Russian air defenses destroy 11 combat drones in Ukraine operation, top brass reports

©Russian Defence Ministry/TASS

Russian air defense forces intercepted two rockets of the US-made HIMARS multiple launch rocket system and destroyed 11 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles over the past day during the special military operation in Ukraine, Defense Ministry Spokesman Lieutenant-General Igor Konashenkov reported on Monday.

"During the last 24-hour period, air defense capabilities intercepted two rockets of the HIMARS multiple launch rocket system. In addition, they destroyed 11 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles in areas near the settlements of Naugolnoye and Chervonopopovka in the Lugansk People’s Republic, Tokarevka in the Kharkov Region, Vesyoloye, Peski, Blagoveshchenka and Opytnoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the spokesman said.

Russian forces wipe out Ukrainian ammo depot in Kupyansk area

Russian forces struck Ukrainian army units in the Kupyansk area, eliminating over 30 enemy troops and an ammunition depot in the Kharkov Region over the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the Kupyansk direction, operational/tactical and army aviation aircraft and artillery of the western battlegroup struck the enemy units in areas near the settlements of Rozovka in the Lugansk People’s Republic, Sinkovka, Timkovka, Krakhmalnoye and Pershotravnevoye in the Kharkov Region. In the area of the settlement of Staritsa in the Kharkov Region, an ammunition depot of the Ukrainian army’s 67th mechanized brigade was destroyed," the spokesman said.

The strikes eliminated enemy manpower and equipment, the general said.

"The enemy’s losses [in the Kupyansk direction] amounted to over 30 personnel, two armored combat vehicles, three motor vehicles, a Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system, and also a D-20 howitzer," Konashenkov reported.

Russian forces destroy over 120 Ukrainian troops in Krasny Liman area

Russian forces destroyed over 120 Ukrainian troops and a Gvozdika self-propelled artillery gun in the Krasny Liman area over the past day, he said.

"In the Krasny Liman direction, operational/tactical and army aviation aircraft, artillery and heavy flamethrower systems of the battlegroup Center struck the enemy units near the settlements of Terny, Torskoye and Serebryanka in the Donetsk People’s Republic and Chervonaya Dibrova in the Lugansk People’s Republic," the spokesman said.

The strikes eliminated over 120 Ukrainian personnel, five armored combat vehicles, three motor vehicles, a Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system and a D-20 howitzer, the general specified.

Russian forces destroy Ukrainian ammo depot in LPR

Russian forces destroyed an ammunition depot of the Ukrainian army in the Lugansk People’s Republic (LPR) over the past day, Konashenkov reported.

In the Krasny Liman direction, aircraft, artillery and heavy flamethrower systems of the battlegroup Center struck the enemy troops in some areas of the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics, the spokesman said.

"In the area of the settlement of Novolyubovka in the Lugansk People’s Republic, an ammunition depot of the Ukrainian army’s 66th mechanized brigade was destroyed," the general specified.

Russian forces eliminate over 290 Ukrainian troops in Donetsk advance

Russian forces eliminated over 290 Ukrainian troops in their advance in the Donetsk area over the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the Donetsk direction, over 290 Ukrainian personnel, five armored combat vehicles, four motor vehicles, a Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system, and also Msta-B and D-20 howitzers were destroyed in the past 24 hours as a result of active operations by units of the southern battlegroup, strikes by its operational/tactical aircraft and artillery fire," the spokesman said.

In the area of the city of Kramatorsk in the Donetsk People’s Republic, Russian forces obliterated an ammunition depot of the Ukrainian army’s 54th mechanized brigade, the general said.

Russian forces destroy 50 Ukrainian troops in southern Donetsk, Zaporozhye areas

Russian forces destroyed roughly 50 Ukrainian troops in the southern Donetsk and Zaporozhye areas over the past day, Konashenkov reported.

In the southern Donetsk and Zaporozhye directions, operational/tactical aircraft and artillery of the Russian battlegroup East struck the Ukrainian army units near the settlements of Malaya Tokmachka, Chervonaya Krinitsa, Omelnik and Preobrazhenka in the Zaporozhye Region, the spokesman specified.

