Lidia Stepanivna Lomikovska, a 98-year-old woman in Ukraine, walked almost 10 kilometers alone, wearing slippers and supported by a cane, to escape Russian-occupied territory in the Donetsk region. She was reunited with her family after being separated while fleeing the frontline town of Ocheretyne. Lomikovska endured the journey without food and water, falling twice but persevering until Ukrainian soldiers rescued her. Her ordeal echoes her survival of World War II.
A rotational error between Ukraine's 47th and 115th Mechanized Brigades led to Russian forces advancing and seizing most of Ocheretyne in eastern Ukraine. The Russian 30th Motor Rifle Brigade exploited a gap as the 47th Brigade was being relieved, allowing the capture. Ukrainian commanders disputed claims of abandonment, with the 47th Brigade returning to the fight to halt further Russian advancement. Images on Telegram showed a Russian flag flying over a building in the captured village, with concerns rising over Ukrainian troops' errors on the eastern front.
The Duchess of Edinburgh shared a heartwarming moment with a toddler as she became the first British royal to visit Ukraine since Russia's invasion . The mother-of-two, 59, visited the UNFPA office in Kyiv today, where she met with war victims. For the occasion, Sophie looked suitably sophisticated in a 1,250 floral dress by the Italian brand Etro. After touring the premises, the Duchess got ready to take a photo of the group - and was particularly taken with a cheeky young toddler. As she approached the group, Sophie held out her hand to the boy - who was wiggling in his mother's arms.
Several Indians, including David Moothappan from Kerala, were deceived by agents into fighting for Russian forces in the Ukraine war, with at least two Indian casualties reported. India's foreign ministry is working to repatriate its citizens, with Foreign Minister S Jaishankar expressing deep concern. David Moothappan, who spent time in Donetsk, recalls the horror of the warfront and his injuries, highlighting the distressing experiences faced by those tricked into the conflict.
Ukrainian troops have strategically retreated from several villages in eastern Ukraine to preserve lives and health, facing fierce battles in the Pokrovsk and Kurakhove directions. Russia claims capturing villages in Donetsk region and seeks to break through Ukrainian defensive lines before new US military assistance arrives. Russian brigades are advancing towards Ukrainian military hubs like Pokrovsk and assaulting towns with glide bombs. Unconfirmed reports suggest Ukrainian military striking a Russian air defence unit in Crimea with US-supplied missiles.
This video can not be played Life on the front line during World War Two was like "hell on earth", recalls veteran Walter Nixon. Mr Nixon, 99, from East Bergholt in Suffolk, was 17 years old when the conflict started in 1939 and two years later he enrolled into the army. After six weeks' basic training in King's Lynn, Norfolk, he joined the 81st Anti Tank Regiment and went on to fight in Africa and during the Battle of Anzio in Italy. "It was trench warfare, you were living in a hole or in a trench most of time," he said. Walter Nixon died on 21 April 2024.
Gen Oleksandr Syrskyi stated that Ukrainian forces have retreated from positions in Donetsk due to Russian attacks and a shortage of supplies, despite a recent $61bn US military aid package. Russia has achieved tactical successes and advanced towards Kyiv-controlled areas. The new US weapons have yet to reach the frontlines where Ukrainian troops face challenges with ammunition, manpower, and air defenses. Gen Syrskyi, appointed in February, replaced his predecessor amidst worsening battlefield conditions in eastern Ukraine.
Russian shelling killed two people in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region on Thursday, authorities said, as Moscow ramps up its assault to capture the war-battered region. Outgunned and outmanned on the battlefield, Kyiv has ceded ground to Russian forces since late last year, evacuating hundreds of civilians from frontline areas amid an uptick in bombardment. In Selydove, 20 kilometers from the front, a Russian attack early in the morning killed a woman, while shelling killed a man in the frontline town of Ocheretyne, officials said. "The Russians fired 17 times at settlements in the Donetsk region over a day. 127 people were evacuated from the frontline, including 13 children," regional head Vadim Filashkin said in a post on Telegram.
