(Still current mood…)
This is going to be a very brief update tonight. The torsion spring on my garage door snapped about 90 minutes ago, the repair guy is now here, I may be able to get out. Eventually. Sometime. I would very much like to start April over now please.
130 more Ukrainian service members have been returned!
130 Ukrainian defenders were released from captivity: #UAarmy soldiers (including sailors, territorial defense warriors), National Guardsmen, border guards, and State Transport Service servicemen. pic.twitter.com/K7VRbvG0Hv
— Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) April 16, 2023
Here is President Zelenskyy’s address from earlier today. Video below, English transcript after the jump:
Easter greetings from the President of Ukraine
16 April 2023 – 08:00
Dear great people of the great country!
At the end of last winter, Russia brought a full-scale war to our land. And with it – death, pain, and darkness. On the morning of February 24, the sun never rose. Dawn never came. On the morning of February 24, a dark night began. And at the same time, our awakening began. Our struggle.
Darkness could not overshadow our spirit, desire for freedom, love for our native land, and readiness to defend it.
We have kept the light within us. We have conquered panic, fear, feud, and quarrels. We have united. Millions of sparks in millions of Ukrainian hearts became one big bonfire. Our strength and invincibility were tempered in this fire, this fire did not let our hope and faith go out, the whole world saw this fire. It has united around it, stood next to us.
Then we defeated despair, hopelessness, fatigue, pain. Millions of lights in the eyes of millions of Ukrainians merged into one powerful beam of light. It helped us not to get lost in the dark, not to get lost on the road, illuminated the path to the right goal.
This is what different generations have fought for in different centuries. What our warriors of light – the defenders of Ukraine – gave their lives for in the last nine years and 417 days.
What we are fighting for against the dark forces today. This is our dawn. Our revival. This is the dawn of independent Ukraine.
Today, we celebrate the holiday of the Resurrection of the Lord. Its main symbol is victory: the victory of good, victory of truth, victory of life. We celebrate Easter with unshakable faith in the irreversibility of these victories.
On this day a year ago, we all prayed that Ukraine would endure. Today – for Ukraine to win. We don’t just wait and ask, we win and create this victory ourselves. 417 days. We have already come a long way. Perhaps the most difficult of the peaks is ahead of us. We will overcome it. And together we will meet our dawn. When the sun will rise all over our country. This is a blue and yellow flag. It will certainly be raised in all our God-given land. In all territories temporarily occupied by devils. Our flag will fly on the shores of the Sea of Azov and the banks of Siversky Donets River, over terricones and Ai-Petri peak. The sun will shine in the south, the sun will shine in the east, and the sun will shine in Crimea. The yellow-hot sun in a peaceful blue sky, and it is the light of justice.
It is the light of the reunion of people and families. Ukrainians. All who are now at the front and all who help them in the rear. The glow of the smiles of the winners and their families. The brilliance of the battle orders of the heroes who will return. The sparkle of happy eyes of parents, children, loved ones, friends and relatives who are waiting.
This is the light of rebirth. Reconstruction of what was destroyed and mutilated by the occupier. Reconstruction of our beautiful country, which will become even more beautiful in the future.
It is the light of verity and truth. The rule of law and justice. Prosecution and punishment of all those who gave and executed criminal orders. All those who killed, tortured, robbed will answer both in the international tribunal and to the Lord.
Heaven sees our faith and steadfastness. The world sees our courage and invincibility. The enemy sees our strength and determination. And therefore, Ukraine will see the light of victory.
Belief in it unites us all. Always, but especially today. On Easter, which has always been a family holiday for Ukrainians, a day of warmth, hope and great unity. The war could not erase us, our values, our traditions, our holidays, and the most important things they symbolize.
And therefore, no matter where we celebrate Easter, no matter where each of us is now, we celebrate Easter together.
We are one big family. Ukrainians. We have one big home. Ukraine. We have one big goal. Victory. For all.
Those who are no longer with us, who gave their lives for Ukraine. We remember everyone and ask God to appease their souls. We believe in everyone who continues to defend the Motherland, and we ask God to protect and preserve them. With all our strength, we fight for our land and ask for the help of heavenly forces. In hundreds of prayers that our ancestors said before the battle, which help our soldiers and protect them today.
I will put on the shroud of Jesus Christ,
my skin is iron shell,
my blood is strong ore, my bone is a damask sword.
