Relevant Statistics
All vehicle losses are visually confirmed only and thus represent the lowest possibly figure (sourced from Oryx, here and here); they are updated to the nearest 25 daily. All personnel losses are estimates or projections and should be viewed as such; they are updated as new information becomes available.
Russia
Ukraine
War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity
Russian forces in Ukraine have committed and continue to commit war crimes and crimes against humanity in the occupied regions of Ukraine, in violation of international law and basic human decency. Russian crimes in Ukraine constitute genocide and ethnic cleansing, with Russia’s stated war aims including the elimination of Ukrainians as a separate country, language, culture, and people.
Russian forces continued intense targeting of Ukrainian thermal and power facilities, resulting in widespread blackouts across much of the country. The intentional targeting of non-military civil infrastructure is a violation of the laws of war.
Overview
Ukraine
Russia continues to launch near-daily drone and missile attacks on Ukrainian cities, infrastructure, and military installations; see War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity.
Russia
Ukrainian forces continue to launch long-range strikes on Russian oil and gas facilities.
Russia is now estimated to have lost at least half a million soldiers in Ukraine. Even given an optimistic killed-wounded ratio, it is likely that Russian fatalities are nearing or have already exceeded 100,000.
International
Western leaders from over two dozen countries gathered in Normandy to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings, with several attendees – including Presidents Macron, Biden, Zelenskyy and King Charles – drawing parallels and using the event to signal continued support for Ukraine in its fight against Russia.
France announced it would provide Mirage-2000 fighters, train and equip an entire Ukrainian brigade (4,500 men), and deliver $700 million for damaged civil infrastructure. Italy announced it would deliver another SAMP/T air defense system. The United States announced another $225 million aid package, including anti-tank and anti-air missiles, artillery munitions, M113 APCs, and more.
Regional Military Updates
Northern Theatre
🟧 Significant action. Russian attacks north of Lyptsi made marginal gains. Russian assaults on Starytsya made marginal gains. Ukrainian counterassaults in Vovchansk made marginal gains. Fighting reported northeast of Kupyansk. Fighting reported east of Kupyansk. Russian attacks northwest of Svatove made limited gains. Fighting reported west of Svatove. Fighting reported southwest of Svatove. Fighting reported west of Kreminna.
Assessment: No change from previous assessment.
Eastern Theatre
🟧 Significant action. Russian attacks southeast of Bilohorivka made marginal gains. Russian attacks east of Siversk made marginal gains. Russian attacks north of Soledar made marginal gains. Russian attacks north of Chasiv Yar made marginal gains. Russian attacks east of Chasiv Yar made marginal gains. Russian attacks south of Bakhmut made marginal gains. Russian attacks northwest of Avdiivka made gains. Russian assaults on Sokil, northwest of Avdiivka, made limited gains. Russian attacks west of Avdiivka made gains. Russian assaults in Krasnohorivka made gains. Russian attacks around Pobieda made marginal gains. Russian attacks around Novomykhailivka made marginal gains.
Assessment: No change from previous assessment.
Southern Theatre
🟩 Limited action. Russian attacks east of Vuhledar made marginal gains. Russian assaults on Urozhaine made marginal gains. Fighting reported around Mala Tokmachka. Fighting reported northwest of Verbove. Russian attacks northeast of Robotyne made marginal gains. Fighting reported west of Orikhiv.
Assessment: No change from previous assessment.
Dnieper Theatre
🟩 Limited action. Russian assaults in Krynky made marginal gains.
Assessment: No change from previous assessment.
Weekly Conclusion
Note: In place of this week’s Conclusion is an abridged, posthumous letter written by 25-year-old Ukrainian journalist and combat medic Iryna Tsybuykh, originally to her brother. It can be read in full at United24.
Hello, accept my condolences. I don’t like it when you are sad, but time will pass, and this despair will dissipate. Life must go on. So, don’t waste time on suffering; keep living.
It is now 19:19, Saturday, April 8, 2023…. I decided that this year has offered me so many chances to die that I should find at least one opportunity to write a posthumous letter.
It is sad that we live such powerless lives, dependent on societal approval, that only death allows us to experience absolute freedom… Today and forever, I don’t care what people will say about me, about you, about this text, about everything… no one’s opinion matters to me; I am dead.
Freedom is the highest value. Soon, I’ll be 25 years old, often troubled by insecurities and fears… The full-scale war forced me to stop being a slave to fears. Today, unfortunately, I did not manage to completely free myself, but I hope I will succeed. This letter is a step towards that.
To have freedom, you need other values as well. You need to understand yourself, know well who you are to yourself, what personal happiness is, and how to achieve it. Having answers to these questions, the most important thing is to keep moving forward… I am on my way, being myself and doing what I want. In fact, nothing else matters… at this moment, as well as when it happens, I will not regret dying, because I am finally living the life I wanted…
Today, it’s all behind me. My life is over, and it was important to me to live it with dignity: to be honest, kind, and loving. Today we are working for the heroes, and it’s a good opportunity to confirm my values—to truly be that person.
Thank you to everyone who loved and supported me. Don’t be sad for me, life is very short. If it continues after death, then we will meet again.
Brother, don’t be upset. I stopped worrying about you when you were 17… I am proud of you. Whoever you decide to be today, trust yourself, listen to yourself, love yourself, and live your happy life…while I was alive, we loved each other… Let these memories warm you, motivate you, but in no case upset you.
To have the strength to be a free person, you must be brave. Only the brave find happiness, and it is better to die running than to live rotting.
Be worthy of the deeds of our heroes. Don’t be sad; be brave!
Kisses, yours.
08.04.23 – Donetsk Oblast
Iryna Tsybuykh, Hospitallers Volunteer Medical Battalion
Killed in Action, Kharkiv Oblast, May 29th, 2024
