Key developments on April 16:
- Ukrainian drones reportedly strike one other Russian missile brigade linked to Sumy assault
- North Korea earns over $20 billion aiding Russia's battle effort, report says
- Kyiv doesn't rule out North Korean participation in Russia's assault on Sumy, Kharkiv oblasts
- Russia arms 'kamikaze' drones with chemical weapons, Ukraine says
- Russia has violated 'power ceasefire' greater than 30 instances, Ukraine says
Ukrainian drones struck the Russian metropolis of Shuya in Ivanovo Oblast on April 16, reportedly focusing on navy infrastructure linked to Russia's 112th Missile Brigade, in keeping with impartial Russian media outlet Astra.
The 112th Brigade, together with the 448th Missile Brigade, was concerned in a lethal missile strike on the Ukrainian metropolis of Sumy on Palm Sunday on April 13 that killed a minimum of 35 civilians, Ukraine's intelligence stated.
The Russian Protection Ministry claimed that seven Ukrainian drones have been destroyed over Ivanovo Oblast on April 16. Native authorities reported no fatalities, however two folks have been reportedly injured and acquired medical consideration.
The Kyiv Unbiased couldn’t confirm the claims.
Images from the scene present plumes of smoke, and navy tools was deployed within the metropolis, in keeping with Astra.
Shuya is located on the Teza River, roughly 33 kilometers (20 miles) from the regional heart, Ivanovo. It lies about 700 kilometers (435 miles) northeast of the Ukrainian border.
Earlier, Ukraine's Normal Employees confirmed on April 15 that its forces had additionally focused and struck the bottom of the 448th Missile Brigade in Kursk Oblast.
The operation concerned Ukraine's Unmanned Methods Forces, the Particular Operations Forces, and the Safety Service of Ukraine (SBU) and was launched as retaliation for the Sumy assault.
Ukrainian officers have asserted that cluster munitions have been used within the Sumy assault, a severe violation of worldwide humanitarian legislation when utilized in civilian areas. The worldwide group broadly condemned the strike, labeling it a battle crime.
Ukraine's navy has pledged to trace and retaliate in opposition to all Russian items concerned in focusing on civilian populations.
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North Korea earns over $20 billion aiding Russia's battle effort, report says
North Korea's navy assist for Russia's full-scale battle in opposition to Ukraine has already earned Pyongyang greater than $20 billion, in keeping with South Korea's Institute for Protection Analyses (KIDA), Newsweek reported on April 16.
KIDA's estimates present that the majority income stems from large-scale artillery ammunition shipments. North Korean munitions now account for roughly half of the Russian military's artillery wants in Ukraine, with some front-line items solely reliant on the shells.
Between August 2023 and March 2025, North Korea reportedly shipped greater than 15,800 containers of munitions to Russia. Satellite tv for pc imagery revealed 64 voyages by Russian ships, doubtlessly delivering between 4.2 million and 5.8 million rounds of North Korean ammunition.
In return, Pyongyang is alleged to have acquired superior Russian weaponry and navy expertise, moderately than money. The report suggests North Korea prefers "in-kind and technical help" that enhances its personal protection trade and helps its long-term strategic targets.
North Korea deployed greater than 11,000 troops to assist Russia's battle efforts, most of whom have been despatched to Russia's Kursk Oblast. Ukraine estimates 5,000-6,000 casualties amongst them, highlighting the excessive human value of Pyongyang's involvement.
The deepening navy alliance raises broader regional considerations, with KIDA warning that nearer cooperation might result in Moscow intervening on the Korean Peninsula within the occasion of a disaster.
"Russia-North Korea navy cooperation raises the probabilities of Russia stepping in on the Korean peninsula if there's an emergency," the report stated, urging the worldwide group to undertake measures to sever the alliance.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has described North Korea as a "accomplice," confirming {that a} bilateral protection treaty signed in 2024 is now in power. He has additionally recommended that Pyongyang could possibly be included in future negotiations to finish the battle in Ukraine.
The Kyiv IndependentDaria Shulzhenko
Kyiv doesn't rule out North Korean participation in Russia's assault on Sumy, Kharkiv oblasts
Ukraine doesn’t rule out the chance that Russia will deploy North Korean troops within the offensives in opposition to the northeastern Sumy and Kharkiv oblasts, Andrii Cherniak, spokesperson for Ukraine's navy intelligence (HUR), informed Japanese broadcaster NHK in feedback printed on April 15.
The warning follows a press release from Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, who stated on April 9 that Moscow's spring offensive "has really already begun."
"Sadly, we will speak concerning the evolution, concerning the profitable coaching of the North Korean navy," Cherniak informed NHK final week, noting that Pyongyang's forces have adopted Russian ways of utilizing drones and digital warfare techniques.