I am faster than an arrow, more alert than a falcon.
The armor is on me.
The Lord is in me.
For tomorrow.
For a peaceful dawn.
For the victory.
For Ukraine.
Christ is Risen! He is Risen Indeed!
There is no operational assessment and update from the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense today. Here is, however, their Orthodox Easter message:
Soldiers of the Kastuś Kalinoŭski Regiment, and soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, congratulate everyone who celebrates Easter today. pic.twitter.com/iCeNpn7DVB
— NOËL 🇪🇺 🇺🇦 (@NOELreports) April 16, 2023
Lavra:
For the first time in three hundred years, Easter service in Lavra is held in Ukrainian. pic.twitter.com/xRewcLv2oG
— Maria Avdeeva (@maria_avdv) April 16, 2023
Bakhmut:
Fighting in Bakhmut continues. The pressure rises. pic.twitter.com/6FTWHyEX6L
— NOËL 🇪🇺 🇺🇦 (@NOELreports) April 16, 2023
Close quarter combat in Bakhmut pic.twitter.com/zDrwLrdsnI
— NOËL 🇪🇺 🇺🇦 (@NOELreports) April 16, 2023
There’s one more video, but I can’t tell if the Soldier is prone in a firing position or is down because he’s wounded or KIA, so I’m not posting it.
Lukashivka, Chernihiv:
Residents of the Chernihiv region's Lukashivka village gathered to celebrate Easter at the church destroyed by the occupiers.
📷 Reuters, Valentyn Ogirenko pic.twitter.com/uYx3gPh59w
— Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) April 16, 2023
Sloviansk:
Rescue operation in Sloviansk has been completed. 15 civilians were killed and 24 injured as a result of a missile attack by russian terrorists on April 14.
15 people, including two children, were rescued from the rubble.
A 2 two-year-old boy died on the way to the hospital. pic.twitter.com/3nyNVuddam— Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) April 16, 2023
Woman screamed “A child is there”. Five people remain under the rubble of this house in Park Lane in Sloviansk. 9 people killed. pic.twitter.com/aist3CWueb
— Maria Avdeeva (@maria_avdv) April 15, 2023
Komyshuvakha, Zaporizhzhia:
The church in Komyshuvakha, Zaporizhzhia region, was completely destroyed by russian shelling last night. Neither the biggest Christian holiday nor the fact that this church was part of the moscow patriarchate's community deterred the terrorists. Fortunately, no one was injured. pic.twitter.com/YkyCAQKuX8
— Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) April 16, 2023
Kherson:
Now the only way for me is to join the army – says a man who has just lost his wife and daughter in Kherson. No soldiers are more motivated than those who have lost everything. Today there is one more.
📷 Dmytro Pletenchuk pic.twitter.com/c6V9t8XYLc
— Maria Avdeeva (@maria_avdv) April 15, 2023
Belgorod:
A Ukrainian FPV drone attacks a Murom-M surveillance complex in the Belgorod region. pic.twitter.com/7wNXJ8dze8
— NOËL 🇪🇺 🇺🇦 (@NOELreports) April 16, 2023
Here’s the geolocation on the Russian logistics site that was hit with HIMARS yesterday:
Yesterday, news came out that a russian base was presumably hit with at least 12! Himars missiles. The location hit is a building with a green roof near the one of the most used supply route by 🇷🇺 forces in this area. Actually this building was a RemBat location for the 41st… pic.twitter.com/vlWZL2jGWy
— NLwartracker (@NLwartracker) April 16, 2023
And here’s the full test of the tweet explaining what you’re looking at:
Yesterday, news came out that a russian base was presumably hit with at least 12! Himars missiles. The location hit is a building with a green roof near the one of the most used supply route by forces in this area. Actually this building was a RemBat location for the 41st CAA’s 106th seperate Logistics support brigade, here they repaired and refurbished damaged MBT’s and IFV’s at any time multiple vehicles would have been in this building. On satellite imagery from 11 feb. 2023, damage to the structure can be seen. Indicating that they probably tried to hit it before. Well this time they did not take any changes and hit it with an entire barrage. As can be seen on the video a large explosion occured with multiple secondary explosions indicating the presence of ammunitions inside. Imagery of today shows the extent of the damage, and also raises the question what exactly hit the location, just N of the target we can see 3 holes where ammunitions landed. As you can see in the little map below the distance from the frontlines to this target is only 24km, so a host of different ammunitions could have been used. Looking inside the destroyed building things that look to be rectangular objects can be seen however the resolution is too low to definitly identify vehicles or types. What can be said is that of a volly of 12, 9 objects hit their intended target an whreaked havoc inside.If you liked this tweet please re-tweet and like to defeat this damn twitter algoritm Geolocation and video can be found https://twitter.com/GeoConfirmed/status/1647494623873441793?t=cFmPpLiLiqECj3S70UAXvg&s=19… #SlavaUkraïni #HIMARS
Obligatory:
Kazan, Russia (I meant to post this yesterday):
In Kazan area, local Russian media report a fire/explosion in the area of the tank training grounds. Local media write that residents heard an explosion, after which a column of smoke rose into the sky. pic.twitter.com/O0Dslrawpz
— Special Kherson Cat 🐈🇺🇦 (@bayraktar_1love) April 15, 2023
The Ukrainian officer who tweets as Tatarigami has posted some analysis of the events going on Sudan and how they relate to Ukraine. Hemette or Hemedti is LTG Dagalo, that’s his kunya or short/little name.
