Embassy of Ukraine in the USA
WAR BULLETIN
April 24, 5.00 pm EST
WAR ROOM
General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
The total combat losses of the enemy from 24.02 to 24.04 were approximately:
personnel - about 21800,
tanks ‒ 873,
APV ‒ 2238,
artillery systems – 408,
MLRS - 147,
Anti-aircraft warfare systems - 69,
aircraft – 179,
helicopters – 154,
vehicles - 1557,
boats / cutters - 8,
fuel tanks - 76,
UAV operational-tactical level - 191.
special equipment - 28.
mobile SRBM system - 4.
General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The sixtieth day of the heroic resistance of the Ukrainian people to a Russian military invasion continues. The Russian federation continues its full-scale armed aggression against Ukraine.
The enemy continues to conduct offensive operations in the Eastern Operational Zone in order to defeat the Joint Forces, establish full control over the territory of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts and ensure a land route between these territories and the Russian occupied Crimea.
Russian enemy is regrouping and expanding missile and artillery units to support the offensive, and continues to launch missile and bomb strikes on military and civilian infrastructure.
In the Volyn and Polissya directions, the enemy did not take active action. Certain units of the Armed Forces of the republic of Belarus continue to carry out tasks to cover the Ukrainian-Belarusian border in Brest and Gomel regions. In the areas of the settlements of Grabovka, Hlybotske and Kalinino, Gomel region, engineering equipment of positions was carried out.
In the Siversky direction there are without significant changes. The FSS Border Service of the enemy continues to provide enhanced protection of the Ukrainian-Russian border in the Bryansk and Kursk regions. enemy is increasing the engineering and fortification equipment of positions in the Bryansk region at a distance of up to 3 km from the state border of Ukraine.
In the Slobozhansky direction, Russian enemy increased the grouping of troops by transferring and concentrating additional units in the Belgorod region. Thus, according to available data, 60 km from the state border of Ukraine deployed launchers of ground-to-ground ballistic operational-tactical missile systems 9K720 Iskander (SS-26 Stone). The enemy continues to partially blockade Kharkiv, firing on units of our troops and critical infrastructure. In order to complicate the movement of units of the Defense Forces in the area of the village of Korotychi, the enemy conducted remote mining.
The occupiers are shelling the positions of Ukrainian in the areas of Kurulka and Nova Dmytrivka, conducting air reconnaissance of the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine with the help of the Orlan-10 UAV in the areas of Barvinkove, Kurulka and Husarivka.
In the Donetsk and Tavriya directions, the enemy fires on the positions of Ukrainian troops with the use of mortars, artillery and rocket-propelled grenades along the entire line of contact. It intensified offensive and assault operations in the Siverodonetsk, Kurakhiv and Popasna directions. There are battles in the areas of Zarichne, Rubizhne and Popasna. In the Siverodonetsk direction, the enemy launched pontoon crossings across the Krasna River. It is increasing the air defence system in the Avdiivka direction.
In the Mariupol direction, the enemy continued to fire and blockade our units in the Azovstal area of Mariupol. Inflicts air strikes, including from long-range aircraft. Using the railway connection, the enemy makes attempts to establish logistical support for troops.
In the South Buh direction, the enemy continues to hold its positions, in some areas it tries to improve the tactical position, exerts fire on the positions of units of Ukrainian troops and civilian infrastructure of Ukrainian settlements.
The Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, along with other anti-aircraft units of the Defence Forces, destroyed seventeen air targets the previous day: nine UAVs, three planes and five cruise missiles.
Twelve attacks by the Russian occupiers were repulsed in Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts over the past 24 hours, four tanks, fifteen armored and four units of motor vehicles, and five artillery systems were destroyed.
POLICY
President of Ukraine
Easter greetings by President Zelenskyy
Great people of great Ukraine!
