Russia-Ukraine war at a glance: what we know on day 421 of the invasion

 

Russia-Ukraine war at a glance: what we know on day 421 of the invasion

 

Nato chief makes first Kyiv visit since start of full-scale invasion; Denmark and Netherlands to donate 14 Leopard tanks to Ukraine

 

Martin Belam, Guardian staff and agencies

Thu 20 Apr 2023 09.23 BST

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/apr/20/russia-ukraine-war-at-a-glance-what-we-know-on-day-421-of-the-invasion

 

• Nato secretary general Jens Stoltenberg on Thursday paid his first visit to Kyiv since Russia’s full-scale invasion, in a show of support for Ukraine as it prepares to launch a counteroffensive. Stoltenberg paid his respects to Ukrainian soldiers who have been killed fighting in the war and reviewed damaged Russian military equipment displayed on a central square in Kyiv
• Denmark, together with the Netherlands, is to donate 14 Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine. Denmark’s acting defence minister Troels Lund Poulsen said they are not Danish tanks, but tanks “which are bought in collaboration with the Netherlands”. Foreign minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen described it as “a very significant contribution”.
• Russian state-owned news agency Tass has cited Ismini Palla, spokesperson for the UN office at the joint coordination centre for the deal in Istanbul, saying that “inspections of vessels under the grain deal resumed on 19 April and are scheduled for 20 April”.
• The Donetsk People’s Republic, the Russian-imposed authority in Ukraine’s occupied Donetsk region, has claimed that overnight a woman has been killed in the city of Donetsk by shelling from Ukrainian armed forces.
• The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine which Russia captured last year will stop using US-produced nuclear fuel as quickly as possible, the Interfax news agency quoted a Russian official as saying.
• A flash in the sky over Kyiv prompted confusion and alarm as city authorities said it was caused by a Nasa satellite reentering the atmosphere, while the US space agency denied involvement. A “bright glow” was observed over Kyiv around 10pm local time and shortly after, the Ukrainian air force said the flash was “related to the fall of a satellite/meteorite”.
• Russia’s federal security service, the FSB, seems to be conducting “a large-scale overahaul of domestic security organs,” the Institute for the Study of War, a US thinktank, reports in its update today. The overhaul appears to be related to leaks of data to Ukraine, the ISW reports.
• Ukraine has received two types of air defence system ahead of the Rammstein military group meeting on Thursday, where it will ask for more supplies. A Patriot air defence system delivery was confirmed by the defence minister, Oleksii Reznikov, on Wednesday. The second of four promised German Iris-T system were also delivered, according to a German newspaper which had spoken to government officials. No official announcements have been made.
• The United States announced $325m in new military aid for Ukraine, including additional ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, advanced missiles and anti-tank mines. It is the 36th security package since the war began in February 2022.
• The European Commission is proposing €100m (£88m) in compensation for EU farmers affected by the recent influx of Ukrainian grain as well as restrictions on selling wheat and maize in affected countries, in a move to calm tensions with central and eastern Europe. Ursula von der Leyen, the head of the commission, has written to the leaders of Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia, setting out support measures after four of those countries banned the import or sale of grain and other food products inside their borders earlier this week. Bulgaria had confirmed its temporary halt on Wednesday.
• A Ukrainian military spokesperson accused Moscow of a “provocation” after Russian proxy forces said Ukrainian forces had blown up four buildings in the eastern city of Bakhmut, killing 20 civilians. The spokesperson said Ukrainian forces never target civilians. Russia also denies targeting civilians.
• The US defence secretary, Lloyd Austin, said on Wednesday during a visit to Sweden that the US looks forward to welcoming Sweden as a Nato member before the alliance’s summit in July, and will encourage Turkey and Hungary to ratify accession. Along with Finland, Sweden applied to join Nato in May last year. Finland’s application was processed in record time and it became the 31st member of the alliance earlier this month.
• A joint investigation by the public broadcasters of several Nordic countries alleges that Russia has established a programme using spy ships disguised as fishing vessels aimed at giving it the capability to attack windfarms and communications cables in the North Sea.