2/ It's worth noting that the ongoing conflict in Sudan primarily involves General Hemette, head of the Rapid Support Forces, and General Al-Burhan, both of whom came to power as a result of a coup. pic.twitter.com/jZbQ0s5KdK
— Tatarigami_UA (@Tatarigami_UA) April 16, 2023
4/ I've chosen to cover this development in part due to the presence of Wagner, a Russian private military company, in Sudan. The Rapid Support Forces have a long history of collaboration with Wagner, including training by Wagner instructors and potential
— Tatarigami_UA (@Tatarigami_UA) April 16, 2023
6/ There are also indications that Hemette may be using Wagner's capabilities for information warfare, such as troll farms, although there is currently no confirmed evidence of this.
— Tatarigami_UA (@Tatarigami_UA) April 16, 2023
8/ Kindly ensure to like, share and follow, as Twitter algorithms tend to demote content related to wars and conflicts, so you do not miss updates.
For location confirmation:@GeoConfirmed
— Tatarigami_UA (@Tatarigami_UA) April 16, 2023
And an addendum:
While I am not an expert on Africa, it appears that russia, through Wagner, is seeking to exploit a perceived anti-colonial sentiment against former colonial powers such as France, England, Belgium etc. This tactic is based on the belief that portraying russia as a supportive…
— Tatarigami_UA (@Tatarigami_UA) April 16, 2023
Here’s the full text of Tatarigami’s reply:
While I am not an expert on Africa, it appears that russia, through Wagner, is seeking to exploit a perceived anti-colonial sentiment against former colonial powers such as France, England, Belgium etc. This tactic is based on the belief that portraying russia as a supportive ally in Africa can help diminish the colonial legacy.
In reality, groups like Wagner, just fill the vacuum left by former colonial powers and exploit the continent’s natural resources in exchange for military support of authoritarian leaders
As I indicated last night, one of the major issues here is that Prigozhin’s subsidiary companies are doing work that profits Dagalo while providing Prigozhin with resources to continue to finance his operations in Ukraine, as well as other places.
Here’s an interesting thread on what is going on with EU/NATO countries and the military material they’re providing to Ukraine:
the simple fact to get past the CFE treaty of the 1990s the countries of europe did a end run.
they started something called industrial storage. they "sell" the equipment to a 3rd party for export sales. this gear is not counted against the CFE treaty, its no longer in nato.
— david D. (@secretsqrl123) April 16, 2023
think what is going on is that the countries are now telling the companies to return the equipment to the government due to never going to get a EUC for export.
so all of a sudden the companies holding the equipment are returning it to be sent to ukr. that hundreds of vehicles
— david D. (@secretsqrl123) April 16, 2023
Apparently a number of our European allies use Clarence Thomas’s accountant. Who knew?
That’s enough for tonight.
Your daily Patron!
A new video from Patron’s official TikTok!
@patron__dsns Христос Воскрес!✨
And, appropriately given the nature of the video and that it is Orthodox Easter today, the machine translation of the caption is:
Christ is risen! ✨
Open thread!
War for Ukraine Day 417: Is April Over Yet?Post + Comments (44)