Today is a great holiday. And I'm in a great place. The Great St. Sophia Cathedral. In the cathedral, which was founded a thousand years ago, on the field of the sacred battle where the army of Kyivan Rus’-Ukraine defeated the Pechenegs. In the cathedral, which was not destroyed by the Horde invasion or the Nazi occupation, which withstood in spite of everything!
Today we all believe in a new victory for Ukraine. And we are all convinced that we will not be destroyed by any horde or evil.
We are enduring dark times. And on this bright day, most of us are not in bright clothes. But we are fighting for a bright idea. On the bright side. And the truth, people, the Lord and the holy heavenly light are on our side. The power of the patron saint of the human race - Oranta. She is above me. She is above us all.
The unshakable pillar of the Church of Christ, the unbreakable wall of the main stronghold - Kyiv, the Unbreakable Wall of the State. As long as there is Oranta, there is Sophia, and Kyiv stands with her, and the whole of Ukraine stands with them!
Above the image of Oranta are the words from the Psalms: “God dwells in that city; it cannot be destroyed. From the very break of day, God will protect it." On this Great Day, we all believe that our dawn is coming soon.
Oranta in Latin means "one who prays". We have all been praying for the last two months. And in the Resurrection of Christ, which symbolizes the great victory of life over death, each of us asks the Lord for one thing. And speaks the same words to heaven. The words of a great and united prayer.
Great and Only God! Save our Ukraine!
Protect those who protect us! Heaven, protect those who defend the native land. Strengthen the will of those who protect us from captivity. Save those who save Ukraine. These are our military, national guards, border guards, our territorial defense, intelligence. These and all our other warriors of light.
Help those who help them. These are volunteers and all people who care. From Ukraine and around the world. Give strength to all who give all their strength. May everyone who seeks always find. May everyone who is on the road always overcome it. And may everyone who does everything possible to save Ukraine never lose faith that everything is possible.
Save the lives of those who save the lives of others. These are all our medics. Our firefighters, rescuers, sappers. May the victory of life be a symbol not only of this holiday. May life win the battle against death every day.
Take care of our mothers. Give endurance to those who are waiting for a son or daughter from the war. Give fortitude to those who, unfortunately, have lost their children on the frontline. Help those who have lost their children in peaceful cities and villages where Russia has brought death to overcome unbearable pain.
And give good health to all our mothers and all our grandmothers for many more years. To see their loved ones. To see peace and victory. To see justice. And the happy old age that the invaders are trying to steal from them. And instead of knitting scarves and sweaters for their grandchildren, today they weave camouflage nets. So give many years of peaceful life to them.
And to our fathers. And to our grandfathers. Who once told their grandchildren about the war, and today send grandchildren to the war. Our fathers and our grandfathers built this country. Today they see it being destroyed. Let them see how our land will be liberated and rebuilt. And give us strength to do it.
Take care of all our children. Give every boy and every girl a happy youth, maturity and old age, which will allow at least a little to get rid of the memories of their terrible childhood during the war. Not children's, scary games that they were forced to play. Hide and seek, but in the basement, from the bombs. Running, but from the gunshots. Travel, but because of the loss of home, fleeing the war.
Save all Ukrainians! We did not attack anyone, so give us protection. We have never destroyed other nations, so do not let anyone destroy us. We did not seize other people's lands, so do not let anyone seize ours.
Save Ukraine! Its right and left banks - at a time when we are being viciously beaten on both right and left cheeks. At the end of winter, spring did not come to us. Severe cold was brought to our house. At dawn we were brought opaque darkness.
We believe, God, that in your judgment you will not forget them all. All those who have forgotten all your commandments.
You will not forget about Bucha, Irpin, Borodyanka, Hostomel. All those who survived brutal crimes. Give them and all our land human happiness.
You will not forget about Chernihiv, Mykolaiv, Kherson, Sumy, Kharkiv, Izyum, Kramatorsk and Volnovakha, Popasna. All other towns and villages that hear the terrible explosions. Let them and all of us hear the fireworks of victory.
You will not forget about Mariupol and its heroic defenders. One can destroy the walls, but can't destroy the foundation on which the morale stands. The morale of our warriors. The morale of the whole country.
