Pope Francis (88) appeared on April 20 in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican on Easter in a wheelchair for the blessing. The Pontiff blessed the faithful, said "Happy Easter!" and called for an end to wars in the world.
Easter in the Vatican on April 20 began without the participation of Pope Francis. He is recovering after bilateral pneumonia, the mass was led by Cardinal Angelo Comastri.
On the evening of April 19, three people died in an accident involving a Renault and a shuttle bus in the Vinnytsia region. Eight more passengers, including children, were hospitalized with injuries.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced significant military spending in his election campaign. This is a response to the "threat" from the United States under Donald Trump and an attempt to protect the country's sovereignty.
Great Britain called on Russia to commit to a full ceasefire, not just a one-day pause. Complete silence would allow for negotiations on a just and lasting peace, the British Foreign Office said.
On Easter night, April 20, in Ustyluh, Volyn, border guards met the Holy Fire. The shrine arrived from Warsaw and is heading further through Ukraine.
According to the General Staff of the AFU as of 20. 04.25, during the previous day the Defense Forces of Ukraine eliminated 950 Russian occupiers. Also, hundreds of units of enemy equipment and weapons were destroyed.
In Stanislav, Kherson region, a man died due to a Russian strike on April 19. Born in 1967, he sustained life-threatening injuries from the enemy's combined attack.
President Zelenskyy reported that Russia is trying to create an impression of silence, but active battles continue at the front. According to Syrskyi, the enemy carried out hundreds of shellings and dozens of assaults recently.
Huawei and China Unicom launched China's first 10G broadband network in Xiong'an area. The network based on 50G PON demonstrated a speed of over 9800 Mbps, paving the way for new technologies.
For the second day in a row, Russia keeps the Kalibr cruise missile carrier ship in the Black Sea. As of the morning of April 20, 2025, it has a salvo of up to 6 missiles, the threat of shelling for Ukraine remains.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the military operation in the Gaza Strip will continue, as the country has no choice. Hostilities will not stop until Hamas is destroyed, hostages are freed, and the security of Israel is ensured.
On Sunday, April 20, variable cloudiness and high air temperature up to +14°C are forecast in Ukraine. Light rains and thunderstorms are possible only in the western regions, mainly in the Carpathian areas.
The crew of the Soyuz MS-26 spacecraft, consisting of Oleg Ovchinin, Ivan Vagner, and Donald Pettit, landed in the Jezkazgan area. They worked in orbit from September 2024 to April 2025.
The occupiers announced an 80% increase in exports through the Mariupol port, over 350 thousand tons. The CNS refutes this, calling the port a hub for looting grain, metal, and equipment.
The viral popularity of Dubai pistachio chocolate has caused a global shortage of nuts and rising prices. Demand has depleted supplies, which were already low due to previous poor harvests.
President Zelenskyy called the Russian army one of the biggest threats to churches and believers. During the years of war, the Russian Federation killed 67 priests and destroyed 640 religious sites in Ukraine.
The EU skeptically assessed Putin's statement about the "Easter truce". The European Union stated that Russia must prove its intentions to stop aggression with real actions, as words do not correspond to reality.
Amid fears over US support, Ukraine has sharply increased the production of Bohdana SPGs, in which Europe is investing. Output exceeded 20 units per month, which makes production unprecedented in Europe.
The Ministry of Justice confirmed the validity of laminated civil status certificates. The documents are suitable for certifying facts, but an apostille is not possible on them.
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani doubts that Russia will observe the "Easter truce". The Kremlin's statements about silence do not correspond to the real situation on parts of the front.
Border guards in Mohyliv-Podilskyi exposed a sham marriage between a 35-year-old man and a 43-year-old woman for illegal departure. The couple did not know elementary facts about each other; the woman admitted that she received UAH 50,000 for helping evade mobilization.
A fire broke out in the Balakliia forestry in Kharkiv Oblast, covering a coniferous undergrowth and reeds on 10 hectares, and later spread to 30 hectares. 26 rescuers, SES equipment, and local fire teams are involved in extinguishing the fire.
Zelenskyy after Syrskyi's report confirmed that the 'silence' regime declared by the Kremlin is not working in the Kursk, Belgorod regions, and on part of the front. Russian strikes continue, and Ukraine's actions will be mirrored.
Over the past day, April 19, 107 combat engagements were recorded on the front. A third of them occurred in the Pokrovsk direction, where the enemy lost 165 occupiers.
On Saturday, April 19, mass protests against the administration of President Donald Trump began in US cities. People spoke out against civil rights violations, attempts to deport immigrants, and cuts to the federal government.
On April 19, around 8:00 PM, in the village of Prymorske, Zaporizhzhia region, an enemy drone attacked a car. As a result, a 42-year-old man was injured, and his car was damaged.
Starting in 2025, Russia increased the excise tax on alcohol by 15% to finance the war. This led to a 22.7% drop in vodka production and a 25% drop in brandy production in the first quarter.
Head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Andriy Sybiha doubts the effectiveness of the 30-hour "Easter truce" announced by Putin. Ukraine agreed to 30 days of silence at the proposal of the United States from March 11 and is ready if Russia ceases fire.
In the evening of April 19, Russia attacked Kherson after announcing an "Easter truce", hitting a high-rise building with 8 drones, where 7 apartments caught fire. Enemy drones also struck a civilian car in Urozhaine and Stanislav.
