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Ukrainian pork enters Vietnam, Philippines, and Singapore as EU loses Asian ground. Three Asian markets are open to Ukrainian pork. Carrots spike 13% a week at home. Both point to the same missing infrastructure. |
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Russia's 20% windfall tax breaks Putin's promise—again. Oligarchs offered donations. Moscow chose compulsion, with oil at a four-year high. |
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Bulgaria's new Orbán? Ex-president Radev's anti-Ukraine party wins country's eighth election in five years. Bulgaria's ex-president Rumen Radev has won Sunday's parliamentary election — the country's 8th in five years. He opposes arms for Ukraine, wants "practical relations" with Moscow. |
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IMF withdraws previous scenario for Ukraine. New outlook is much more gloomy — but not without silver lining. The IMF just changed its baseline assumption on the country. |
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Bulgaria's eighth election in five years is today — and the frontrunner could become the EU's new Orbán on Ukraine. His rivals refuse to govern with Radev, the leader of a left-leaning coalition, making a stable pro-Russian government unlikely even if he wins. |
Military
HUR's "Ghosts" hit two Russia's landing ships, $5 million radar, and fuel depot in one overnight operation. Russia is losing amphibious capacity it has had since the late Soviet period and cannot replace at similar scale or speed.
Ukrainian partisans cut power to Russian GRAU arsenal supplying Kharkiv front. They target the circulatory system of Russia's front forces.
Zelenskyy puts March price tag on Russian oil hits — $2.3bn in one month. Zelenskyy says Ukrainian long-range strikes cost Russia at least $2.3 billion in oil revenue in March alone, vowing to continue the campaign.
Tuapse burns again: drones hit the port city three days after the last fire was put out. Ukraine's GUR "Prymary" unit struck two Russian landing ships and a Podlet-K1 radar in occupied Sevastopol on 19 April; drones also hit Tuapse, killing one and igniting a fire at the seaport.
Belarus warns its neighbors against "aggression" same week it was building artillery positions on Ukraine's border. "We have enough other weapons," except nuclear, he claims.
Intelligence and technology
One-third of 103 companies building Russia's Su-57 used for launching Kh-69s are still not sanctioned. Ukraine can't stop the UMPK glide bombs the Su-57 will carry.
Russia tried to kill Ukraine's most public Shahed analyst — with four superspeed jet-powered Shaheds. Now, 20% of Russian Shaheds are manually piloted.
Ukraine named three banks to lease equipment to defense industry at 5% annual rate. The mechanism addresses one of the practical constraints that limit the speed at which Ukraine's defense industry can scale.
International
France may take over protecting logistics hub that supplies Ukraine's war effort. Most US- and allied-heavy equipment destined for Ukraine transits through this hub.
Druzhba pipeline restart this week after Russian attack could unlock €90 billion in EU aid for Ukraine. Hungary's precondition is being met; funding should follow.
Ireland plans "generous" payout to send 16,000 Ukrainian refugees home — The Times. Ireland plans to end state accommodation for 16,000 Ukrainian refugees within 12 months and offer a "generous" returns package, migration minister Colm Brophy tells The Times.
Ukraine reaches security deal with India — Zelenskyy says documents being finalized. Zelenskyy says Ukraine has reached a security cooperation agreement with India, with documents being finalized, following a briefing by NSDC Secretary Rustem Umerov on 19 April.
EU Parliament press Norway to boost Ukraine aid from energy profits; Stoltenberg cites existing support. Members of the European Parliament urge Norway to channel surging oil and gas revenues into Ukraine aid, with a Greens lawmaker floating a windfall tax on Equinor. FM Stoltenberg points to existing support levels.
Humanitarian and social impact
Russia launches 142 drones at Ukraine overnight – homes near Kyiv damaged, one hospitalized. Russia hit Ukraine with 142 drones overnight on 20 April, damaging homes in Kyiv Oblast and Kharkiv Oblast. Four civilians were injured.
Volyn foresters and Latvian volunteers lay "Forest of Remembrance" for engineer killed in 2023 shelling. Ukrainian and Latvian foresters planted a memorial forest in Volyn for Bohdan Kostiuchyk, killed in 2023, and all fallen foresters. A second forest follows in Latvia next week.
Read our earlier daily review here.
