Dispatches from Ukraine, provided by Forbes Ukraine’s editorial team.
As Russia’s attack on Ukraine continues and the war rages on, reliable sources of information are critical. Forbes Ukraine’s reporters gather information and provide updates on the situation.
Thursday, April 28. Day 64. By Daryna Antoniuk
National
The UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres visited the war-torn towns of Bucha and Borodianka near Kyiv on Thursday. Guterres also met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba. Earlier this week Guterres traveled to Moscow to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
The war in Ukraine can “drag on and last for months and years,” said NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, during a NATO Youth Summit in Brussels.
According to Stoltenberg, NATO has pledged and provided at least US $8 billion in military support to Ukraine, “and continues to step up.”
Forty-five Ukrainians were freed in Ukraine's latest prisoner exchange with Russia, according to Ukrainian deputy prime minister Iryna Vereshchuk.
At least 2,829 civilians were killed in Ukraine since the start of the Russian invasion, according to the UN. Nearly 3,180 people were injured, but both numbers could be much higher.
Regional
Kyiv. Russian missiles hit two residential areas in central Kyiv on the evening of April 28, according to Mayor Vitali Klitschko. At least ten people were injured. Russian missiles also struck undisclosed infrastructure sites near the city of Fastiv in Kyiv Oblast. Russian rockets struck Kyiv as UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was visiting the Ukrainian capital.
Mariupol. Russia has stolen more than 2,000 art works from Mariupol museums, including ancient icons, paintings by Ivan Aivazovsky and Mariupol-native Arkhip Kuindzhi.
Donetsk. A Russian airstrike on New York village in Donetsk Oblast damaged an industrial plant and nine private houses, killing three people and injuring three civilians.
Zaporizhzhia. Russian shelling damaged 12 private houses in Zaporizhzhia. Five people were injured, including a child.
Luhansk. At least 13 buildings were destroyed and four people have been killed in Luhansk in the last 24 hours as Russia continues to heavily shell the city.
Kharkiv. A Russian airstrike killed one person and injured two others in Kharkiv. Russian forces are currently concentrating their war efforts on Kharkiv and Donetsk.
World
The U.S. House of Representatives approved a “lend-lease” program by a vote of 417 to 10 that will make it easier to send military aid to Ukraine, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's Chief of Staff, Andriy Yermak. “A lend-lease means that the U.S. is confident that Ukraine will win the war with Russia,” Yermak wrote on Telegram. The U.S. Senate passed the legislation unanimously three weeks ago.
U.S. President Joe Biden said he has signed a $33 billion request for supplemental funding for Ukraine. It will cover military, security, economic and humanitarian assistance. Biden called on Congress to approve the funding “as quickly as possible.” “We're not attacking Russia," he said. "We're helping Ukraine defend itself against Russian aggression."
Canada voted to recognize Russian aggression in Ukraine as “acts of genocide,” CNN reported.
Germany has approved a supply of heavy weapons to Ukraine: 586 of 693 German lawmakers voted in favor of the action.