Based on the intelligence spokesperson, North Korean troops function in small assault teams and don’t require ongoing coordination with Russian commanders.
They’re instructed to "attain this or that frontier," after which they transfer ahead independently, Cherniak defined. He added that the troopers don’t continually talk with the Russian aspect.
Cherniak warned that their battlefield expertise might be transferred again to North Korea and shared with different items, reinforcing Pyongyang's capabilities and contributing to instability within the Asia-Pacific area.
Cherniak's feedback come amid stories of different international fighters aiding Moscow. President Volodymyr Zelensky stated on April 11 that "a number of hundred" Chinese language nationals are additionally preventing in Russian ranks. Two have been captured in Donetsk Oblast earlier this month.
Beijing has denied any direct involvement within the battle, saying it has at all times appealed to its residents to keep away from armed conflicts.
Russia arms 'kamikaze' drones with chemical weapons, Ukraine says
Russian forces have deployed Shahed-type "kamikaze" drones carrying poisonous substances to assault Ukraine, the Heart for Countering Disinformation at Ukraine's Nationwide Safety and Protection Council stated on April 16.
Russia has been intensifying its use of chemical brokers on the battlefield in Ukraine, with Kyiv recording over 6,000 circumstances of use of munitions containing hazardous chemical compounds between February 2023 and 2025.
A capsule with CS gasoline, a riot management agent, was present in one Russian drone, the middle stated, including it had verified the knowledge with Ukraine's safety companies and the State Emergency Service.
CS gasoline, additionally known as tear gasoline, is usually used as a crowd-control agent by legislation enforcement businesses all over the world and is much less deadly than different chemical weapons. Its battlefield use is however banned below the 1925 Geneva Protocol.
"Russian forces might scatter the capsules with toxic substances to trigger hurt," the middle stated on Telegram. On the similar time, the company famous that claims circulating within the media that the drones themselves are coated with toxic substances haven’t been confirmed.
Because the starting of the all-out battle, Ukraine's radiation, chemical, and organic intelligence items have been monitoring and recording the usage of hazardous chemical compounds in assaults.
Ukraine struck again at Russia's use of unlawful chemical weapons in December 2024, when the Safety Service of Ukraine (SBU) assassinated Lieutenant Normal Igor Kirillov, the top of the Russian Armed Forces' radiation, chemical, and organic protection troops.
The Kyiv IndependentFrancis Farrell
Russia has violated 'power ceasefire' greater than 30 instances, Ukraine says
Russia has violated a partial ceasefire overlaying power infrastructure greater than 30 instances because it was agreed in March, focusing on important infrastructure throughout Ukraine, a Ukrainian Overseas Ministry spokesperson stated on April 16.
"We frequently ship detailed info on every of those violations to accomplice international locations and the headquarters of worldwide organizations," Overseas Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi stated throughout a briefing, Ukrinform reported.
Tykhyi famous that three violations have been recorded prior to now 24 hours. Russian assaults broken transformers in Mykolaiv Oblast and close to Kherson and an influence transmission line in Poltava Oblast.
He emphasised that Ukrainian officers are actively sharing details about the breaches with worldwide companions, together with the U.S.
The power ceasefire was supposed to protect energy infrastructure from assaults and has been in place since March 25. Kyiv has repeatedly accused Moscow of repeatedly disregarding the association.
Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to a 30-day pause of power infrastructure strikes throughout a name with U.S. President Donald Trump on March 18, allegedly ordering a halt of assaults on Ukraine's power system.
The partial ceasefire agreed to in March additionally included a maritime truce within the Black Sea. As a part of the association, Washington pledged to assist facilitate Russia's agricultural and fertilizer exports by easing maritime insurance coverage prices and enhancing entry to ports and fee techniques.
The Kremlin acknowledged that its participation within the partial ceasefire within the Black Sea would solely start as soon as sure Western sanctions have been lifted.
Ukraine and the US beforehand agreed to a whole 30-day ceasefire throughout talks in Jeddah on March 11. Russia rejected the proposal except it included concessions that may undermine Kyiv's potential to defend itself, together with a full halt to international navy help.
Whereas U.S.-led diplomatic efforts to finish the battle are ongoing, Ukrainian officers say Russia continues to insist on maximalist calls for and has proven little willingness to pursue a complete peace settlement. Kyiv maintains it’s prepared for an entire ceasefire if Moscow agrees to reciprocate.
All through the full-scale battle, Russia has constantly focused Ukraine's energy grid with missile and drone strikes. In response, Ukraine has used long-range drones to strike oil and gasoline services deep inside Russian territory.
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The Kyiv IndependentDaria Shulzhenko