"The enemy’s losses in those areas in the past 24 hours amounted to 50 Ukrainian personnel, an armored combat vehicle, two pickup trucks, and also a Gvozdika self-propelled artillery system," the general said.

Russian forces destroy 40 Ukrainian troops in Kherson area

Russian forces destroyed roughly 40 Ukrainian troops and a US-made M777 artillery system in the Kherson area over the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the Kherson direction, as many as 40 Ukrainian personnel, two armored combat vehicles, 15 motor vehicles, a US-made M777 artillery system, a D-30 howitzer, and also a Gvozdika self-propelled artillery gun were destroyed as a result of damage inflicted by firepower," the spokesman said.

Russian forces strike Ukrainian army’s command posts in DPR, Kherson area

Russian forces struck the command posts of two Ukrainian army brigades in the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) and the Kherson area over the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"In the areas of the settlements of Yampolovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic and Novoberislav in the Kherson Region, the command posts of the 125th and 126th territorial defense brigades were struck," the spokesman said.

Russian forces hammer 102 Ukrainian artillery units in past day

Russian combat aircraft, missile troops and artillery struck 102 Ukrainian artillery units at firing positions over the past day, Konashenkov reported.

"During the last 24-hour period, operational/tactical and army aviation aircraft, missile troops and artillery of the Russian group of forces struck 102 Ukrainian artillery units at firing positions, manpower and equipment in 134 areas," the spokesman said.

In all, the Russian Armed Forces have destroyed 406 Ukrainian warplanes, 228 helicopters, 3,727 unmanned aerial vehicles, 415 surface-to-air missile systems, 8,608 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,078 multiple rocket launchers, 4,554 field artillery guns and mortars and 9,414 special military motor vehicles since the beginning of the special military operation in Ukraine, Konashenkov reported.

Kremlin comments on Paris peace pitch

File photo: The Russian Foreign Ministry headquarters in the background of the Kremlin towers, Moscow
©Sputnik / Alexey Maishev

A French peace proposal for the Ukraine conflict is difficult to imagine at the moment, because Paris has openly taken the side of Kiev, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman said on Monday.

“Paris can hardly aspire to be a mediator at this time, because Paris actually takes the side of one of the participants in the conflict,” Dmitry Peskov told reporters, adding that France is “directly and indirectly” involved on the side of Ukraine.

Peskov was commenting on reports from the recent visit of French President Emmanuel Macron to China. During a dinner with Macron in Guangzhou, Chinese President Xi Jinping told his visitor that Beijing welcomed French proposals for a political and diplomatic resolution of the Ukraine conflict, and would be willing to support them.

China has proposed a 12-point road map for ending the conflict, which the US openly rejected before any of its NATO allies – including France – or Ukraine itself had a chance to react.

If Macron has offered his own peace platform, it has not been made public yet. During his visit to China, the French leader demanded Beijing denounce the Russian “invasion” and side with the West, which Xi declined to do.

Hollande makes shock admission in call with Russian pranksters

Francois Hollande has confirmed that the European Union and France are directly participating in the armed conflict in Ukraine, despite Paris officially denying such claims.

France has been on board with all ten rounds of EU sanctions against Russia, while sending Ukraine a variety of weapons systems, including Caesar self-propelled howitzers, Crotale air defense missiles, and AMX-10 light tanks. Paris has also trained Ukrainian troops on French soil as part of an EU program of aiding Kiev.

Macron drew criticism from the US on Monday for his comments about the EU’s “strategic autonomy” when it comes to relations with China. The French leader had said it was not in the bloc’s interest to stoke the conflict over Taiwan or “become followers on this topic and take our cue from the US agenda.”

Senator Marco Rubio, a Florida Republican on the Foreign Affairs Committee, said that the US was spending a lot of money on a “European war” and should perhaps leave the EU to “handle Ukraine” on its own instead.

