From the FB page; The Heartbeat of Ukraine

Day 399 of a 3-day war. Kyiv is still standing tall and Russia is still a terrorist state.

172,340 (+610) enemy soldiers have been eliminated. This will be updated in the morning EST)

✅Today President Zelensky spoke at the plenary session of the second Summit for Democracy chaired by the U.S. President Biden:

The entire speech is fabulous. (Url below) But the following is my favorite quote:

“But what is the strategy of the free world in relation to totalitarian Russia, which is looking for how to create more totalitarian allies in the world? Is there such a clear strategy? I will tell you what it should be. Clear answer: evil must lose the war. If it loses now, it will know that it will always lose everywhere.”

https://www.president.gov.ua/en/news/demokratiyi-potribna-peremoga-vzhe-zaraz-vistup-prezidenta-u-81925

❌Andrii Yermak, Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine reported that “The Russians carried out an airstrike on the city of Avdiivka. They hit a kindergarten with a missile. Fortunately, there were no casualties. An apartment building across the street has been damaged.” #WarCrime

▶️What’s Going on in Bakhmut?

📍Ukraine’s Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov has said that Russia’s offensive is in full swing, but the Russians are quickly exhausting their offensive capabilities due to the Ukrainian forces’ defense of Bakhmut in Donetsk Oblast. “Their losses are enormous. According to our military estimates, on the Bakhmut front alone, the Russians are losing an average of 500 people (killed or wounded) per day. This means that they are quickly exhausting their offensive capabilities there.

📍Hence the key decision made by our command: to hold Bakhmut despite our own losses. Because its defense limits the Russians’ capabilities and gives us stability along the entire front line.

📍Commenting on what some experts have said about the inexpediency of defending Bakhmut, Reznikov said that “the city and the hills next to it are a convenient area for defense”.

📍”If we were to withdraw from it, it would mean we would have to defend ourselves in another place that does not have such a convenient form of terrain,” the Defenсe Minister explained.

📍UK Defense Intelligence a reported in by European Pravda has stated that the Ukrainian Armed Forces have pushed the Russian Wagner Private Military Company mercenaries away from one of Bakhmut’s supply lines.

📍Fighting continues in the Donbas town of Bakhmut, though Russian assaults are still at a reduced level compared to recent weeks.

📍”One of the key achievements of recent Ukrainian operations has likely been to push Russian Wagner Group fighters back from the 0506 route,” UK MoD states

📍This minor country road [that connects the settlements of Chasiv Yar and Khromove – ed.] has become a critical supply line for Ukrainian defenders. Wagner had previously been within a few hundred meters of the route.

📍The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) states that Wagner Group forces have likely taken the AZOM industrial complex in northern Bakhmut and continue to make gains within the city.

📍Experts suggest that Wagnerites are likely working to consolidate gains in northern and central Bakhmut to push towards the city center and expand their zone of control into western Bakhmut.

▶️Operational Report from the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine:

👉The Russians continue to storm Bakhmut and have had partial success, but Ukrainian defenders hold the city.

👉During the day, Russia conducted unsuccessful offensive operations in the vicinity of Orikhovo-Vasylivka, Donetsk Oblast. It shelled Minkivka, Orikhovo-Vasylivka, Bakhmut, Chasiv Yar and Toretsk, Donetsk Oblast.”

👉Over the course of the day, the aviation of the Defense Forces launched five strikes on clusters of personnel and military equipment of the Russians. The units of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine destroyed a Russian Su-24M bomber.

👉Units of the Defense Forces of Ukraine repelled 48 Russian attacks on the mentioned fronts.

👉The Ukrainian Rocket Forces and Artillery hit two clusters of Russian manpower, weapons and military equipment, one ammunition depot and two fuel and lubricant depots.

👉Russia launched one missile and 16 air strikes and launched four MLRS attacks.

👉The possibility of missile and air strikes throughout Ukraine remains high as Russia continues to ignore the laws and customs of war and use terror tactics against civilians.

