the occupying power revealed the order of the so-called "head of the DNR" Denis Pushylin to the so-called "prosecutor general's office" to provide proposals for regulatory legal regulation of the “denazification of Ukraine”.
This order is aimed at creating additional grounds for prosecuting our citizens in the temporarily occupied territories for the pro-Ukrainian position and "legalizing" the filtration camps in Dokuchaevsk and Mangush.
Such actions of the Russian Federation and its puppet pseudo-state formation "DNR" fall under the definition of the crime of "genocide" in accordance with the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide and Article 6 of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.
POLICY
President of Ukraine
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a meeting with members of the Cabinet of Ministers and representatives of the Office of the Head of State on the implementation of the state budget for the current year and the introduction of an embargo on trade with Russia.
According to Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, in the first quarter the state budget was implemented by 110%. This was facilitated due to the results of the first two months of this year and advance tax revenues.
In the second quarter, according to the Prime Minister, a significant shortfall in Ukraine's state budget is expected as a result of Russia's military invasion.
The participants of the meeting discussed possible sources of filling the state treasury. In particular, donor assistance, special drawing rights from the IMF, etc.
In case of unfavorable developments, the possibility of temporary reduction of certain social expenditures starting from May is being considered. According to the participants of the meeting, in order to prevent the implementation of such a scenario, it is necessary to start the functioning of the domestic economy as soon as possible - both heavy industry and small and medium-sized enterprises.
The President instructed the government to formalize the cessation of Ukraine's trade with Russia. In fact, import and export operations with the aggressor state were completely terminated with the start of the war.
Address by President Zelenskyy
It seems that the attitude to the modern Russian state is finally changing in the world. After what the world saw in Bucha when Russian troops retreated.
Now the attitude to everyone in Russia will be simple: you support either the search for peace or unjustified massacre.
Killed Ukrainian men and women in Bucha, in Irpin, in other cities that Russian troops entered is the last argument. The last argument for every citizen of Russia to decide whether you are for war or for peace. If for war, then you will forever - until the end of your life - be outcasts and in the end you will lose everything. And if for peace, if you feel even a little bit of shame for what the Russian troops are doing in Ukraine, then now is a key moment for such citizens of Russia: you have to demand - exactly demand - an end to the war. It is better now, demanding peace, to lose something, to somehow face the Russian repressive machine than to be equated with the Nazis for the rest of your life. This applies not only to any public person in the Russian Federation, not only to businessmen, but also to ordinary citizens.
Nazism has no future. Mass killings have no future. Everyone in Russia who will not demand an end to this shameful war and the withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine has no future.
It seems that the Russian leadership is really afraid that the anger of the world because of what they saw in Bucha would be repeated because of what they will see in other cities, from where we will definitely drive out the occupiers. We have information that the Russian troops have changed their tactics and are trying to remove the killed people from the streets and basements of the occupied territory. Killed Ukrainians. This is just an attempt to hide the evidence and nothing more.
But they will not succeed, because they killed a lot. Responsibility cannot be avoided.
We already know about thousands of missing people. We already know about thousands of people who could be either deported to Russia or killed. There are no other options for their fate.
The situation now is that thanks to an objective investigation, thanks to witnesses, thanks to satellite surveillance of events on earth, thanks to other tools that help establish the truth we will find out all the circumstances regarding the majority of our missing citizens. Regarding most of Russia's war crimes in Ukraine.
If the world has started a debate about whether it is permissible to call what the Russian military did on the territory of Ukraine genocide, the search for truth can no longer be stopped. You can't roll it back in any way. One can only quickly abandon further aggression against Ukraine and thus try to somehow reduce the damage to Russian statehood and to those who personally adopt key decisions in Russia.
If not, if nothing changes, then it is suicide. Suicide for anyone who chooses to continue the war.
Today, Western countries announced a new package of sanctions against the Russian Federation. New investments in Russia are blocked, restrictions are applied against several systemic banks in Russia, personal sanctions are added, as well as other restrictions. This package has a spectacular look. But this is not enough.
Still it can hardly be called commensurate with the evil that the world saw in Bucha. With the evil that continues in Mariupol, in the shelling of Kharkiv, in Russia's attempt to launch a new global bloody offensive in Donbas...
We will continue to insist on a complete blockade of the Russian banking system from international finance. We will also continue to insist on one or another format of the democratic world's refusal to buy Russian oil. It is the export of oil that is one of the foundations of Russia's aggression. One of the foundations that allows the Russian leadership not to take seriously the negotiations on ending the war and on the liberation of Ukrainian territory.
Some politicians are still unable to decide how to limit the flow of dollars and euros to Russia from the oil trade, so as not to jeopardize their own economies. But that's why people go into politics. To solve such problems, difficult tasks. To solve them quickly and in a principled fashion. If you are not capable, then you shouldn’t have started political activity.
