Three missiles strike Odesa region. Russia fired three missiles against Odesa region from occupied Crimea, head of the Odesa regional military administration Maksym Marchenko said. “Russia struck a town in Odesa region with three Iskander missiles launched from Crimea. There are casualties. We will not let it go unpunished. They will regret each missile launch and each attack on our land, I promise,” Marchenko said in a video address.
Ukraine regains control over towns in Kyiv, Chernihiv regions – General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.In Kyiv region, the Ukrainian Armed Forces regained control over Demydiv, Dymer, Lytvynivka, Havrylivka, Kozarovychi, Zhovtneve, Hlubivka, Yasnohorodka, Talakun, Sukholuchchya, Lypivka, Havronshchyna, Makovyshche, Mykolayivka, and Khmilna. In Chernihiv region, the Ukrainian troops took back control over Rudnya, Shevchenkove, Bobryk, Stara Basan, Nova Basan, Makiyivka, Pohreby, Bazhanivka, Volodymyrivka, Shnyakivka, Salne, Sofiyivka, Havrylivka.
Russia continues an all-out war against Ukraine. It continues to conduct missile, bomb and air strikes on critical infrastructure, government buildings and residential areas of Ukrainian cities. Russia regroups forces to possibly concentrate efforts on an offensive operation in the east.
Fire at an oil depot in Russia’s Belgorod. On the morning of April 1, an oil depot in Russia’s Belgorod caught fire. The city is 70 km away from Kharkiv and 40 km away from the Ukraine border. There were no casualties. The fire caused queues for fuel. Governor of Belgorod oblast Vyacheslav Gladkov said the facility caught fire as a result of a Ukrainian missile strike launched from helicopters. Spokesperson for Ukraine’ Defense Ministry Oleksandr Motuzyanyk neither confirmed nor denied Ukraine’s involvement in the incident. “I would like to emphasize that Ukraine is performing a defensive operation against Russian aggression on the territory of Ukraine,” he said in a news conference.
Ukraine, Russia swap prisoners for second time. Ukraine exchanged 86 service members with Russia, of which 15 are women, deputy head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Kyrylo Tymoshenko said. Ukraine and Russia swapped prisoners for the first time on March 24 since the invasion. Ten Ukrainian service members were exchanged for 10 Russian troops. Also, Ukraine turned over 11 Russian civilian sailors saved from a ship that sank near Odesa, and received 19 Ukrainian civilian sailors from the rescue ship Sapphire captured by Russia while on a search and rescue mission for the Ukrainian service members on Zmiyinyi (Snake) island.
Explaining Ukraine: Russians are retreating from Kyiv outskirts; testimonies from Mariupol
Russians are retreating from Kyiv outskirts but concentrating their efforts in the Eastern Ukraine. Ukraine needs arms, especially air defense, anti-missile systems and armoured vehicles, to continue its resistance. Russian propaganda presents its atrocities in Mariupol as actions by Ukrainian “Nazis”: another example how disinformation can kill, and kill massively. Human testimonies from Mariupol, the city of a 21st century genocide. – We continue our “Explaining Ukraine” podcast. Hosts: Volodymyr Yermolenko, analytics director at Internews Ukraine, and Tetyana Ogarkova, in charge of international outreach at the Ukraine Crisis Media Centre. Listen to the episode here.
Ukraine in Flames #22. Religions take stands and sides in the war
Russian invaders destroyed at least 59 buildings of spiritual significance in 8 regions of Ukraine, as the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine informs. On average, two religious buildings a day have been destroyed since February 24. These include an orthodox cathedral in Mariupol, a Jewish school in Kharkiv and dozens of parish churches destroyed throughout Ukraine. On March 7 alone, three monuments of Ukrainian culture were partially or completely destroyed: the Yelets Assumption Monastery in Chernihiv (1069), St. George’s Church in Zavorichi, Kyiv Oblast, (1873), and a 160-year-old wooden Church of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos in Vyazivka, Zhytomyr Oblast. All three churches are parishes of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate which is the dominant denomination in the Russian Federation. The Russian soldiers kidnap the pro-Ukrainian clergy. A priest of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (Metropolitan Epiphanius) Serhiy Chudynovych was arrested in Kherson.
The Ukrainian clergy of various religions and denominations responded with a united support for Ukrainian statehood. Priests of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, the Roman Catholic Church, Protestant pastors, and Muslim imams serve as military chaplains in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. A large number of parishes are involved in collecting humanitarian aid for IDPs and funds for the army, praying for the defenders of Ukraine and civilians, helping to shelter the faithful, and volunteering. How do Ukraine’s religious communities respond to the challenges of the Russian invasion and how do they unite Ukrainian society? We collected the answers in Ukraine in Flames #22.
Speakers:
Metropolitan Epiphanius of Kyiv and All Ukraine
Vyacheslav Kyrylenko, former Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine, Minister of Culture 2016-2019
Anatolii Babynskyi, Ph.D., Research fellow, Institute of Church History at the Ukrainian Catholic University
Fr. Martin Buntov – franciscan, Wrocław (Poland)
