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Morning Headlines
BBC: Russia launched a wave of drone and missile attacks across Ukraine on Wednesday night, killing at least 15 people and injuring at least 90, Ukrainian officials said.
The Kyiv Independent: Ukrainian drones struck the Tuapse Oil Refinery in southern Russia's Krasnodar Krai during an overnight attack on April 16, according to eyewitness and official reports.
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The Kyiv Independent: Russia struck a residential building in Odesa, killing one and injuring six, while an attack on Kyiv Oblast sparked a fire on April 15, the State Emergency Service reported.
Reuters: The Netherlands will spend 248 million euros on producing drones for Ukraine, Dutch Defence Minister Dilan Yesilgoz-Zegerius said on Wednesday.
The Kyiv Independent: Ukraine has introduced drone assault units that combine aerial and ground drones, the Defense Ministry announced on April 15. "A new model of warfare is being introduced — drone assault units, which combine aerial and ground drones with infantry into a single system," the Defense Ministry said.
Reuters: A cargo of liquefied natural gas from Russia's Portovaya plant on the Baltic Sea that is under U.S. sanctions is on its way to India, LSEG shipping data showed on Wednesday. If it reaches its destination, it would be the first such delivery to India since Trump last year said PM Modi had assured him India would stop buying Russian energy.
The Moscow Times: A growing number of Russian websites and online services have begun blocking users who try to access them with virtual private networks, or VPNs, as the government ramps up its efforts to restrict the censorship-circumvention tools.
Novaya-Europe: The Russian authorities’ internet restrictions are driving growing discontent among major business and government officials, including senior figures, independent news outlet Faridaily reported on Wednesday.
Meduza: The human rights project Department One reports that on March 8, 2022, Putin authorized security officials to place Russian citizens and foreigners in pretrial detention centers without a court order for “opposing” the war in Ukraine.
The Kyiv Independent: Ukrainian forces struck 76 Russian industrial targets in March using long-range weapons, Ukraine's Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said on Telegram on April 15.
Politico: Russia-linked hackers are increasing cyberattacks targeted at Europe's critical infrastructure, Sweden's defense ministry said Wednesday.
Ukrinform: Ukraine has significantly strengthened its air defense, with interception rates for cruise missiles reaching nearly 80% and for drones rising to 90%, Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said.
Reuters: Ukraine regained control of nearly 50 sq km (19 sq miles) of its territory from Russia in March, its army chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said on Wednesday, building on its gains since the start of the year.
United24 Media: Ukraine’s military intelligence agency has disclosed the structure of the Russian holding “Shvabe,” identifying dozens of enterprises involved in the production of components for missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles despite formally presenting themselves as medical manufacturers.
The Kyiv Independent: U.S. Vice President JD Vance said on April 14 that he is proud of Washington cutting off funding to Ukraine amid Russian aggression, listing it among the Trump administration's top achievements.
Ukrainska Pravda: Ukraine's defence forces struck a number of military facilities belonging to Russian forces on 14 April and on the night of 14-15 April, including S-400 radar systems, logistics facilities, and areas where personnel were concentrated.
The Kyiv Independent: Ukrainian drones reportedly struck a petrochemical plant in Sterlitamak in Russia's Bashkortostan Republic on April 15, independent Russian Telegram channel Astra said.
worth mentioning
Russia warns drone plans for Ukraine are pulling Europe deeper into war
Bosnia selects US investor for gas link with Croatia to cut reliance on Russia
Central Asia, Afghanistan crank up Russian fuel imports as MidEast supplies dry up
Russia delivers second post-sanctions LNG cargo from Portovaya to China
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