A group of Second World War veterans, aged between 98 and 103, gathered in London to share their experiences with schoolchildren ahead of the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings. Organised by The Normandy Memorial Trust and The Spirit of Normandy Trust, the event marked a significant turning point in the war as veterans like Richard Aldred and Stan Ford shared their memories of the Normandy landings and camaraderie within their regiments.
Kyiv city authorities evacuated two hospitals, including a children's hospital, following false claims by the head of the Belarusian KGB about terrorists being treated there, prompting fears of an imminent attack. Belarus is allied with Russia but has resisted direct involvement in the war. The evacuation was conducted swiftly to ensure the safety of the patients. Ukrainian officials dismissed the accusations as lies and provocations instigated by Russia. The US announced $6bn in new military aid for Ukraine amidst ongoing Russian attacks on Ukrainian territories.
Two Ukrainian servicemen, aged 23 and 36, were stabbed to death at a shopping center in Murnau, Germany. A 57-year-old Russian man was arrested on suspicion of murder. The victims were in Germany for medical rehabilitation and lived in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. More than one million Ukrainian refugees have come to Germany since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Germany has provided significant military aid to Ukraine and treated over 1,000 wounded Ukrainians. Two alleged spies, dual German-Russian nationals, were also recently arrested for planning sabotage on military aid for Ukraine.
The Duchess of Edinburgh made a historic visit to Ukraine, becoming the first British royal to do so since the Russian invasion of February 2022. Alongside Olena Zelenska, the First Lady of Ukraine, she visited Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv, showcasing a sophisticated look in an Etro dress and cream loafers. During her trip, she met with President Zelensky and his wife, conveying a personal message from King Charles. Sophie showed solidarity with survivors of conflict-related sexual violence and torture as part of her role in championing the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative.
Russian troops have been advancing in eastern Ukraine, moving 5km west of Avdiivka to the outskirts of Orlivka and Berdychi. Ukrainian forces are fighting fiercely to hold onto Ivanivske, 2km west of Bakhmut. The Ukrainian military announced record spending on fortifications in the Zaporizhia region. Russian forces have confirmed advances in various areas along the battlefront in Donetsk, including in the village of Novomykhailivka.
President Zelensky visited Kharkiv to review the situation following devastating Russian attacks, accusing Russia of trying to drive people out of the city, calling for international support to strengthen Ukraine's air defense, and inspecting progress on defense lines along the Russian border. German Foreign Minister Baerbock urged urgent international efforts to supply air defense systems to Ukraine. Recent drone and missile attacks across Ukraine led to civilian deaths. The European Commission announced the supply of 157 power generators to Ukraine. The Russian-occupied Ukrainian nuclear power plant in Zaporizhzhya was targeted in drone attacks, raising concerns about nuclear safety. Reports of Russian soldiers shooting Ukrainian prisoners of war and vice versa emerged. Zelensky emphasized the need for military aid to defend Kharkiv from escalating Russian attacks.
Two Ukrainian men, aged 23 and 36, were stabbed to death at a shopping center in Murnau, Upper Bavaria, Germany. A 57-year-old Russian man was arrested as a possible suspect for the killings. The motive was unknown, and it wasn't clear if the three men knew each other. Germany has received over 1 million Ukrainian refugees since Russia's invasion in 2022, and it is also home to a significant Russian immigrant community and 2.5 million Russians of German ancestry.
A Russian missile attack on an educational institution in Ukraine's Black Sea port of Odessa killed four people and injured 28. Meanwhile, the Duchess of Edinburgh visited Ukraine, becoming the first British royal to do so since the start of the Russian invasion, showing solidarity with survivors of conflict-related violence and torture. NATO countries have faced delays in supporting Ukraine, allowing Russia to make advances on the battlefield. Ukraine and its Western partners are racing to deploy critical new military aid to stem the Russian advance across eastern areas.
