On the first day of the Ukrainian war, I was in Turkey. On February 17, I traveled to Istanbul for a conference. A week later, I purchased a return ticket. I'm still waiting for the day when I can use this ticket…
Ukraine has received the Switchblade kamikaze drones from the United States. I'll start with the fact that kamikaze drones are also known as loitering munitions. They are equipped with cameras, navigation systems, and explosives. Switchblade is a product of the American company AeroVironment. According to open data, there are two versions of smart munition: Switchblade 300 and Switchblade 600.
Few nations are as close to the Turkish nation as the Crimean Tatars. Their relations began 500 years ago with the alliance of the Ottoman Empire and Crimean Khanate. After the annexation of the Khanate by the Russian Empire immigration waves to the Turkish motherland lasted 150 years and the two nations merged culturally and genetically. Today, Crimean Tatars have become a minority in their homeland and are struggling to preserve their cultural identity.
Russian troops have increased their presence in the Kharkiv region, but have made no significant progress. The city of Kharkiv is still under partial blockade and artillery shelling. The enemy resorted to forming units of the so-called "people's militia" in some temporarily occupied territories.
The Russian Federation continues its full-fledged military aggression against Ukraine. The adversary is attempting to finalize preparations for an offensive in eastern Ukraine.
In the area of responsibility of the operational and tactical group "East", Ukrainian defenders killed up to 50 personnel of the occupiers. According to Prava Sprava's local sources, a convoy of up to ten ambulances was recorded in occupied Luhansk, accompanied by a PAZ bus with registration number LK3982, on its way to the regional hospital.
According to Prava Sprava's analytical department, Russian invaders have used the latest multifunctional robotic demining complex "Uran-6" in the occupied territories of the Luhansk region. The multifunctional robotic demining complex "Uran-6" is designed for engineering reconnaissance and demining of the area from anti-personnel mines and explosive devices in the remote control mode.
The occupiers' main efforts are focused on preparations for the offensive operation in eastern Ukraine, which aims to establish full control over the territory of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. The enemy continues to shell the Popasna village in the direction of Luhansk. The goal is to cause fire damage to Ukrainian Armed Forces units and city residential areas. There is currently an active redeployment of occupation troops and military equipment from the back areas of the occupied territory of the Luhansk region to the front line.
Turkey has expressed its desire that the war in Ukraine should stop since its beginning and has hosted two separate talks between the clashing sides for a cease-fire. So far Turkey assumed a role to facilitate the talks between the sides. However, Turkey can also act as a peacemaker if it uses the confidence given to itself correctly and directs it to a compromise by producing acceptable solutions.
The Ukrainian Army continues to defend their homeland in Donetsk and Luhansk. So far on this day, seven enemy attacks have been successfully repulsed thanks to the Allied forces' skilful actions. The Russian occupiers suffered losses as a result of our soldiers' actions. The Ukrainian defenders, in particular, destroyed three tanks, two armoured personnel carriers, and two vehicles, as well as two enemy artillery systems.
In the Luhansk direction, Russian occupation forces are deploying elements of the offensive group's operational construction and expanding the command system in preparation for the offensive operation. In some areas, the invaders are regrouping and trying to improve their tactical position. The formation and relocation of additional Russian Federation units to participate in hostilities in the Rubizhne and Popasna settlement areas continues.
The month of April has arrived, the second month of the war. The Ukrainian Army was able to push back the Russian occupiers out of Kyiv, but the Russians intensified their attacks in Donbas, intending to break up Mariupol and completely take over the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. The Ukrainian Army was able to drive the Russian occupiers out of Kiev, but the Russians stepped up their attacks in the Donbas, intending to break up Mariupol and completely take over the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. What efforts should Ukraine's military-political leadership make to change the course of the war in our favor?