Dispatches from Ukraine. Day 1,147.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte visited the southern Ukrainian city of Odesa with President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Tuesday, April 15, and declared NATO’s unwavering support for Ukraine.
Rutte’s visit followed a Russian missile strike on the northern city of Sumy on Sunday that killed 35 people, including children, and wounded more than 100.
Russia’s Attacks on Ukraine
Sumy region. On Palm Sunday, April 13, Russian forces launched the deadliest attack on Ukraine this year, striking the center of the northern city of Sumy with two ballistic missiles. The assault killed 35 residents, including two children, and wounded 129 others. Ukrainian investigators indicated that the missiles were equipped with cluster munitions that disburse shrapnel across a large area to maximize casualties and high-explosive warheads. The Russian Defense Ministry falsely claimed it was targeting a gathering of Ukraine’s military command.
Global leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, denounced the assault as a war crime. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the attack on civilians, calling it a violation of international humanitarian law. Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump called one of the most lethal Russian attacks on Ukraine a “mistake” but refused to explicitly blame Russia for the strike.
Kharkiv region. On April 14, widespread Russian shelling of the northern oblast, or region, killed four people, including two victims in the village of Shevchenkove, where another resident was also injured.
Kherson region. On April 13, Russian forces dropped explosives from a drone over the southern regional capital city of Kherson, killing a 68-year-old woman.
Donetsk region. Systematic Russian shelling across Ukraine’s eastern province killed one and injured six others on April 14.
Ukraine’s Air Force reported the loss of an F-16 fourth-generation fighter jet and its pilot, Pavlo Ivanov, during a combat mission on April 12, marking the second F-16 loss for Ukraine. Citing unnamed sources, BBC Ukrainian reported that the aircraft may have been downed in the northeastern Sumy region by a Russian missile.
The previous F-16 loss, in western Ukraine in late August 2024, remains contentious as speculations reverberate that it was potentially downed by friendly fire. F-16s were initially heralded as potential game-changers in the conflict, but like many other advanced western weapons, their effectiveness has been limited due to the small number of jets provided by allies.
In a “60 Minutes” interview broadcast by CBS on April 13, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy declared Ukraine’s readiness to purchase 10 Patriot missile batteries for $15 billion to shield major cities from Russian attacks. However, the plan’s prospects remain uncertain, given Ukraine’s severe budget deficit, which is now mainly covered by the EU and U.S. Addressing U.S. President Donald Trump, Zelenskyy invited him to visit Ukraine to witness the toll of Russia’s aggression. With a critique of U.S. policy, he highlighted the disparity in pressure applied to Ukraine versus Russia, noting the suspension of military aid and temporary pause in intelligence sharing, even as Ukraine continues to endure Russian strikes. President Trump responded to the interview by threatening to severely punish CBS News, urging the Federal Communications Commission to revoke its license.
Ukraine has ramped up its domestic defense production, achieving an eightfold year-over-year increase in cruise missile manufacturing in 2024, according to Herman Smetanin, Minister of Strategic Industries. The country has also more than doubled its output of long-range drones and developed 324 new weapon systems, producing $9 billion worth of arms in 2024 alone. By year-end, Ukraine expects to manufacture $35 billion worth of military equipment, as nearly 40% of the country’s weapons are now domestically produced.
The U.S. and Ukraine engaged in contentious talks on April 11 over a proposed minerals deal granting the U.S. access to Ukrainian resources, including rare earth elements, amid growing tensions in the negotiation process. The Trump administration’s latest draft seeks to establish a joint investment fund for revenue from the exploitation of Ukrainian resources, while omitting Kyiv’s key demand for U.S. security guarantees against Russian aggression. The proposal also includes a controversial U.S. bid to take control of Russian state-owned energy company Gazprom’s natural gas pipeline where it crosses Ukraine enroute to European markets.
As Europe grapples with its energy security, the prospect of resuming Russian gas imports has resurfaced, despite the EU’s commitment to phase them out by 2027. While U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) has partially filled the gap left by Russian supplies, executives at major European companies are now acknowledging that some Russian gas, potentially through Gazprom, may be necessary to stabilize energy markets.
An executive at France’s Engie, a partially state-owned energy giant, suggested that Europe could go back to importing as much 70 billion cubic meters of Russian gas, geopolitics permitting. The shift is partially prompted by Europe’s stalled talks with Qatar for additional LNG and the insufficient pace of renewable energy deployment. Nonetheless, lingering tensions, including arbitration cases against Gazprom for gas non-delivery, have raised concerns that reliance on Russian gas may expose Europe to further vulnerabilities.
By Danylo Nosov, Karina L. Tahiliani
