🟡16.04.2022
21:55 Ukrainska Pravda citing the comment of the Mayor of Trostianets Yuriy Bova on the air of Ukrainian radio
“We found the remains of chemical weapons in the village of Bilka. These are sarin and other substances. Ampoules were found. Now the Security Service of Ukraine is dealing with this. Perhaps the occupiers wanted to use this chemical in Kyiv, Poltava or other cities.”
21:23 Centre for Countering Disinformation at the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine
Russia uses children deported from the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine for its propaganda. The Kremlin media is spreading disinformation about how “the Ukrainian regime, imitating the Third Reich, sends children to fight.”
Putin’s propaganda allegedly uses interviews with Ukrainian children to confirm this fake. The materials contain meaningless quotes, in addition to which pseudo-journalists disinform that “these children have been working as spies in Ukraine since the beginning of the special operation.”
19:48 Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine
Information regarding the Russian invasion: operational situation on the diplomatic front as of 19:00, April 16.
For fifty-two days in a row, Ukraine has been fiercely resisting Russia’s armed aggression on all fronts, including diplomatic.
International support
- The Polish Post has joined the appeal of the Universal Postal Union to halt the delivery of parcels to Russia and Belarus. Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Australia, and Latvia also joined the blockade.
- Deputies of the Krakow City Council named the square near the Consulate General of Russia “Free Ukraine”.
- A group of Lithuanian parliamentarians and ministers proposes to make May 9 not only Europe Day but also Genocide Remembrance Day in Ukraine.
Effect of sanctions
- As part of the implementation of sanctions, French authorities froze the real estate of Russian oligarchs: the villa of Putin’s close friend Arkadiy Rothenberg and the villa of Alexander Ponomarenko. The villa of SUEK and Eurochem owner Andriy Melnychenko was arrested on the Cote d’Azur. In Cannes – the house of the former chairman and co-owner of the company “Sibur” Dmitryi Konov. Two hotels belonging to Olena Yermakova, wife of billionaire Hennady Tymchenko, were also arrested.
Isolation of the Russian federation
- French cosmetics chain L’Occitane closes all its stores in Russia and shuts down its Russian website.
- Latvian national airline Air Baltic, which operates passenger and freight services, has decided to leave the Russian market and cancel all flights to and from Russia.
- Israeli online platform for freelancers Fiverr has suspended its activities in Russia.
- The German insurance company Munich Re Group, one of the leaders in the global insurance market, has left Russian business.
Humanitarian aid
- 13 cars and minibuses were sent from Latvia for the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, in particular, for territorial defence units and charitable organisations.
17:20 Suspilne
The governments of Italy, Romania and Belgium have decided to ban Russian-flagged ships from entering their ports. Estonia and Bulgaria also joined the decision on April 17th.
16:05 Head of the Luhansk Regional Military Administration Serhii Haidai
The Russians disrupted the evacuation from Lysychansk. During the “regime of silence”, the Russian army opened fire on the centre of Lysychansk.
14:49 Zaporizhzhia Regional Military Administration
Russia fired on settlements in the Zaporizhzhia region, including residential neighbourhoods of the city of Polohy. Among the victims is a 12-year-old child.
13:43 Chief Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine
In Kherson, the Russian occupiers distributed leaflets addressing citizens to collaborate with the enemy, calling the Ukrainians themselves and their chosen government guilty of aggression. The message also says that the Russians “must challenge the collective West to overthrow the Kyiv regime.”
11:50 State Emergency Service of Ukraine
Firefighters and rescuers from the United States, Australia, Germany, and Poland have arrived in Ukraine to help Ukrainian counterparts deal with the aftermath of the war in occupied cities and villages.
06:36 Office of the President of Ukraine
Report on the situation in the regions on the morning of April 16
- Dnipropetrovsk region
At night, the enemy hit the object of economic infrastructure. The buildings were destroyed.
- Poltava region
Late in the evening, there was a hit on the object of economic infrastructure in one of the villages of the region. There is the destruction of buildings. One person died and one was injured.
- Kirovograd region
There was a strike on the infrastructure late in the evening. The fire was extinguished. There are dead and injured. Emergency and recovery works are underway.
- Kharkiv region
The intensity of shelling in some areas of Kharkiv for the day increased. Yesterday, more than 50 people were injured and 9 civilians were killed in the city. The occupiers fired on Derhachi, Balaklia, and Zolochiv. 3 people were injured and 2 died. The battles continue in the Izium direction.
- Luhansk region
Mortar shelling of Sievierodonetsk, Lysychansk and Kreminna continued. One civilian was killed in Kreminna and three were injured in Lysychansk. The central gas pipeline in Sievierodonetsk was damaged. An enemy projectile hit the gas pipeline and an oil refinery in Lysychansk. The Russians also aimed at 8 bread vans.
- Donetsk region
In the evening there were shellings in the villages of Zaporizhzhia and Sribne in the Pokrovsky district. There was a fire in residential buildings, and the kindergarten was damaged. At night and until the morning there were shellings in the area of Novoselivka-3 of the Ocheretyn community. The situation in Mariupol remains critical.
- Kherson region
Explosions and shelling can be heard in the region. The humanitarian crisis in many settlements.
- Mykolaiv region
During the last days, the Russian troops struck from jet systems of volley fire on civilian objects of Mykolaiv. 5 people died and 15 were injured. This morning in Mykolaiv the infrastructure object was fired. According to preliminary information, there are no victims.
In the morning, the Russian occupiers fired on Kyiv – explosions erupted in the Darnytskyi district on the outskirts of the city. One person died and several were hospitalised.
Air defence forces worked in the Lviv region and shot down 4 cruise missiles.
Russian troops launched a missile strike on the infrastructure of the airfield of the city of Oleksandria, Kirovograd region.
01:31 Suspilne
The heads of the Italian and French embassies in Ukraine, Francesco Zazo and Etienne de Poncins, have returned to Kyiv.
