Russo-Ukrainian war, day 785: Patriot quest for Ukraine picks up steam.

Exclusive

Ukraine destroys Russia’s Dzhankoi helicopter base air defenses, enabling further deep strikes on occupied Crimea . Ukraine’s ATACMS missile attack on Russia’s airfield in northern Crimea on 17 April reportedly destroyed multiple air defense assets, potentially enabling future air attacks on the occupied peninsula from the north.

Military

Frontline report: Ukraine hammers Russian supply lines as Kupiansk offensive loses steam . Seizing on a lull in Russia’s months-long offensive, Ukrainian forces have launched a series of punishing strikes on ammunition depots, bridges, and command posts, aiming to starve the invaders of vital supplies.

ISW: US can either help Ukraine or face emboldened Russia at NATO’s door . There is no third option, Fredrick W. Kagan warns: sans US aid, Russia will keep advancing in Ukraine

Ukraine downs all 13 Russian explosive drones last night as Russian missiles kill at least one civilian . Ukrainian military forces shot down all 13 Russian drones that attacked Ukraine overnight and into the morning. Meanwhile, one of the Russian missile strikes killed a 63-year-old Donetsk Oblast woman.

Drones attack Russian factory that produced missile fuel . Geolocated footage suggests a workshop was on fire at the Kamensk chemical factory

Reuters: Russia increases use of prohibited riot control agents against Ukrainian forces on battlefield . Ukrainian troops on the eastern front face a new threat as Russian forces increasingly resort to tear gas attacks, violating international conventions.

As of 18 Apr 2024 , the approximate losses of weapons and military equipment of the Russian Armed Forces from the beginning of the invasion to the present day:

• • • Personnel: 456960 (+910)
    • Tanks: 7196 (+3)
    • APV: 13835 (+8)
    • Artillery systems: 11637 (+13)
    • MLRS: 1046
    • Anti-aircraft systems: 760
    • Aircraft: 347
    • Helicopters: 325
    • UAV: 9284 (+5)
    • Cruise missiles : 2093
    • Warships/boats: 26
    • Submarines: 1
    • Vehicles and fuel tanks: 15618 (+31)

Intelligence and technology

UK intel: Russia improved naval infrastructure in Novorossiysk, where it relocated its ships from Sevastopol away from Ukraine’s strikes . To avoid Ukrainian sea-borne attack, Russia largely moved its Black Sea Fleet from Sevastopol to Novorossiysk, where it is improving infrastructure to support long-term basing, per UK intelligence.

Istories: Russia’s arms industry still importing vital foreign CNC machines despite sanctions . Türkiye, the UAE. and China are acting as key conduits for Western technology feeding Russia’s arms production, an investigation has found.

Denmark breaks new ground, funding domestic Ukrainian arms production . Denmark becomes the first donor of Ukraine’s ZBROYARI initiative, which aims to boost domestic arms production

Ukraine increases domestic Bohdana howitzer production to 10 units per month . Zelenskyy announced that Ukraine has increased its monthly output of the indigenous Bohdana self-propelled howitzer from 6 units to 10 this month backed by domestic contracts, with plans for further increases.

Ukraine’s National Resistance Center: Russian teens to manufacture 10,000 Shahed drones annually .

Over 2,000 imported components found in Russian Su-series fighter jets – Ukraine intel . Russian fighter jet manufacturer Sukhoi uses electronic components from American companies like Texas Instruments and Analog Devices, as well as Japanese firm Murata Manufacturing.

International

EU launches task force to combat Russian interference in European elections . The task force will be temporary, but leaders are eyeing permanent measures. The Russian influence network reportedly aimed to appoint agents as employees of MEPs

German authorities thwart suspected Russian sabotage plot targeting military aid to Ukraine . Two men described as German-Russian dual nationals were suspected of spying for Moscow and arrested.

Borrell, Stoltenberg urge NATO to stop stockpiling Patriots, put Ukraine’s needs first . EU foreign policy chief and NATO Secretary General urge Allies to prioritize sending anti-missile systems to Ukraine over stockpiling them at home

Scholz hopes to find six more Patriot systems in NATO countries . German chancelor calls upon other countries to follow Berlin’s example

“Biolabs” and “persecution of Christians”: GOP Congresswoman spreads Russian propaganda to oppose Ukraine aid bill . Marjorie Taylor Greene suggests that Congress members who support the aid bill should go fight in the Ukrainian military.

Lithuania President: Double standards in assistance to Israel and Ukraine are unacceptable . Lithuanian President Nausėda criticizes the West for applying double standards in aiding Israel and supporting Ukraine, emphasizing the need for equal support for both nations.

G7 ministers fail to agree on Russian asset use for Ukraine aid . Lagarde said it was not possible to transition from freezing assets to potentially confiscating and reallocating them, a process she described as fraught with legal peril.

Zelenskyy tells EU Russia has almost entirely destroyed Ukraine’s thermal power capacity, asks for air defense help . President Zelenskyy warned EU leaders that Russia could target nuclear facilities after nearly destroying Ukraine’s thermal power generation, calling for urgent Western support with air defenses.

