The commander of the Russian Air Defense Division stated that Putin's helicopter was at the epicenter of repelling an attack by 46 Ukrainian drones during his visit to the Kursk region. Russian military officials assure that they ensured the president's safety.
Deputy commander of the 3rd Separate Assault Brigade Maksym Zhorin believes that the creation of a buffer zone will lead to the loss of territories and battles for Sumy and Kharkiv. Putin plans to seize the Sumy region.
The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation announced a prisoner exchange with Ukraine, as a result of which Kyiv received 270 military personnel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and 120 civilians. Russia also received 270 military personnel and 120 civilians.
Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Sybiga stated that Putin's statements about the "buffer zone" undermine efforts to cease fire and promote peace. He stressed that Putin remains the sole reason for the continuation of the war.
The head of the Center for Countering Disinformation of the National Security and Defense Council, Andriy Kovalenko, stated that Putin does not want to cease fire by creating a "buffer zone".
Russian dictator Vladimir Putin announced the creation of a "buffer zone" along the borders with Ukraine. According to ISW, he plans to capture Sumy and annex the Sumy region.
The Kremlin announced that Putin is planning trips to occupied Donetsk and Luhansk. Peskov added that these are supposedly "Russian regions".
Russian regions were subjected to a massive drone attack. Moscow, Tula, Orel, Kursk, Belgorod and other regions were under attack. There are reports of downed drones and temporary restrictions at Vnukovo airport.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported a difficult situation in Donetsk region, especially in the Pokrovsk direction. Since the beginning of the operation in the Kursk direction, Russian troops have lost more than 63,000.
The Air Force of Ukraine warned about an enemy missile moving towards the Sumy region from the Kursk region.
President Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine is conducting active operations in the Kursk and Belgorod regions to protect the Ukrainian border area. He emphasized that this is not Ukraine's choice, but a preemptive defense.
Russian DRGs do not stop trying to break through the border in the north. The Armed Forces of Ukraine are recording the presence of the enemy along the border, but there is no large-scale offensive.
The Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine struck a control point for enemy UAVs in the Tyotkino district of the Kursk region. Up to 20 occupiers were eliminated and their equipment was destroyed.
The Russians advanced near Lyman, Siversk, Novopavlivka, Kurakhovo and Velyka Novosilka. The Armed Forces are counterattacking in a number of areas, fighting continues in many directions.
The President held a meeting on missile development and acceleration of the creation of Ukrainian ballistics. They also discussed the situation in Donetsk region and the continuation of actions on the territory of Kursk and Belgorod regions.
196 combat engagements were recorded during the day, most of them in the Pokrovsky direction. Ukrainian defenders inflicted significant losses on the enemy, destroying more than 1230 occupiers.
Over the past day, 178 combat clashes took place on the front, a third of which were in the Pokrovsky direction. The enemy was also active in the Novopavlivka direction, trying to break through the defense of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The situation on the front is difficult, there have been 70 Russian assaults. Most of the fighting is in the Pokrovsky, Kramatorsky, Limansky and Kursk directions, Ukrainian troops are operating in the Kursk and Belgorod regions.
The situation in the Sumy direction remains difficult, especially near Basivka and Zhuravka. The Russians are using small assault groups and trying to break through on ATVs.
Ukrainian military personnel denied the fakes about the complete occupation of the Kursk region, but confirmed the advance of Russians near Gornal and Oleshnya. Fighting continues, the Armed Forces of Ukraine are hitting the enemy's logistics.
During the day, 162 combat clashes took place on the front. The most intense fighting continues in the Pokrovsky, Limansky and Toretsky directions, as well as in the Kursk region.
The Russian army has made progress in the Kursk region, as reported by the DeepState monitoring project. It was previously reported that the occupiers had advanced in the Donetsk region.
Russia officially признала the involvement of North Korean fighters in combat operations in the Kursk region. Previously, Moscow denied this and falsified documents for them.
The head of the Center for Counteracting Disinformation of the National Security and Defense Council reported that the Defense Forces are continuing the operation in the Kursk region, refuting the Kremlin's claims of liberating the territory. Enemy assaults in the Sumy region are being actively stopped.
Russian media reported that Gerasimov reported to Putin on the "completion of the operation" to "liberate the Kursk region. " At the same time, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that Ukrainian defenders continue to restrain the enemy in the Kursk direction.
Over the past day, 175 battles took place on the front, most of them in the Pokrovsk direction, as well as in the Kursk region. The Defense Forces eliminated 1,170 invaders and destroyed 48 cruise missiles.
168 combat engagements were recorded last day, a third of which were in the Pokrovsk direction. The enemy carried out 111 air strikes and 6289 shellings of the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Over the past day, 144 combat clashes took place at the front, almost half of which occurred in the Pokrovsky and Novopavlivsky directions. Ukrainian defenders inflict significant losses on the enemy.
Since the beginning of the day, 85 combat clashes have taken place at the front, a third of them in the Pokrovsk direction. The enemy has also become more active in the Kursk and Lyman directions.
On April 19, the AFU struck the launch site of Russian UAVs near Tiotkino in the Kursk region. As a result of the attack, up to 20 drone operators were eliminated.