👉Today, as a result of an airstrike on the infrastructure of the city of Beryslav, Kherson Oblast, civilians have been injured, and private homes and civilian infrastructure have been damaged.

👉Russia is focusing its main efforts on conducting offensive operations on the Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiivka and Marinka fronts. The settlements of Bilohorivka, Bakhmut, Avdiivka and Marinka remain at the epicenter of the fighting.

👉On the Volyn, Polissia, Sivershchyna and Slobozhanshchyna fronts, the operational situation has not changed significantly, and there are no signs of Russian offensive groups being formed. The Russians maintain a military presence in the border areas of Kursk and Belgorod oblasts. During the day, Russia attacked the settlements of Chernatske, Esman, Kucherivka, Bilopillia, Volfyne and Basivka in Sumy Oblast, as well as the areas of the settlements of Tymofiivka, Veterynarne, Hlyboke, Pishchane, Hatyshche, Vovchansk and Bochkove in Kharkiv Oblast.

👉On the Lyman front, invaders conducted unsuccessful offensive operations in the vicinity of Vyymka. Areas of settlements on the Kupiansk and Lyman fronts came under artillery fire. Among them are Kolodiazne, Dvorichna, Zapadne, Petropavlivka, Kupiansk, Kyslivka and Kamianka in Kharkiv Oblast; Stelmakhivka, Nevske, Kuzmyne and Bilohorivka in Luhansk Oblast; as well as Kolodiazi, Spirne and Siversk in Donetsk Oblast.

👉On the Avdiivka and Marinka fronts, the Russians conducted offensive operations towards the settlements of Novokalynove, Stepove, Avdiivka, Sieverne, Pervomaiske, and Marinka but to no avail. Russia attacked the following settlements: Novokalynove, Avdiivka, Vodiane, Karlivka, Krasnohorivka, Marinka, Heorhiivka and Novomykhailivka, Donetsk Oblast.

👉On the Shakhtarsk front, invaders attacked the areas in and around Vuhledar, Prechystivka, and Velyka Novosilka in Donetsk Oblast.

👉On the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson fronts, the Russians are on the defensive. They attacked the settlements of Vremivka in Donetsk Oblast; Malynivka, Huliaipole, Staroukrainka and Charivne in Zaporizhzhia Oblast; Vesele, Beryslav, Kozatske, Zelenivka, Antonivka, Dniprovske in Kherson Oblast; and the city of Kherson.

👉In the Armiansk and Dzhankoi districts of the temporarily occupied territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, the Russians continue to build fortifications and trenches. Civilians are actively involved in the work.

✅Oleksii Reznikov, Minister of Defense of Ukraine, has said that the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is planning to conduct a counter-offensive on several fronts, but it all depends on the weather conditions. The Ukrainian troops are also waiting for the “right moment”, and Reznikov believes it will happen in April or May.

💥Cotton in Crimea: An explosion was heard in the village of Hvardiyske in the Simferopol district of annexed Crimea, Simferopol district. (Source: Krym.Realii (Crimea.Realities, a project by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty) Local Telegram channels publish videos and photos of the explosion’s aftermath, which shook windows in the houses nearby.

–However, Igor Chichkin, the Head of the occupying “administration of the settlement of Hvardiyske”, stated that the “air defense was activated” and “no smoke is visible”. Who do you think is telling the truth?😏

❌The National Resistance Center has compiled a map of the camps where the Russians accommodate deported Ukrainian children.

–“The map was created on the basis of data from open sources and will be supplemented. As can be seen from the geography of the camps, the process of kidnapping children to the Russian Federation is systematic and prepared in advance.

–That is, despite the fact that Russian propaganda claims a forced step and the evacuation of children, in fact, children are constantly taken out, both from the frontline and from areas remote from hostilities.” #WarCrime

✅On Wednesday, Hungarian President Katalin Novák expressed her support for a peace plan for Ukraine that does not entail a Russian victory and is based on “realistic goals”. “We need a peace plan that does not entail a victory for Russia, but at the same time provides for fair and realistic goals,” the Hungarian president said, emphasizing that Russia must also withdraw its troops from Ukraine.