The embargo on Russian oil supplies will be applied anyway. The format will be found. The only question is how many more Ukrainian men and women the Russian military will have time to kill, so that you, some politicians - and we know you, can borrow a little determination somewhere.
It is good that the United States Department of the Treasury has suspended Russia's ability to use US bank accounts and related assets to pay its debt. It's tangible. And I'm grateful for that. But much more needs to be done to stop the war.
If there is no really painful package of sanctions against Russia and if there is no supply of weapons we really need and have applied for many times, it will be considered by Russia as a permission. A permission to go further. A permission to attack. A permission to start a new bloody wave in Donbas.
It is still possible to prevent this. It is still possible to impose such sanctions, which Ukraine insists on, our people insist on. It is still possible to give us weapons that will really stop this aggression. The West can do it.
Just as it could have applied preventive sanctions last year to prevent this invasion. If the mistake is made again, if there is no preventive action again, it will be a historic mistake for the whole Western world.
I addressed the parliament and the people of Ireland today. This country was one of the first to come to our aid after February 24. And it is one of those who shows principled leadership in the European house to put effective and decisive pressure on Russia.
As a result of my address, we have good news: Ireland fully supports Ukraine's accelerated accession to the European Union. And it will do everything to increase the pressure on Russia as much as necessary to end this war.
Tomorrow I will address the parliaments and nations of Greece and the Republic of Cyprus.
In the afternoon I held a meeting with members of the Cabinet of Ministers in Kyiv. The key issues are the implementation of the state budget and economic activity in our country. We must do everything possible to restore the work of domestic enterprises, trade activities, and revive small and medium-sized enterprises throughout our territory where it is safe and possible to work.
The economy is also a frontline on which we fight for our freedom, for our state, for our people. Therefore, we need to constantly look for ways to adapt to the circumstances. Now we need to be as creative and bold as possible in solving economic issues. It depends not only on government officials and the central government in general. In general, it also depends on all leaders at the local level, on the political and business communities.
We must all find the necessary ideas, the necessary solutions to stabilize the country's economy together. If we need to relocate businesses from certain areas, we have to do it. If we need to update legislation and give businesses more room for development, MPs must do so quickly. If we need to create special conditions for the return of people, and the security situation in a particular area allows, every leader at any level must make every effort and do everything possible to return people to such safe areas.
Today, the 42nd day of the Russian invasion has come to an end. This is not too much for military history. But for the life of a particular person - it is tangible. Right now, many of our people who left their cities, their communities after the invasion of Russia may wonder: what next? And where next? In particular, Ukrainians abroad. In particular, Kyivans and residents of other cities in the north and center of our state who moved to the western regions.
And I call on all community leaders in areas where there is no threat of direct confrontation with the enemy on the ground to do everything possible for people to return, for people to work, for economic processes to restart. To restore normal life as much as security allows.
This applies to the entire horizontal of local government - mayors, deputies of city and regional councils. Look for solutions for every district, for every region! Together with the government, together with us, with the Office of the President, together with the deputies of the Verkhovna Rada. A working economy is just as important as our brave, strong army.
The Russian occupiers continue to accumulate fighting force to realize their ill ambitions in Donbas. They are preparing to resume an active offensive.
We are preparing for a further reduction of Russia's military potential. Manpower and equipment. We will fight and we will not retreat. We will look for all possible options to defend ourselves until Russia begins to seriously seek peace.
This is our land. This is our future. And we will not give them up.
I never tire of thanking each of our defenders everyday - all our Armed Forces, intelligence, special services, the National Police, everyone who allows us to hope and believe in victory. Allows us to count on peace.
Sincere gratitude! Sincere respect!
And before delivering this evening's address, I traditionally signed decrees on awarding our heroes. 168 servicemen of the Armed Forces. And 3 servicemen from the Main Directorate of Intelligence.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine
D.Kuleba: This was the most difficult wave of sanctions in terms of diplomatic work. President Zelensky held many talks and speeches, bringing to the attention of partners the importance of new sanctions that really punish. At my level, I also openly told my partners: we are grateful for all the steps taken, but the war continues, so new sanctions are needed.
