Key developments on April 22:

• Explosions rock what might be certainly one of Russia's largest weapons arsenals in Vladimir Oblast
• Putin gives US to freeze Ukraine warfare alongside present entrance line, FT stories
• Zelensky guidelines out recognizing Crimea as Russian, warns in opposition to taking part in into Putin's 'sport'
• Russia used Easter truce to regroup in Lyman sector, launched offensive after, army says
• Japan to offer Ukraine with geospatial intelligence, media stories

Explosions have erupted at a Russian weapons arsenal in Vladimir Oblast on April 22, inflicting a hearth, the Russian Protection Ministry reported on Telegram.

In line with Ukrainian protection media outlet Militarnyi, the ability in query is Russia's 51st Arsenal of the Important Missile and Artillery Directorate – certainly one of Russia's largest weapons arsenals, positioned about 530 kilometers (330 miles) from the Ukrainian border.

The Kyiv Unbiased couldn’t confirm the claims.

In line with the Russian Protection Ministry, the hearth erupted on the website as a result of a violation of security protocols when working with explosive supplies. No casualties have been reported.

Russian Protection Minister Andrei Belousov has ordered the creation of a particular fee to research the incident.

The Russian Emergencies Ministry reported {that a} army unit, seven settlements, and 12 vacation villages had been evacuated because of the incident.

Unbiased Russian media outlet ASTRA reported, citing native residents, a strong blast on the base, adopted by continued secondary detonations.

Following the incident, roads resulting in the close by city of Kirzhach from Moscow had been closed. In line with Russian state-controlled media outlet Kommersant, Russian authorities ordered evacuations from the settlements of Barsovo and Mirny.

Vladimir Oblast Governor Alexander Avdeev confirmed the explosions however warned journalists and residents in opposition to spreading details about the incident earlier than "verified official knowledge" is launched, threatening fines for violations.

Evaluation of images from the ability means that the arsenal saved a variety of weapons, together with medium-caliber artillery shells and missiles for anti-aircraft methods, Militarnyi reported.

In line with Militarnyi, the ability additionally housed a laboratory for monitoring the situation of artillery propellants and explosives, in addition to workshops geared up to check high-tech weapons methods.

Along with specialised tools, the 51st Arsenal and related bases beneath the Important Missile and Artillery Directorate are believed to retailer giant stockpiles of heavy artillery shells, munitions for a number of launch rocket methods (MLRS), and small arms ammunition.

The ability has a historical past of comparable incidents. On June 22, 2022, a detonation of ammunition occurred throughout unloading operations, killing three servicemen and a civilian specialist and critically injuring one other.

Russian bombs kill 1, injure 23 in Zaporizhzhia amid Kyiv’s calls for civilian infrastructure truceRussian forces attacked the city at around 11:40 a.m. with two KAB bombs, with one hitting an infrastructure facility and another a multi-story residential building in Zaporizhzhia’s residential neighborhood, Governor Ivan Fedorov said.The Kyiv IndependentKateryna Hodunova

Putin gives US to freeze Ukraine warfare alongside present entrance line, FT stories

Russian President Vladimir Putin has supplied the U.S. to halt his full-scale invasion of Ukraine alongside the present entrance line, the Monetary Instances (FT) reported on April 22, citing unnamed sources conversant in the talks.

Putin reportedly conveyed the provide throughout a latest assembly with U.S. Particular Envoy Steve Witkoff in St. Petersburg. This might be the primary formal indication from Putin for the reason that full-scale warfare started in 2022 that Russia could take into account scaling again its territorial calls for.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, responding to the report, solid doubt on its accuracy. "A whole lot of fakes are being revealed now, together with these revealed by revered publications, so one ought to solely take heed to major sources," he advised the Russian state-controlled media outlet RIA Novosti.

Russia illegally declared ownership over Ukraine's Crimea in 2014 and over Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, Donetsk, and Luhansk oblasts in 2022, in violation of worldwide regulation. Russia solely partially occupies the 4 oblasts.

Moscow has repeatedly demanded worldwide recognition of the areas as Russian and that Ukrainian troops utterly withdraw from them as a part of any peace negotiations.

Putin's message reportedly prompted Washington to suggest a "peace settlement," components of which have since been revealed in media stories, in line with the FT.

In line with the Wall Street Journal, the U.S. proposal — introduced in a confidential April 17 assembly in Paris — includes doubtlessly recognizing Russia's annexation of Crimea and barring Ukraine from NATO membership.

Ukraine has been requested to reply this week, with a follow-up assembly scheduled in London on April 23 involving delegations from Ukraine, the U.S., the U.Okay., and France. If the events attain a consensus, the proposal could also be formally launched to Moscow.

European officers cited by the FT expressed concern that Putin's provide is designed to push U.S. President Donald Trump towards accepting broader Kremlin calls for.

Witkoff, who conveyed Putin's place and is predicted to visit Moscow this week, has drawn criticism for backing proposals perceived as aligning with Russian pursuits.

Washington has signaled that if no progress is made within the coming days, it could abandon its ceasefire mediation efforts.

‘Territories are first and foremost people:’ Zaporizhzhia, Kherson residents anxiously watch Witkoff debate the land they live onZaporizhzhia — During what would usually be evening rush hour in Zaporizhzhia, cars move easily through main streets that were once choked with traffic. As the shadows grow longer, soldiers calmly remove camouflage netting from the air defense weapons they’ll man against Russia’s deadly attacks until the sun risesThe Kyiv IndependentAndrea Januta

Zelensky guidelines out recognizing Crimea as Russian, warns in opposition to taking part in into Putin's 'sport'

Ukraine is not going to legally acknowledge Russia's occupation of Crimea beneath any circumstances, President Volodymyr Zelensky stated throughout a briefing in Kyiv on April 22.