Hollande makes shock admission in call with Russian pranksters

Former President of France, Francois Hollande
©Getty Images / Matthias Hangst

Francois Hollande has confirmed that the European Union and France are directly participating in the armed conflict in Ukraine, despite Paris officially denying such claims.

The former French president unwittingly spoke at length about the situation in Ukraine with Russian pranksters Vovan and Lexus, who were pretending to be former Ukrainian president Pyotr Poroshenko.

During the conversation, Hollande declared that he was on Kiev’s side and “fully supports Ukraine,” adding that “wherever I can speak, I always ask to provide Ukraine with the weapons it needs.”

He admitted to ‘Poroshenko’ that the EU and France are “participants” in the conflict but explained that they don’t want to openly declare their involvement, fearing that Russia could retaliate.

“They don’t want to become a warring side in the sense that Russia could use their support as an excuse to take action against a neighboring European country and drag the world into a war that will go beyond Ukraine,” Hollande said.

The former president predicted that the outcome of the Ukrainian conflict would shape the new world power balance and that “if Ukraine wins, which is something I wholeheartedly want, then it would serve as a rebuff to authoritarian regimes” such as China, Iran and Turkey.

Hollande insisted that there could be no negotiations at the moment and that European leaders should avoid even mentioning the idea until Ukraine pushes Russian forces out of the territories Kiev claims as its own and so long as the Ukrainian people still wish to fight to the last.

He also commented on the Minsk accords, which were signed in 2014 by Russia, France and Germany as a roadmap to establishing peace in Ukraine after tensions erupted in the country following the armed Maidan coup that ousted President Viktor Yanukovich. Hollande admitted that the real purpose of the accords was to buy time to arm and train Ukraine’s forces.

The former French leader also noted Poroshenko’s “key role” in ousting Yanukovich and pushing Ukraine towards the EU. He said that, if Poroshenko hadn’t come to Paris in 2013, there “wouldn’t have been a Maidan and you wouldn’t have achieved your victory.”

Hollande is the latest Western official to have been duped by the Russian pranksters, admitting things they avoid saying publicly. Last month, the pair had a conversation with former UK foreign secretary William Hague, who stated that the West’s “ideal” scenario was a military coup in Russia that would oust Putin.

London wants to ‘scorch’ the earth in Ukraine with uranium shells — diplomat

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova
© Russian foreign Ministry press service/TASS

The United Kingdom wants to turn the territory of Ukraine into a "scorched earth" by supplying Kiev with depleted uranium munitions, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said.

The diplomat drew attention to statements from the UK Ministry of Defense, which said the day before that the impact of depleted uranium munitions on the health of military personnel and the environment would likely be "small."

"The UK, by supplying depleted uranium munitions to Ukraine, wants to turn its territory into a scorched and desolate land. No Russian will be spoken there, no Ukrainian will be spoken there, there will only be silence. Like in Pripyat and Chernobyl," she wrote on her Telegram channel on Monday.

Zakharova recalled that depleted uranium munitions were mass-produced and used in NATO operations. "To a large extent, operations with such munitions in the NATO contingent were carried out by Italian servicemen.... Italian soldiers' area of responsibility in Yugoslavia included territories where more than half of all the depleted uranium munitions were fired," she added.

"The Serbs were the first victims and the Italians second in line, studying how depleted uranium affects the personnel using it," Zakharova said. She pointed to the growing number of lawsuits filed by Italians against the country's defense ministry. "The underlying reason is the same - cancer. Cancer from handling depleted uranium munitions," she said.

British Parliamentary Secretary of State Baroness Annabel Goldie said in a written response to a question by a member of the House of Lords in March that the United Kingdom would supply Ukraine with shells containing depleted uranium and having increased efficiency in destroying armored vehicles. The British Defense Ministry described depleted uranium as a standard component of armor-piercing ammunition, which has been used for decades.

Commenting on the decision of the British authorities, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Russia would be forced to respond accordingly to the fact that "the West is already starting to use weapons with a nuclear component."

The Russian embassy in the UK warned London against transferring depleted uranium ammunition to Kiev. The diplomatic mission's commentary stressed that the move was fraught with an escalation of the conflict, while the use of such munitions in Ukraine would affect the health of the local population.