There are 10 powerful blows to Russia's economy, financial system, trade and remnants of Russian influence abroad inflicted by our partners just these three days:
- The United States, Britain, the EU and the G7 have completely banned all new investments in Russia
- The United States, the EU and the G7 have imposed new sanctions against Russia's largest banks: Alfa-Bank and Sberbank. In general, the United States has already blocked the Russian banking sector
- Putin's daughters, Lavrov's daughter and wife, Mishustin (Russian Prime Minister, whose name you do not have to know), loser Dmitry Medvedev, who recently wrote an article about how Russia plans to use force to change consciousness of Ukrainians, a number of members of the Russian Security Council
- Great Britain freezes assets of Moscow Credit Bank, imposes sanctions on oligarchs Rothenberg and Michelson
-18 countries (EU, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, Greece, Portugal, Estonia, Latvia, Czech Republic, Netherlands, Belgium, Ireland, Macedonia, Luxembourg, Italy, Germany, France, Sweden, Denmark) together expelled 318 (!) Russian "diplomats" »
- The Netherlands has arrested 14 yachts belonging to Russian citizens
- Denmark froze the assets of Russian citizens in the amount of 11.8 million dollars
- The US Treasury has suspended the ability of Russia to service the debt from the blocked accounts in American banks. Today, for the first time, Russia failed to make a payment in foreign currency and reached the finish line to default
- The United States is going to apply a full blockade to a number of the largest state-owned enterprises in Russia
- The EU's fifth sanctions package has been made much stronger than planned: a ban on Russian coal imports worth 4 billion euros a year; complete ban on transactions for 4 Russian banks, including VTB (23% of the banking sector); banning Russian ships from accessing EU ports; a ban on Russian and Belarusian road carriers, which will severely limit the ability of Russian industry to obtain key goods; targeted bans on exports of goods worth 10 billion euros in sensitive areas (quantum computers and advanced semiconductors, some items of machinery and transport equipment)
I am grateful to all partners for these decisions. But we are looking for a complete oil, gas and coal embargo as well as for the closure of world ports for all Russian ships and goods and for the disconnection of all Russian banks from the swift.
https://www.facebook.com/UkraineMFA
Ministry of Culture and Information Policy
The world must recognize the genocide of the Ukrainian nation committed by Russian troops, - said the Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations
The Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations called on all countries to recognize the genocide of Ukrainians during the full-scale Russian invasion and condemn the "Russian world" ideology as justifying the genocide of people and the destruction of entire states.
ECONOMY
Ministry of economy of Ukraine
The government has expanded the access of agricultural enterprises to concessional lending
For the timely start of the sowing campaign and its successful implementation, the Government has activated additional mechanisms for lending to farmers. In particular, it is about expanding the program "5-7-9%", under which any Ukrainian company can get a loan of up to 60 million UAH at 0% stake.
Since the beginning of the war, 826 businesses have received loans from state-owned banks totaling UAH 1.1 billion. Of all loans issued under the 5-7-9% program, 42% fell on the agricultural sector. Twelve thousand farms used them. The proceeds go to the purchase of fertilizers, fuel, and means of protection for plants.
In general, starting from February 24th, state-owned banks have increased their loan portfolios by a total of UAH 12.5 billion, which is equivalent to a 15% increase in 2021.
The National Bank of Ukraine
NBU Leadership Meets with U.S. Federal Reserve System
On 5 April, NBU Governor Kyrylo Shevchenko and his deputies Sergiy Nikolaychuk and Yuriy Heletiy had an online meeting with Jerome Powell, Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. Oksana Markarova, Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Ukraine to the USA, has also joined the meeting.
At the start of the meeting, Kyrylo Shevchenko thanked the Federal Reserve System chairman for the U.S. support of Ukraine. The parties discussed 40 days of Russia’s war against Ukraine and its effects on global economy and financial markets.
They also focused on the issues of stabilization of macroeconomic and financial situation in Ukraine. The NBU and Fed stressed the importance of regular and frequent communications during the times of economic and financial uncertainty.
Ministry of Energy of Ukraine
The power system of Ukraine operation as of April 6th, 2022
Over the past 24 hours, the gas supply has been restored to 33,626 consumers.
Power supply to more than 18.2 thousand consumers was restored.
Ukrainian energy power engineering specialists are making every effort to quickly restore the energy supply to Ukrainian citizens. However, emergency recovery work is difficult or impossible in some areas due to the intensification of hostilities and the emergence of new damage.
As of April 6th, more than 1,260 settlements in Ukraine remain without electricity, with more than 758.4 thousand consumers. More than 304 thousand subscribers remain without a gas supply.
- Electricity:
Ukraine's energy system is balanced and works steadily. Frequency in the network at the standard level of 50 Hz.
- Atomic generation:
Ukraine's existing nuclear power plants generate electricity steadily. Their total current capacity provides the necessary amounts of electricity for the country's needs.
Radiation, fire prevention, and environmental conditions at the industrial sites of nuclear power plants and adjacent territories have not changed and are within current standards.
- Gas transmission system:
The company maintains operational and technological control over the Ukrainian GTS and fulfills its obligations to transport gas to consumers.
As of April 6th, 48 gas distribution stations in seven regions of Ukraine were shut down, primarily due to the destruction of regional and city gas networks.
- Hydroenergy:
All Hydroelectric and Pumped-storage hydroelectricity powerplants that are part of Ukrhydroenergo operate according to the dispatcher’s schedule and fulfill their obligations to regulate the frequency and capacity of the country's energy system. The stations are ready to skip the spring floods.
