Russia-Ukraine battle – newest information: Putin ‘struggling to take care of justification for invasion’

The UK’s Ministry of Defence has urged that Russia’s management is “struggling to take care of consistency” within the narrative it makes use of to justify its battle in Ukraine – in accordance with which, the invasion is purportedly analogous to the Soviet expertise within the Second World Battle.

In an intelligence replace, the ministry stated: “On 18 April 2023, Russian state media introduced the cancellation of this 12 months’s Immortal Regiment ‘Nice Patriotic Battle’ remembrance marches on ‘security’ grounds. In actuality, the authorities had been extremely seemingly involved that members would spotlight the scope of latest Russian losses.

“This follows Wagner Group proprietor Yevgeny Prigozhin publicly questioning whether or not there are literally any ‘Nazis’ in Ukraine, going towards Russia’s justification for the battle.

“The authorities have continued makes an attempt to unify the Russian public round polarising myths in regards to the Nineteen Forties.

“On 12 April 2023, state information company RIA Novosti reported ‘distinctive’ paperwork from FSB archives, implicating the Nazis within the homicide of twenty-two,000 Polish nationals within the Katyn Bloodbath of 1940. In actuality, FSB’s predecessor company, the NKVD, was accountable. Russia’s State Duma formally condemned Joseph Stalin for ordering the killings in 2010.”

The highest official within the Russian-annexed Crimea area of Ukraine has stated air defence methods have been activated this morning.

“Air defence forces labored within the sky over Crimea. No injury or casualties. I ask everybody to stay calm and belief solely trusted sources of data,” the official, Sergei Aksyonov, stated on the messaging app Telegram.

He didn’t say what the goal of the air defences was or specify the placement of the navy exercise.

* The U.S. choice to offer Ukraine with 31 superior M1A2 Abrams tanks will make a distinction within the battle however is not any silver bullet, U.S. Military Common Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Employees, stated on Friday.

* Six German-made Leopard 2A4 tanks destined for Ukraine left Spain by ship, in accordance with a naval monitoring web site.

* Ukraine pressed allies for long-range weapons, jets and ammunition because the U.S. hosted a gathering on the Ramstein air base in Germany on Friday to debate stepped up assist to repel the Russian invasion.

* Russia’s Defence Ministry stated assault troops had been combating in western components of Bakhmut, the final a part of the embattled Ukrainian metropolis nonetheless held by Kyiv’s forces.

* Ukraine stated Russian forces had made some advances of their battle for Bakhmut however the state of affairs was underneath management.

As Ukrainian and Russian troops battle typical battles on the entrance traces, Europe’s first main battle of the web age has additionally sparked a battle of know-how as each side vie for benefit with their drones and satellite tv for pc communications.

Whereas the 2 sides have saved tempo with each other to date, Ukraine’s minister in command of know-how advised The Related Press in an interview Friday that he was assured his nation had the motivation and skills to out-innovate Russia in the long run.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky stated in a video tackle that Kyiv was actively making ready new items that had but to look on the entrance line amid heavy combating in Bakhmut.

Russia’s assault on Bakhmut depends closely on the Wagner Group non-public military, whose commander Yevgeny Prigozhin on Friday expressed concern a couple of Ukrainian counter assault.

“Right now we’re killing those that had been educated in Ukraine however the ones coming from Germany will probably be technologically educated,” he stated in an audio recording launched on Telegram, an obvious reference to Ukrainians who will probably be educated in Germany to make use of Abrams tanks offered by the USA.

“The West has handed over 230 tanks and 1,500 different armoured autos. This, too, is sufficient to present severe opposition.”

Ukraine, he predicted, would strike when the bottom had firmed up after spring rains.

“They are going to assault … they may come and attempt to tear us aside, and we should resist,” he stated.

A gut-wrenching photograph of a pregnant girl in a bombed-out Mariupol maternity hospital has gained the World Press Picture award this 12 months.

The successful photograph reveals 32-year-old Iryna Kalinina, an injured pregnant girl being carried from a maternity hospital that was broken throughout a Russian airstrike in Mariupol in March final 12 months.

Her child – named Miron after the phrase for “peace” – was stillborn. The World Press Picture web site stated Kalinina died half an hour after giving delivery.

My colleague Maroosha Muzaffar experiences:

Six Leopard 2A4 tanks destined for Ukraine left Spain by ship on Friday, in accordance with a naval monitoring web site, a part of Western navy help for Kyiv’s battle towards Russia’s invasion.

The German-made Leopard tanks and armoured personnel carriers had been pushed onto a cargo vessel, Reuters witnesses stated. The ship will go to Poland and the {hardware} transferred to Ukraine, which is predicted to launch a spring counteroffensive. It was unclear when the tools would arrive.

Spanish defence minister Margarita Robles stated this month that Spain will ship 10 Leopard 2A4 tanks. The navy is repairing the remaining 4. Spain has additionally educated 40 tank crew members and 15 mechanics.

The US choice to offer Ukraine with 31 superior M1A2 Abrams tanks will make a distinction within the battle however is not any silver bullet, US military normal Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Employees, stated on Friday.

Milley’s remarks got here as the USA introduced that Abrams tanks for use to coach the Ukrainians will arrive in Germany within the coming weeks.

“I’m biased, however I feel the M1 tank’s the most effective tank on the planet … I do assume the M1 tank, when it’s delivered, will make a distinction,” Milley, the highest US normal, stated after a gathering of Ukraine‘s allies at Ramstein Air Base in Germany.

“However I might additionally warning there’s no silver bullet in battle.”