Russian morning attack on Kharkiv killed 1 and injured 87

A Russian missile strike on Kharkiv on the morning of April 18 killed one person and injured at least 87 others, including six children, according to local authorities.

Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov stated that the strikes were likely carried out with ballistic missiles equipped with cluster munitions, which caused widespread damage across the city.

At least 20 apartment buildings, 30 private homes, and an educational institution were damaged in the attack. A fire also broke out at an enterprise, spreading over 450 square meters.

Located in northeastern Ukraine, Kharkiv Oblast remains a frequent target of Russian missile, drone, and glide bomb attacks.

The strike occurred amid Russia's continued refusal to accept a U.S.-mediated proposal for a 30-day ceasefire. Ukraine has stated its readiness to uphold the ceasefire if Russia agrees to the proposed terms.

Ukraine returned the bodies of over 900 fallen soldiers

Ukraine has repatriated the bodies of 909 soldiers killed in the war with Russia, according to an announcement by Ukraine's Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War on April 18.

The fallen soldiers had served in various sectors of the front, including Kurakhove, Pokrovsk, Bakhmut, Vuhledar, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, Sumy, and Kharkiv, as well as those whose bodies were held in Russian morgues.

The repatriation process was conducted jointly by the Coordination Headquarters, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), the Armed Forces, the Interior Ministry, the Ombudsman's Office, and other government institutions.

The announcement acknowledged the assistance of the International Committee of the Red Cross in facilitating the process.

Under the Geneva Conventions, those who die during wartime are entitled to a dignified burial.

In early February, President Volodymyr Zelensky reported that more than 45,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.

Kremlin says moratorium on energy strikes over

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated on 18 April that the one-month moratorium on strikes targeting energy infrastructure in Ukraine has expired.

According to Russian state media RIA Novosti, Peskov confirmed that the temporary halt in attacks had lasted a month and that there have been no further instructions from Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding an extension.

This development follows a series of recent Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukraine's critical infrastructure, suggesting a possible resumption of deliberate targeting of the country’s energy sector.

 Russians strike hit a bakery in Sumy 

A Russian Shahed drone strike hit a baking and confectionery facility in the city of Sumy early in the morning on 18 April, damaging the production of Easter cakes and killing a civilian.

According to Mykhailo Melnyk, Head of the Sumy District State Administration, the attack occurred around 05:00. A businessman who had arrived to collect festive baked goods was killed in the strike. Emergency responders later recovered his body from beneath the rubble.

The attack partially destroyed a building at the civilian facility. Sumy Oblast Prosecutor's Office reported that three Geran-2 UAVs were used in the strike, which targeted one of the region's leading producers of baking and confectionery goods.

A 61-year-old driver who was loading the goods was killed, and a 55-year-old company employee was injured. The strike also damaged the bakery’s premises and several vehicles.