Russian Invasion of Ukraine Situation Report #67

Military and Diplomatic Highlights: · The Ukrainian military is reporting the following Russian losses: o 178,150 Soldiers (Wounded or Killed) o 2,636 Tanks o 7,024 Armored vehicles o 2,470 Artillery o 307 Aircraft o 292 Helicopters o 2,312 Drones · Finland has now officially joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. · The United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defense is reporting the following: o Targeting of Ukrainian Energy Infrastructure: ü Russia’s campaign to severely degrade Ukraine’s unified energy system (UES) within the 2022-23 winter has highly likely failed. Russia has conducted long range strikes since October 2022, but large-scale attacks have become rare since early March 2023. ü Smaller scale strikes (with fewer than 25 munitions) continue but are highly likely having much less impact on the UES. ü Ukraine’s network operating companies continue to source replacement transformers and other critical components. Transporting and installing these components is a major logistical challenge, especially high voltage transformers which weigh at least 100 tons. ü Ukraine’s energy situation will likely improve with the arrival of warmer weather. Planning and preparations for next winter have likely already begun. o Battle of Bakhmut: ü In recent days, Russian forces have regained some momentum in the battle for Bakhmut. Since late March 2023 their advance had largely stalled. ü Russia has made further gains and has now highly likely advanced into the town center and has seized the west bank of the Bakhmutka River. Ukraine’s key 0506 supply route to the west of the town is likely severely threatened. ü Russian regular forces, likely including airborne troops, have probably reinforced the area, and Russia is again using artillery more effectively in the sector. ü There is realistic possibility that, locally, Wagner and Russian MoD commanders have paused their ongoing feud and improved co-operation. · The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) is reporting that the next military aid package, which is valued at $500 million will include the following: o Additional munitions for Patriot air defense systems. o Additional ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems. o Artillery rounds: 155 mm and 105 mm. o Mortar rounds: 120 mm. o Tank ammunition: 120 mm and 105 mm. o Ammunition: 25 mm. o Tube-launched, optically tracked, wire-guided missiles. o About 400 grenade launchers and 200,000 rounds of ammunition. o Tactical vehicles to recover equipment. o Heavy fuel tankers o Heavy equipment transport o Testing and diagnostic equipment to support vehicle maintenance and repair. o Spare parts and other field equipment. War and Atrocity Crimes Investigations Highlights: · As of April 2nd, The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights recorded 22,607 civilian casualties (8,451 killed and 14,156 injured) in the country. · The Prosecutor General's Office of Ukraine reported that as of April 7th, 1,517 new war crimes were registered. Humanitarian Impact and Response and Recovery Highlights: · The European Union is reporting that 30% of the land in Ukraine is contaminated with deadly explosives. They have donated 50 explosive and mine detection dogs to Ukraine. Nine of these dogs are already deployed. · Healthcare and Public Health Update: o As of April 6th, the World Health Organization (WHO) has reported 912 attacks on healthcare. o WHO with support from the EU has delivered vital medical supplies to three hospitals in the Mykolaiv and Kharkiv regions. o On April 6th, UNICEF delivered 543,000 doses of oral polio vaccine and 110,160 doses of inactivated polio vaccine to Ukraine as a part of its efforts within the Global Polio Eradication Initiative. o The Ukrainian Red Cross has provided wheelchairs, equipment for the hygiene of persons with disabilities, hygiene products, blankets, etc. to the Brodiv Central Hospital. · Energy Infrastructure Update: o The Russian attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure has caused over $10 million in damages and left over 12 million people without power. o Emergency repairs are estimated to cost $1.2 billion. · Emergency Telecommunication Cluster (ETC) Update: o A new VHF frequency license application was submitted to the national government authorities on March 15 to expand the VHF radio network in newly accessible locations in eastern Ukraine. Enhanced security communications services in these new areas are critical. o On March 6th, the VHF radio system equipment was installed in the newly accessible location of Kramatorsk. The system will be operational once the new VHF license is received. o The ETC conducted a survey from March 22-30 with UN agencies to identify their radio programming needs. The survey identified the need to program or re-program 51 VHF mobile radios and 62 VHF handheld radios. · Black Sea Grain Initiative Update (April 6th): o There have been 882 outbound voyages of 27 million tons. o A total of 3.1 million tons of wheat have been shipped to lower income countries. Russian Dis-information Campaign Highlights: · The Russian Spy Chief is trying to spin a conspiracy theory that the West is destroying the Orthodox Church in Ukraine. Here is the factcheck. · The Russian government is criticizing Western governments over their lack of reaction to the assassination of Maxim Fomin in St. Petersburg: o The Russian government claims he was a war correspondent. He was in fact a Kremlin propagandist and pro-war military blogger who called for Ukraine’s destruction and the murder of Ukrainians. o His channel on the Telegram messenger had more than 570,000 subscribers. · Russia is still trying to conjure the image of “fortress Russia”, and casting the image that Russia is the protector of all that is good. Here is the fact check. Cultural Heritage Protection Highlights: · The UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is reporting that as of April 5th they have verified damage to 250 sites. This includes: o 108 Religious sites o 21 Museums o 90 Buildings of historical and/or artistic interest o 19 Monuments o 12 Libraries Sources: · UNICEF delivers over 650,000 doses of polio vaccine to Ukraine · Damage to Ukraine’s power, gas, and heating infrastructure exceeds $10 billion, according to new assessment by UN Development Programme and World Bank · Ukraine: Civilian casualties as of 24:00, 2 April 2023 · Ukraine ETC Situation Report #21 (Reporting period: 01/03/2023 to 31/03/2023) · Ukraine Data Explorer · Damaged cultural sites in Ukraine verified by UNESCO · Ukrainian Ministry of Defense Twitter Page · Prosecutor General's Office of Ukraine Twitter Page · Ukrainian Red Cross Twitter Page · ECHO Twitter Page · United Kingdom Ministry of Defense Twitter Page · PolyGraph Info Twitter Page · EU East Stratcom Task Force for Disinformation Review Twitter Page · NATO Twitter Page · International Commission on Missing Persons Twitter Page · WHO Europe Twitter Page Resources Ukrainian Civil Society Organizations Visit ICMP Headquarters in The Hague (New) https://www.icmp.int/news/ukrainian-civil-society-organizations-visit-icmp-headquarters-in-the-hague/ UN Refugee Agency, Ukrainian Refugee Operational Data Portal http://data2.unhcr.org/en/situations/ukraine Centre for Humanitarian Data, Ukraine Data Explorer https://data.humdata.org/visualization/ukraine-humanitarian-operations/ Humanitarian Logistics Association, Ukraine Crisis Information Website https://www.humanitarianlogistics.org/donate ACAPS Ukraine Analysis Hub https://ukraine-analysis-hub.acaps.org/ UKRAINE- HEALTH CLUSTER ACTIVITIES Dashboard https://www.humanitarianresponse.info/en/operations/ukraine/ukraine-health-cluster-activities U.S. Department of State, Disinformation Website https://www.state.gov/disarming-disinformation/ U.S. Department of Defense, Support for Ukraine https://www.defense.gov/Spotlights/Support-for-Ukraine/ Alliance For Securing Democracy War in Ukraine Dis-Information Dashboard https://securingdemocracy.gmfus.org/war-in-ukraine/ National Democratic Institute Disinformation Coordination Hub https://t.co/OctUrivBQC International Fact-Checking Network, #Ukraine Facts https://ukrainefacts.org/ Monetary Donations