This article summarizes the most important events of the war in Ukraine from Wednesday, April 17, 2024. It is the 784th day of the war.
- 17 people died in the Russian attack in the city of Chernihiv.
- According to the BBC, more than 50,000 Russian soldiers have been confirmed to have fallen in the war.
- Ukraine used drones to attack a bomber factory in Russia’s Tatarstan.
A bloody blow to Chernihiv from Russia
At least 17 people have died in the Russian-bombed city of Chernihiv in northern Ukraine, local authorities say, according to news agency AFP.
Governor of Chernihiv region Vyacheslav Chausin according to the attack, several apartment buildings were damaged. In addition to the dead, at least 61 people were injured.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi condemned the Russian attack, but also said the West should do more to defend Ukraine’s airspace.
– This would not have happened if Ukraine had received sufficient air defense equipment and if the world’s determination to oppose Russian terror had been sufficient, he said according to AFP.
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba echoed the comments, suggesting that Ukraine should be able to enjoy the same protection from airstrikes as Israel.
– In the Middle East, we saw what reliable protection of human lives looks like with missiles, he said, referring to Iran’s drone and missile attack on Israel over the weekend, which Israel almost completely repelled.
BBC: More than 50,000 Russians killed
More than 50,000 Russian soldiers have been confirmed to have fallen in Ukraine, the BBC reports.
The BBC has been counting the number of dead together with the independent Russian media Mediazona and volunteers since February 2022.
According to the BBC, the number of casualties rose by 25 percent in the second year of the war compared to the first year.
During the second year of the war, more than 27,300 Russians fell, the BBC says.
The information is based, among other things, on the graves of the fallen and open source information from official reports, newspapers and social media.
The BBC reminds in its news that the actual number of dead could be much higher.
Ukrainian President Zelenskyi said last February that 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers had fallen in the war. This reading can also be much higher, the BBC says, referring to US intelligence.
AOP
Ukraine attacked an air base in Crimea
On the night before Wednesday, Ukraine launched an attack on an airbase located in occupied Crimea, reports the Ukrainian media Ukrainska Pravda.
Former Adviser to Ukraine’s Interior Ministry Anton Herashchenko, a former adviser to Ukraine’s Interior Minister, shared in X videos posted on Russian social media channels that are said to show an attack on the Dzhankoi airbase in northern Crimea.
Russian or Ukrainian authorities have not yet commented on the attack.
Ukrainian drones hit a bomber factory more than a thousand kilometers from the border
Ukrainian drones attacked a factory in Tatarstan that manufactures bombers for the Russian military on Wednesday morning, Ukraine’s military intelligence (HUR) has confirmed, according to the Kyiv Independent.
A military intelligence source told the publication that there is no information yet on the details of the attack or the damage. The factory is said to manufacture Tu-22M and Tu-160M bombers, which Russia regularly uses to bomb Ukraine.
According to the Russian Defense Ministry, two Ukrainian drones were shot down over the republics of Mordovia and Tatarstan on Wednesday.
Tatarstan is located about 700 kilometers east of Moscow and about 1,300 kilometers from the Ukrainian border.
Earlier in April, Ukraine attacked the weapons factories located in Tatarstan.
The US House of Representatives will finally vote on the aid package for Ukraine
Republican Speaker of the United States House of Representatives Mike Johnson said on Wednesday that the long-awaited support package for Ukraine is to be voted on Saturday evening.
US aid would bring significant relief to Ukraine, which is suffering from a shortage of weapons. US support has stalled for months as the issue has been debated in the House of Representatives.
The aid directed to Ukraine would amount to approximately 61 billion dollars. In addition to this, the United States is sending Israel an aid package of a good 26 billion dollars and Taiwan about 8 billion dollars.
President Joe Biden on the other hand, said on Wednesday that the support packages should be passed this week in the House of Representatives.
– We stand by our friends. We will not let Russia and Iran succeed, Biden said.
The matter was reported by AFP.
Speaker Mike Johnson said that the vote on aid to Ukraine will finally take place next Saturday. AOP
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