"There’s nothing to speak about. This violates our Structure. That is our territory, the territory of the individuals of Ukraine," the president told reporters.

Zelensky warned that any dialogue of Crimea dangers shifting negotiations right into a framework dictated by the Kremlin. He stated such proposals play immediately into Russian President Vladimir Putin's "sport."

"As quickly as talks about Crimea and our sovereign territories start, the talks enter the format that Russia needs — prolonging the warfare – as a result of it is not going to be potential to agree on every thing rapidly," he added.

Whereas acknowledging that indicators about Crimea have surfaced in several channels, Zelensky stated Ukraine would reject instantly any official proposal.

"We all know the place these indicators are sounding and can proceed to sound," he stated, including that he was uncertain whether or not they originated from Russia or sure U.S. representatives engaged in dialogue with Putin.

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On April 14, U.S. Particular Envoy Steve Witkoff told Fox Information {that a} potential peace deal might heart on the standing of 5 territories.

Whereas he didn’t title them explicitly, he’s believed to be referring to Crimea, illegally annexed by Russia in 2014, together with the partially occupied areas of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson.

Zelensky stated the Ukrainian delegation going to London may have a mandate to debate phrases for a full or partial ceasefire with Russia. Ukraine is able to negotiate with Russia in any format however solely after an unconditional halt to hostilities, he added.

Zelensky additionally harassed that sustained worldwide strain — particularly from the United States — is critical to succeed in a significant settlement.

"We've been at warfare for over 11 years," Zelensky stated. "Is it potential to succeed in an settlement with Russia rapidly? No, it’s not. It’s inconceivable with out strain."

Regardless of expressing frustration over Russia's refusal to de-escalate the warfare, U.S. President Donald Trump has to this point averted imposing any main sanctions or taking punitive motion in opposition to Moscow.

Trump hopes to ‘end war’ this week. Here’s what you need to knowU.S. President Donald Trump declared that Russia and Ukraine could reach a war-ending deal “this week,” as his team threatens that Washington could ditch the peace talks efforts if no step is taken in the near future. “Both will then start to do big business with the United StatesThe Kyiv IndependentAsami Terajima

Russia used Easter truce to regroup in Lyman sector, launched offensive after, army says

Russian forces within the Lyman sector of Donetsk Oblast violated the one-day Easter ceasefire, used it to regroup, and launched a large-scale infantry assault shortly after its finish, Anastasiia Blyshchyk, spokesperson for Ukraine's 66th Separate Mechanized Brigade, advised Suspilne media on April 22.

Russian President Vladimir Putin declared a symbolic one-day ceasefire on April 19, which President Volodymyr Zelensky stated was violated round 3,000 occasions.

"This so-called truce did extra harm to us," Blyshchyk stated. "A number of hours after Putin introduced the ceasefire, our positions got here beneath large artillery fireplace."

In line with the spokesperson, Russian forces exploited the lull to reposition models and put together for renewed assaults.

"We noticed them pulling up their infantry to the entrance line together with weapons, together with rocket-propelled grenade launchers and machine weapons," she stated.

"Our aerial reconnaissance recorded greater than 120 Russian occupiers dispersing in plantations, forest belts, destroyed buildings, and dugouts throughout the so-called Easter truce."

Blyshchyk added that after the truce ended, Russian forces launched a large-scale infantry offensive.

The Lyman sector in northern Donetsk Oblast stays one of the vital fiercely contested areas alongside the entrance line. Its strategic significance lies in its proximity to key transport routes and logistics corridors.

The assault follows statements from Ukrainian army management that Russia's anticipated spring offensive is already underway.

On April 9, Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi confirmed that Moscow had begun its spring marketing campaign, with intensified assaults throughout a number of sectors of the entrance line.

Our readers’ questions about the war, answered. Vol. 8Editor’s note: We asked members of the Kyiv Independent community to share the questions they have about the war. Here’s what they asked and how we answered. Join our community to ask a question in the next round. Question: Is Ukraine formulating a plan to receive and house refugees fromThe Kyiv IndependentThe Kyiv Independent

Japan to offer Ukraine with geospatial intelligence, media stories

Japan's Kyushu College Institute for Q-shu Pioneers of House (iQPS) has agreed to offer Ukraine's army intelligence company (HUR) with artificial aperture radar (SAR) imagery, Intelligence On-line journal reported on April 21.

Japanese and Ukrainian authorities reportedly started discussing potential assist in February, with the talks gaining urgency after the U.S. briefly paused intelligence help for Kyiv in early March.

iQPS, which plans to launch its seventh SAR commentary satellite tv for pc by late 2026, agreed with Kyiv on a timeline of two to 3 months to put in related software program onto Ukrainian intelligence's platforms, the journal wrote.

The Kyiv Unbiased couldn’t instantly confirm the claims.

SAR expertise, which might recreate two-dimensional or three-dimensional pictures of landscapes or objects, has broad army functions. It could actually assist observe enemy motion and installations no matter climate situations.

Ukraine receives intelligence assist from different companions, together with France and the U.Okay. Nonetheless, the U.S.-imposed pause underscored its important function in army planning, particularly in launching long-range strikes and intercepting Russian aerial assaults.

Washington claimed its halt on intelligence assist, which coincided with the freezing of arms provides, prolonged solely to offensive operations. Whereas the U.S. resumed the help after progress in ceasefire talks, the transfer ramped up issues about additional cuts sooner or later.

Ukraine's army closely depends on Starlink, a communications system owned by Elon Musk, U.S. President Donald Trump's shut ally and critic of army help to Kyiv. French satellite tv for pc operator Eutelsat pledged to scale up its operations in Ukraine however stated it couldn’t at the moment substitute the 50,000 Starlink terminals working within the nation.

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