This week, fighting continued to rage all along the front lines. The rate of Russian advances in Ukraine has decreased three to five times since November 2024. Russia is losing an average of 146 soldiers, a tank, two armored fighting vehicles and 4.5 guns to capture one square kilometer of land in Ukraine, according to the Ukrainian military’s calculations. Russia has been massing forces across the border from Ukraine’s northeastern Sumy and Kharkiv regions, preparing to launch a fresh offensive there.
Russia continues its brutal attacks against civilians. Surveillance footage disproves Russia’s version of attack on Kryvyi Rih that killed 20, including nine children. There is no evidence of an alleged military presence in a nearby restaurant at the moment of the strike. The funerals for the attack’s victims have been taking place throughout the week.
The Ukrainian Air Force said it shot down 85 out of 145 drones launched by Russia during an overnight attack on Thursday. Forty-nine more disappeared off radar after likely being disabled by electronic warfare systems. Ukraine-operated Patriot air defense systems have shot down more than 100 ballistic missiles in three years. Yet the future of U.S. aid to Ukraine is uncertain.
The U.S. is considering a proposal to cut thousands of troops from Europe. It also pulls presence from the key Ukraine arms aid hub in Poland.
Ukraine has captured two Chinese nationals who were fighting for the Russian army in eastern Ukraine. One of the Chinese fighters laid out his reasons for joining the Russian military.
U.S.’s top priority in Ukraine talks is to achieve ceasefire, State Department says.
U.S. President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio made it clear publicly that nothing else can be discussed until a ceasefire is achieved in Ukraine, U.S. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said at a briefing Thursday. She was responding to a question from a journalist who said that April 11 marks a month since Ukraine accepted a U.S. proposal for a 30-day ceasefire while Russia refused and has been delaying an answer since then.
“The perspective is that President Trump is involved in this. We’ve got the best diplomats in the world with certainly being led by Secretary Rubio,” Bruce said. “The fact is that we’re watching and judging as this process continues,” she added.
Talks between U.S. and Ukrainian officials in Saudi Arabia on March 11 ended with Ukraine agreeing to an immediate 30-day ceasefire negotiated by the U.S. Russia has put forward a string of demands before agreeing to any truce and has still to make a decision.