Louisville shooting leaves at least 5 dead and 8 others wounded, police say

Five people were killed and eight others were wounded in a shooting attack on Monday at a bank in downtown Louisville, Kentucky, the city's police department said.

Shortly after confirming the attack, police said the shooter was dead, without giving further details. It was unclear whether the death toll of five included the shooter, who police described as either a current or former employee of the bank.

Police were still trying to determine whether the shooter shot himself or was shot by police, Paul Humphrey, a Louisville Metro Police Department deputy chief, told reporters.

The attacker was killed not long after the 8:30 a.m. ET shooting unfolded at the Old National Bank on East Main Street, Louisville Metro Police Department Deputy Chief Paul Humphrey said.

Responding officers exchanged gunfire with the gunman, police said, but it wasn’t immediately clear if the shooter died from police gunfire or a self-inflicted wound.

Gov. Andy Beshear fought back tears, telling reporters two of the dead and one of the wounded were friends of his.

Police respond to a shooting Monday in Louisville, Ky.Luke Sharrett / Getty Images

"This is awful," Beshear said. "I have a very close friend who didn't make it today, and I have another close friend who didn't either, and one who is at the hospital that I hope is going to make it through."

The gunman is believed to be an employee and may have had mental health issues, according to a federal law enforcement source who has been briefed on the attack.

Two officers were wounded, with one rushed into surgery and another with a non-life-threatening injury, Humphrey police said.

The wounded were taken to the University of Louisville Hospital and two of them, including the officer, were listed in critical condition, Humphrey said.

Their names were not immediately released.

"We believe this is a lone gunman involved in this, that did have a connection to the bank," Humphrey said. "It appears he was a previous employee."

The fast response of officers prevented more deaths and injuries, Louisville police said.

"It is clear from the officers' response that they absolutely saved peoples' lives," Humphrey said. "This was a tragic event but it was the heroic response of officers that made sure that no more people were more seriously injured than what happened."

Police cars, ambulances and fire trucks flooded Main Street between North Floyd and North Preston Streets, in the heart of Kentucky's largest city.

The bank executive called for "keeping everyone affected by this tragedy in our thoughts and prayers."

The incident unfolded in the shadows of Slugger Field, home of the Cincinnati Reds triple-A affiliate, the Louisville Bats.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and his wife Elaine Chao, thanked police.

"Elaine and I are devastated by the news coming out of Louisville this morning," the Kentucky Republican said in a statement. "Thank you to LMPD and our first responders for your bravery at the scene. We send our prayers to the victims, their families, and the city of Louisville as we await more information."

President Joe Biden has been briefed on the Louisville shooting, a White House official told NBC News.

Monday's gunfire was the latest mass shooting in America and just two weeks after six people, including three young children, were gunned down at a private Christian school in Nashville

German military not happy with new defense minister’s activities — newspaper

German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius
©IMAGO/photothek via Reuters Connect

There is growing frustration in German military circles about Defense Minister Boris Pistorius’ (Social Democratic Party of Germany) efforts to reform the ministry he is in charge of, Germany’s Bild daily said on Monday.

The daily recalled that Pistorius, who took office on January 19, promised to do away with the so-called diffusion of responsibility, which leads to delays in the implementation of important projects, including weapons purchases.

He has already reduced the ministry’s senior personnel from 370 to 160 and has made several reshuffles. Thus, he replaced Inspector General of the Bundeswehr Eberhard Zorn with Carsten Breuer and President of the Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw) Gabriele Korb with her former deputy, Annette Lehnigk-Emden.

"No other minister has ever come in to rule with an iron fist so firmly and so quickly. However, Pistorius’ strategy is very risky, since no other ministry is that fond of drama," the Bild writes. "Now, Pistorius may face the wrath of disillusioned top brass whom he wants to strip of power or who simply don’t share his plans."