Source: Novák at a press conference with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan during a visit to Ankara, reported by European Pravda, citing HVG

✅In his evening address, President Zelenskyy said that Ukraine has taken another step to strengthen its spiritual independence and that the Ukrainian state grants religious freedom. “Today, a step has also been taken to strengthen the spiritual independence of our state, to protect our society from the old and cynical Moscow manipulation of religion. Ukraine is the territory of the greatest religious freedom in our part of Europe. It has been so since 1991. It will always be so.”

❗️Ukraine urgently needs 4+ generation multi-purpose fighters, and since the transfer of aviation equipment is a complicated process, preparations must begin now.

–Colonel Yurii Ihnat, spokesman for the Air Force of Ukraine stated that “Neither Polish or Czech MiGs (although these are reinforcements and we need them) nor Mirages or Tornadoes will help us. I would ask all experts to refrain from making superfluous comments. Look up the Mirage-2000 on Wikipedia and learn how it is better than the MiG-29, and everything will become clear.”

▶️Lloyd Austin, US Secretary of Defense, said to the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee, that currently Ukraine needs air defense, long-range weapons and armored vehicles the most, and the F16 “at this stage of the war” will not help the Ukrainians.

☢️Ukrainian national nuclear energy company Energoatom reported that Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, has left the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) following his visit today. “The second visit of the IAEA Director General to Ukraine’s (and all of Europe’s) largest nuclear power plant since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine lasted a few hours.

–Rafael Grossi returned to Ukrainian-controlled territory, joined by the experts from the Agency’s permanent mission who had been at ZNPP until today’s rotation. Other IAEA representatives will continue to monitor the situation at the plant.”

✅Despite an increased number of reports of possible misuse of US aid, its inspectors have found no signs of serious violations in this regard.

–Source: Nicole Angarella, Acting Inspector General of the US Agency for International Development (USAID), at a special meeting in the US Senate on Wednesday, as reported by European Pravda

–Angarella said that since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, the United States has created a multi-level system of oversight over American aid to Ukraine and conducted outreach work to raise awareness of how to report suspected violations.

✅On the anniversary of the sinking of the Russian cruiser Moskva (14 April 2022 – ed.), the National Military History Museum of Ukraine will unveil a new exhibition of artefacts from the sunken flagship of the Russian Black Sea Fleet.

🍿Tonight’s episode of the Russians are batshit crazy and morally bankrupt. Tonight’s theme: The Zakharova and Lavrov Show!

🔘Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Zakharova: “US authorities’ claim to leadership in promoting democratic values on a global scale is the height of hypocrisy since their reputation in this realm cannot even be called dubious. It has been ruined completely. The facts are widely known.” What did she say? More word salad.🥗🥗🥗🥗🥗

🔘Zakharova: “Responsible participants in intl communication should not engage in “democratization” or draw dividing lines. It is high time US & allies resume compliance with intl law & join efforts to create conditions for peaceful coexistence & mutually beneficial cooperation.” Peaceful coexistence?!!! 🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡

🔘Lavrov Three-quarters of the countries around the world chose not to join the sanctions against Russia. They adopted a balanced position on the situation in and around Ukraine despite the unprecedented pressure, blackmail & threats coming from U.S. and their satellites.” Ummmm. Apparently he didn’t see the voting record from the last UN General Assembly meeting. 🤥🤥🤥🤥🤥

🔘Lavrov “Russia is fighting to not just eliminate threats to its security that are being created right on Russia’s borders, but to uphold Russian statehood as well. We will respond in a tough manner to any and all unfriendly actions, and use all the means that are available to us. Clearly Lavrov doesn’t understand that nobody wants their dung heap of a country. 💩💩💩💩

That’s it for tonight folks. It’s almost day 400. Keep those words of support and prayers coming for our Ukrainian friends! Find ways to help! #SlavaUkraini #StandWithUkraine #braveukraine #UkraineWillWin #russiaisaterroriststate #RussiaIsCollapsing #PutinIsaWarCriminal #FuckPutin #fucklukashenko #fuckIran

Reported by Christine Stuermer