Russian ballistic missile attack on Kryvyi Rih Killed four and injured 14

Russia launched a devastating ballistic missile attack on Kryvyi Rih in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast on April 2, killing four people and injuring 14, Governor Serhii Lysak reported. The strike caused significant damage to apartment buildings and ignited a fire at the scene, prompting an ongoing rescue operation, according to Oleksandr Vilkul, head of the city's military administration. Among the injured were an 8-year-old boy and a 6-year-old girl, with the boy's condition worsening to severe. Kryvyi Rih, President Volodymyr Zelensky's hometown, remains a frequent target of Russian missile strikes due to its strategic location, approximately 70 kilometers (40 miles) from the nearest front line.

Despite U.S. efforts to broker a ceasefire, Russia has continued missile and drone attacks across Ukraine, leading Kyiv to argue that Moscow is not genuinely interested in peace. The Kremlin rejected a 30-day ceasefire agreement between the U.S. and Ukraine reached in Jeddah on March 11, agreeing only to a limited truce concerning attacks on energy infrastructure and in the Black Sea. However, Ukraine has already accused Russia of violating the energy ceasefire, and the future of the Black Sea truce remains uncertain, as Moscow conditions its implementation on the lifting of Western sanctions.

Russia attacks Kharkiv with drones for third time in one day

Russian forces launched a massive drone attack on the city of Kharkiv on the evening of April 2, striking residential areas and infrastructure in the Kyivskyi district. Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov reported that the first explosion was heard around 22:00, followed by a series of UAV attacks. Within 40 minutes, Russian forces conducted 14 strikes on the city, targeting five locations. Oleh Syniehubov, Head of the Kharkiv Oblast Military Administration, confirmed that a drone strike also hit the nearby city of Derhachi, injuring one person. Fires broke out in the village of Cherkaska Lozova as a result of the attack.

By 23:45, reports indicated that Russia had deployed a total of 17 Shahed drones against Kharkiv within an hour. While no casualties were reported, the strikes caused minor damage to residential buildings and transport infrastructure. Fires erupted in multiple locations due to the drone impacts, with emergency services responding to contain the damage. The attack underscores Russia’s continued assault on Ukraine’s urban centers despite ongoing international efforts to broker a ceasefire.

Trump's new tariffs hit small island territories but didn`t touch Russia

Despite a significant reduction in trade due to sanctions, the United States continues to engage in limited economic exchanges with Russia. White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told Axios that Russia was not included in the latest round of tariffs introduced by President Donald Trump because existing sanctions already severely restrict trade. However, the U.S. still trades with Russia more than with Mauritius, Brunei, and other small nations that were included in the tariff list.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce reported that in 2024, the total trade volume between the U.S. and Russia was approximately $3.5 billion. U.S. exports to Russia amounted to $526.1 million, a 12.3% decrease from 2023, while imports from Russia totaled $3.0 billion, marking a 34.2% decline. The U.S. trade deficit with Russia stood at $2.5 billion, 37.5% lower than the previous year. While Russia, Cuba, Belarus, and North Korea were excluded from the tariffs due to existing restrictions, Trump’s list included even uninhabited territories such as the Heard Island and McDonald Islands, home primarily to penguin populations.

Ukraine returned 11 children from Russia and Russian-occupied territories

Ukraine has successfully secured the return of 11 children who were forcibly taken to Russia and Russian-occupied territories, Presidential Office head Andriy Yermak announced on April 2. The rescue was carried out under the Bring Kids Back UA initiative.

Since February 2022, at least 20,000 Ukrainian children have been abducted and relocated to Russian-controlled areas, according to Ukraine’s Children of War database. So far, only 1,256 have been returned. Estimates from Ukrainian officials suggest that the actual number of deported children may be between 150,000 and 300,000.

In March 2023, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Children’s Commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova, accusing them of orchestrating the unlawful deportation of Ukrainian children. A Yale study published in December detailed a systematic Russian effort to reclassify, indoctrinate, and assimilate Ukrainian children into Russian society.

The issue of child abductions has become a key point in U.S.-Russia peace negotiations. U.S. National Security Adviser Mike Waltz stated in March that the return of Ukrainian children is one of several "confidence-building measures" under discussion. Ukrainian officials maintain that their return is a non-negotiable condition for any future peace agreement with Russia.

Any reduction of Ukraine's military is a red line - Zelensky

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reaffirmed that Ukraine will not acknowledge occupied territories as Russian and will not reduce its armed forces as part of any peace deal. Speaking to local leaders in Chernihiv Oblast, he outlined key "red lines" in Ukraine’s negotiations.

Zelenskyy emphasized that maintaining a strong army is Ukraine’s top priority. He stated that the country would do everything possible to keep its military at its current strength, which has tripled since the start of the full-scale war. Any post-war changes to the armed forces would only involve modernization and increased staffing, not downsizing.

Regarding security, Zelenskyy insisted that Ukraine must receive concrete guarantees, including economic support for reconstruction in war-affected areas. He also stressed that Ukraine’s future alliances, particularly with NATO, would remain on the agenda.

A key point of his speech was the status of occupied territories. Zelenskyy made it clear that Ukraine would never recognize them as Russian. He described them as "temporarily occupied" and reaffirmed that a just peace would only be achieved when all of Ukraine’s territories are restored. However, he acknowledged that in some cases, diplomatic solutions might be necessary to facilitate their return over time.

Zelenskyy’s remarks underscored Ukraine’s firm stance on sovereignty and security as discussions on a potential peace deal continue.