We see terrible scenes of war. Let us see a happy picture of peace.
We are going through very difficult ordeals. Let us reach a just end on this path - the beginning of a happy life and prosperity of Ukraine!
Our hearts are full of fierce fury. Our souls are full of fierce hatred for the invaders and all that they have done. Don't let fury destroy us from within. Turn it into our accomplishments from the outside. Turn it into a force of good to defeat the forces of evil.
Save us from strife and division. Don't let us lose unity.
Strengthen our will and our spirit. Don't let us lose ourselves. Don't let us lose our longing for freedom. Therefore, do not let us lose our zeal for a righteous struggle. Do not let us lose hope of victory and self-esteem, and therefore our freedom. And therefore Ukraine. And therefore faith.
Dear Ukrainians!
Last year we celebrated Easter at home because of the pandemic. This year we also celebrate the Resurrection of Christ not as we used to. Because of another virus. Because of the plague called war.
Both last year's and the current threat are united by one thing - nothing can defeat Ukraine.
The great holiday today gives us great hope and unwavering faith that light will overcome darkness, good will overcome evil, life will overcome death, and therefore Ukraine will surely win!
And on Easter, we ask God for great grace to make our great dream come true - this is another great day - the day when great peace will come to Ukraine. And with it - eternal harmony and prosperity.
With faith and confidence in this - I congratulate all of you on Easter.
Take care of yourselves. Take care of your loved ones. Take care of Ukraine!
Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Yermak expects an increase in the defensive support for our country from international partners, as well as increased sanctions pressure on Russia, which will allow to end the aggressive war and sit down at the negotiating table. He told it on French TV channel TF1.
"Currently, Mariupol remains the most tragic and tense point on the map of Ukraine. That's where the fierce fighting is taking place. As for the information that the Russians have gained control of the city... No, that's not true. Yes, they are in the city, but the area where the Ukrainian heroes stand remains under the control of our soldiers. They are there together with civilians, there are even children there," Andriy Yermak said.
He stressed that the Ukrainian authorities continue to fight and do everything to save the lives of these people.
According to him, the military-political leadership of the country is in constant contact with the fighters who remain in Mariupol, and receives firsthand information about the situation in the city.
"The struggle for Mariupol does not end. This is a Ukrainian city. And it will always be like that," said the Head of the President's Office.
Andriy Yermak confirmed that Ukraine will now need heavy weapons to counter Russia more effectively.
"This is something that will allow us to protect our sky during the constant bombing. These are tanks. These are remedies against ship attacks. MLRS and more. But I would like to emphasize once again that our partners have an exhaustive list. We look forward to even greater support. With this support and a strong sanctions policy, we will surely win," he said.
Andriy Yermak reminded that a group of international and Ukrainian experts has been set up pursuant to the instructions of President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy who are analyzing the effectiveness of the current sanctions and developing proposals for new restrictive measures. An action plan to strengthen sanctions on the Russian Federation developed by the Yermak-McFaul international group of experts has already been presented.
"It contains clear, definite sanctions that we will propose to our partners - the EU and its member states, as well as the United States, Great Britain and other countries - to apply against Russia. The fact that the war in Ukraine continues, our people, our children are being killed, makes it clear that the current sanctions policy is insufficient. It needs to be strengthened. It needs to be updated, new sanctions need to be developed constantly. And I would like to emphasize that the EU's support for a full embargo on energy, Russian gas and oil, is very important to us. Also the application of sanctions against all Russian banks. It is important to elaborate sanctions recognizing Russia as a country that sponsors terrorism. Also, in my opinion, the issue of including Russia in the FATF blacklist should be considered, following the example of other countries to which such measures have already been applied. And much more," Andriy Yermak said.
The Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine also noted that in a situation where a full-scale war is being waged against our state virtually throughout the territory, it is difficult to negotiate with an aggressor who ignores not only international law, but also the laws of war.