Summary of Latest News on the Russia-Ukraine War

As of April 13 locally, the build-up and integration of Russian forces around the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv was still underway. Russian forces are attempting to reinforce their offensive operations in the direction of Izyum with the 1st Tank Army and the 20th Army Group deployed near Izyum. For this reason, Russia has to continue to hold back the Ukrainian defenders around Kharkiv. In addition, although reinforcements have not yet been assembled, Russian forces have launched their offensive operations in the Donbas and will probably be engaged in the battle there when they arrive.

On the other hand, Russian attacks in North Donetsk, Popasna and Rubizhne have all failed, even with all-out artillery fire. In addition, the Ukrainian 30th Mechanized Infantry Brigade counterattacked Russian positions near Svitlodars’k. In the Kherson region, Russian troops are now concentrating on improving local defensive positions and conducting aerial reconnaissance, as well as strengthening air defenses in Melitopol’. However, sources indicate that the Ukrainian army’s counterattack has moved from the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast region into the Kherson region. Currently, a railroad bridge near the border of Russia’s Belgorod Oblast region has been damaged by artillery fire, causing disruptions in the supply routes of Russian troops. Belgorod authorities are calling for local volunteers to join the militia to assist the police with security at night.

According to Ukrainian sources, Ukrainian border guards have strengthened their security on the left bank of Transnistria and the Belarusian border. Ukrainian defenders stationed in the city of Mariupol are still struggling against the Russian forces there. Sources believe that the Russian siege of Mariupol has prevented the outside world from obtaining physical evidence, interviewing, or examining survivors to verify whether Russia has used chemical weapons there.

Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence Service also disclosed that the morale of Russian troops remains low. On the one hand, financial incentives previously promised by Moscow authorities for participation in the war have not been delivered to some troops as expected. On the other hand, a large number of bodies of Russian soldiers have been brought back home, leading to a significant portion of Russian troops refusing to participate in the fighting.