Death toll from Russian attack on Kryvyi Rih on 4 April rises to 2

A 23-year-old man who was injured in the Russian strike on the city of Kryvyi Rih on 4 April has died – thus, the death toll from that attack has risen to 20.

On the evening of 4 April, the Russians conducted a ballistic missile strike on a residential area in Kryvyi Rih: 19 people were killed, including nine children. Another 75 people were injured.

North Korea supplied Russia with 4 to 6 million shells

North Korea has become a crucial supplier of arms to Russia, having delivered at least four million artillery shells over the past 20 months, according to a joint investigation by Reuters and the British Open Source Centre (OSC). The weapons, transported via sea and rail from the North Korean port of Rajin to Russian ports like Vostochny and Dunay, have significantly boosted Russia’s military capabilities in its ongoing war against Ukraine.

These shipments include not only artillery shells but also multiple-launch rocket systems, self-propelled artillery units, and ballistic missiles, indicating a deepening military and political partnership between the two heavily sanctioned countries.

Analyses of daily reports from Russian artillery units showed that up to all of the ammunition used by some units on certain days originated from North Korea. One unit operating on the southeastern Zaporizhzhia front reported that nearly half of the shells fired by its D-20 howitzers were North Korean 152 mm shells, while all of its 122 mm rockets were also North Korean.

Ukraine’s Defence Intelligence has stated that more than four million shells have been delivered since mid-2023, including 122 mm and 152 mm calibres, which form the core of Russian artillery armament. Open Source Centre analysts tracked 64 cargo trips made by four Russian-flagged ships—Angara, Maria, Maia-1, and Lady R—between September 2023 and March 2025, transporting an estimated 16,000 containers filled with military supplies.

While it is not possible to verify the contents of each container, OSC has estimated that between four and six million artillery rounds alone were delivered, based on Ukraine's assessments and known packing patterns.

Hugh Griffiths, former coordinator of the UN panel of experts on North Korea sanctions, said that North Korea’s contribution has been strategically vital and that without support from Kim Jong Un, Vladimir Putin would not be able to continue his war in Ukraine.

Estimates by U.S. and Ukrainian officials suggest that Russia will produce between two to three million artillery shells in 2024, indicating that North Korean supplies represent a substantial portion of Russia’s current firepower.

Russian large-scale drone attack on Odesa injured people

Russian forces carried out another drone attack on the city of Odesa during the night of April 15–16. The strike damaged civilian infrastructure, residential buildings, and warehouse facilities. According to local authorities, three people were injured in the attack.

Trump's team considers potential economic partnership with Russia as a reward for peace – White House

The United States believes that the possibility of an economic partnership with Washington could serve as an incentive for Russia to end the war it has launched against Ukraine.

This position was outlined by White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt during a briefing on April 15, as reported by European Pravda. She was asked to comment on the recent meeting between Steve Witkoff, U.S. President Donald Trump's special envoy for the Middle East, and Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin, as well as the prospects of a potential peace agreement.

Leavitt explained that a productive conversation took place during the meeting and that both Witkoff and Trump are convinced that Russia is interested in ending the war. According to her, economic cooperation with the United States might serve as a possible incentive. However, she emphasized that a ceasefire must be achieved first, and this condition was clearly communicated to the Russian side.