UK House Speaker Johnson moving forward with Ukraine aid bill despite GOP hardliner opposition . US House Speaker Mike Johnson, endorsed by President Biden, advances separate foreign aid bills, including for Ukraine, despite strong opposition from far-right Republicans.

Humanitarian and social impact

​​Ukrainian NGO repatriates six more children from Russian occupation . Save Ukraine returned 290 children from Ukraine’s Russian-occupied territories in total, while the official number of illegally deported children stands at 19,546, representing only the documented cases.

Political and legal developments

OSCE urges Russia to release three Ukraine’s mission employees illegally held in Donetsk and Luhansk by its soldiers . The OSCE secretary general said that unjust imprisonment by Russian soldiers under harsh conditions has taken a severe toll on their employees health.

Polish citizen charged with aiding Russian plot to assassinate Zelenskyy . Ukrainian and Polish law enforcement cooperated to detain the Pole, who volunteered to work for the Russian military intelligence

Ukrainian mayor, ex-councilor sentenced to 9-10 years in prison for corruption . The High Anti-Corruption Court (HACC) of Ukraine found a mayor and a former deputy guilty of requesting a $100,000 bribe.

PACE: Putin illegitimate, Russian Orthodox Church propaganda instrument . The Russian Orthodox Church, led by Patriarch Kirill, has been denounced as an “ideological extension” of Vladimir Putin’s “totalitarian regime” in a resolution adopted by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.

New developments

The Washington Post: Secret Russian document reveals plan for weakening West . A secret Russian Foreign Ministry document obtained by The Washington Post reveals Russia’s intention to leverage its war in Ukraine to challenge what it perceives as American dominance and reshape the global order.

Ukraine warns of WW3 amid delay in crucial aid vote . “If we will not protect… Ukraine will fall. So the global, the global system of security will be destroyed,” Ukraine’s PM Shmyhal warned.

Read our earlier daily review here

10 main points: Ukraine destroyed air defenses at Russia’s Dzhankoi helicopter base in occupied Crimea, enabling further deep strikes. Ukrainian forces are hammering Russian supply lines as the Kupiansk offensive loses steam. The ISW warns that the US must help Ukraine or face an emboldened Russia at NATO’s door. Russia improved naval infrastructure in Novorossiysk after relocating ships there from Sevastopol to avoid Ukrainian strikes. Denmark breaks new ground by funding domestic Ukrainian arms production. The EU launched a task force to combat Russian interference in European elections. Zelenskyy told the EU that Russia has almost entirely destroyed Ukraine’s thermal power capacity and asked for air defense help. A Ukrainian NGO repatriated six more children from Russian occupation. PACE declared Putin illegitimate and the Russian Orthodox Church a propaganda instrument. The Washington Post obtained a secret Russian document revealing Russia’s plan to leverage the war to weaken the West. Headline and lede options: Ukraine destroys Russian air defenses in Crimea, paving way for further strikes – Ukraine’s ATACMS missile attack on Russia’s Dzhankoi airfield in northern Crimea reportedly destroyed multiple air defense assets on April 17. Russia improved naval infrastructure in Novorossiysk after relocating ships there from Sevastopol to avoid Ukrainian strikes. Meanwhile, the ISW warns that the US must help Ukraine or face an emboldened Russia at NATO’s door. Secret Russian document reveals plan to leverage war to weaken West – A secret Russian Foreign Ministry document obtained by The Washington Post exposes Russia’s intention to use its war in Ukraine to challenge perceived American dominance and reshape the global order. Danish funding of domestic Ukrainian arms production breaks new ground in Western support. The EU also launched a task force to combat Russian interference in European elections. Zelenskyy warns EU of impending Russian attacks on nuclear facilities – President Zelenskyy cautioned EU leaders that Russia could target nuclear facilities after nearly destroying Ukraine’s thermal power generation, urging urgent Western air defense support. A Ukrainian NGO successfully repatriated six more children from Russian-occupied territories. The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe denounced Putin as illegitimate and the Russian Orthodox Church as a propaganda tool. Ukraine hammers Russian supply lines as Kupiansk offensive stalls – Capitalizing on a pause in Russia’s months-long offensive, Ukrainian forces launched a series of devastating attacks on ammunition depots, bridges, and command posts to cut off vital supplies to the invaders. The ISW emphasizes that without US aid, Russia will continue advancing in Ukraine. Concurrently, Russia is improving naval infrastructure in Novorossiysk after relocating ships from Sevastopol to evade Ukrainian strikes. 5

You could close this page. Or you could join our community and help us produce more materials like this. We keep our reporting open and accessible to everyone because we believe in the power of free information. This is why our small, cost-effective team depends on the support of readers like you to bring deliver timely news, quality analysis, and on-the-ground reports about Russia's war against Ukraine and Ukraine's struggle to build a democratic society. A little bit goes a long way: for as little as the cost of one cup of coffee a month, you can help build bridges between Ukraine and the rest of the world, plus become a co-creator and vote for topics we should cover next. Become a patron or see other ways to support. Become a Patron!