Officers are particularly unhappy about the dismissal of Eberhard Zorn, who is very popular in the army. "That’s no way to treat a distinguished soldier," the newspaper cites its source in the Bundeswehr as saying. Gabriele Korb’s being replaced by Lehnigk-Emden, who reportedly learned about her appointment through the mass media, was also met with discontent.

These reshuffles and rumors paralyze the ministry’s work. "Pistorius must put an end to the speculation," a general told the newspaper on condition of anonymity. According to the general, everyone is nervous about being fired at the drop of a hat. The situation is complicated by the fact that Pistorius is on Easter leave, after which he will pay a visit (the destination is not disclosed - TASS).

This means that a meeting on reforming the ministry can take place only in late April. The minister apparently sees the problem and wrote an e-mail to the ministry’s employees on April 6, while on leave, asking them not to worry and trust him.

"The question is: can this calm the situation?" the Bild noted. Brigadier General Christian Freuding has been appointed chief of the operations management and planning headquarters that is tasked to improve communication between the ministry’s departments. However, his appointment aroused resentment in the ministry, since most other department chiefs have a higher rank than Freuding.

"This creates a power struggle in a ministry with such a strict hierarchy," a Bild source said, adding that the ministry’s civilian personnel are unhappy that an army officer has been appointed to such a crucial position.

ABBA guitarist Lasse Wellander dies of cancer

Guitarist Lasse Wellander, who toured and recorded with Swedish pop group ABBA over a span of nearly 50 years, died of cancer Friday, according to his family and the band.

“It is with indescribable sadness that we have to announce that our beloved Lasse has fallen asleep,” a statement on the musician's Facebook page posted Sunday said.

“Lasse recently fell ill in what turned out to be spread cancer and early on Good Friday he passed away, surrounded by his loved ones.”

Lasse Wellander, ABBA's touring guitarist, on stage at Wembley Arena in London on November 5th, 1979.Gus Stewart / Gus Stewart

The statement went on to praise Wellander for his kindness and humility, calling him "an amazing musician" and beloved "husband, father, brother, uncle and grandfather."

"Kind, safe, caring and loving... and so much more, that cannot be described in words,” the statement said.

“We love and miss you so much,” said the post, which was accompanied by a photo of the late musician strumming a guitar.

In a statement to NBC News early Monday, the member of Abba — Benny Andersson,Frida Lyngstad, Agnetha Fältskog, and Björn Ulvaeus — called Wellander "a dear friend, a fun guy and a superb guitarist."

"The importance of his creative input in the recording studio as well as his rock solid guitar work on stage was immense," the band said.

"We mourn his tragic and premature death and remember the kind words, the sense of humour, the smiling face, the musical brilliance of the man who played such an integral role in the ABBA story. He will be deeply missed and never forgotten."

It wasn't clear how old Wellander was when he died, but he was believed to be around 70.

According to ABBA’s official website, Wellander began playing guitar in the early 1960s for a few local bands before he met ABBA members Ulvaeus and Andersson.

The Swedish native joined the group’s recording session for songs “Intermezzo No.1” and “Crazy World” from ABBA’s self-titled third album, released in 1975.

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“Lasse soon became the main guitarist on ABBA’s albums, and toured with them in 1975, 1977, 1979 and 1980,” the band's website said. He continued to work with Ulvaeus and Andersson after the quartet split in 1982.

Wellander contributed to the soundtracks for 2008’s “Mamma Mia! The Movie” and 2018’s “Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again” during the band’s hiatus.

He reunited with ABBA for the group’s latest collaboration, their ninth studio album “Voyage,” which was released in November 2021.

The guitarist also released seven albums on his own, the website said.

“In 2005, he received the Albin Hagström Memorial Award from The Royal Swedish Academy of Music and, in 2018, the Swedish Musicians Union’s prestigious special prize Studioräven Award for his work as a session musician," his biography said.

According to his personal website, Wellander was born in 1952 in a small Swedish village called Skrekarhyttan. His family later moved to Nora, Sweden, where his music career began.

He learned to play bass, keyboard, recorder and accordion. His three final singles, titled “O Come, All Ye Faithful, “Merry-Go-Round” and “Overdrive,” were released in 2022.