Editor's note : As April 18 marked the 82nd anniversary of the Doolittle Shangrao Rescue Operation, China Daily delves into the rich history of China-US friendship forged during World War II, capturing the personal experiences of those who served, their families and the Chinese civilians who risked their lives to help them. "Just off the coast of California,"Edward Stiles Jr's father told his mother where he was going before their marriage, but the real story was that his father was heading to China to fight against the Japanese invasion. His father, Edward Stiles, was one of the first 27 men who joined the American Volunteer Group, nicknamed the Flying Tigers, and arrived in Toungoo, Burma, in 1941, serving as crew chief of the third squadron of the group. "My father told me that being a part of the Flying Tigers was a great part of his life," Stiles told China Daily, saying his father had often talked to him about his going to China, saying it was an adventure because he and the squadron had to fake visas to enter China. "The more I learned about my dad's time, the more I found out about the importance of what he did because it was important (not only) to Chinese people, but also to the United States at that particular time.
The war in Donbas, or Donbas war, was a phase of the Russo-Ukrainian War in the Donbas region of Ukraine. The war began 12 April 2014, when a fifty-man commando unit headed by Russian citizen Igor Girkin seized Sloviansk in Donetsk oblast. The Ukrainian military launched an operation against them. It continued until it was subsumed by the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.In March 2014, following Ukraine's Revolution of Dignity, anti-revolution and pro-Russian protests began in Ukraine's Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts, collectively 'the Donbas'. These began as Russia invaded and annexed Crimea. Armed Russian-backed separatists seized Ukrainian government buildings and declared the Donetsk and Luhansk republics (DPR and LPR) as independent states, leading to conflict with Ukrainian government forces. Russia covertly supported the separatists with troops and weaponry. It only admitted sending "military specialists", but later acknowledged the separatists as Russian combat veterans. In April 2014, Ukraine launched a counter-offensive, called the "Anti-Terrorist Operation" (ATO), later renamed the "Joint Forces Operation" (JFO). By late August 2014, Ukraine had re-taken most separatist-held territory and nearly regained control of the Russia–Ukraine border. In response, Russia covertly sent troops, tanks and artillery into the Donbas. Ukrainian officials called this a Russian "stealth invasion". The Russian incursion helped pro-Russian forces regain much of the territory they had lost. Alexander Borodai, former 'Prime Minister' of the DPR, said 50,000 "Russian volunteers" had fought in the first five months.Ukraine, Russia, the DPR and LPR signed a ceasefire agreement, the Minsk Protocol, in September 2014. Ceasefire breaches became rife, and heavy fighting resumed in January 2015, during which the separatists captured Donetsk Airport. A new ceasefire, Minsk II, was agreed on 12 February 2015. Immediately after, separatists renewed their offensive on Debaltseve and forced Ukraine's military to withdraw. After the fall of Debaltseve, skirmishes continued but the front line did not change. Both sides fortified their position by building networks of trenches, bunkers and tunnels, resulting in static trench warfare. Stalemate led to the war being called a "frozen conflict", but Donbas remained a war zone, with dozens killed monthly. In 2017, on average a Ukrainian soldier died in combat every three days, with an estimated 40,000 separatist and 6,000 Russian troops in the region. By the end of 2017, OSCE observers had counted around 30,000 people in military gear crossing from Russia at the two border checkpoints it was allowed to monitor, and documented military convoys crossing from Russia covertly. All sides agreed to a roadmap for ending the war in October 2019, but it remained unresolved. During 2021, Ukrainian fatalities rose sharply and Russian forces massed around Ukraine's borders. Russia officially recognized the DPR and LPR as independent states on 21 February 2022 and deployed troops to those territories. On 24 February, Russia began a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, subsuming the war in Donbas into it.There were 29 failed ceasefires. About 14,000 people were killed in the war: 6,500 Russian and Russian proxy forces, 4,400 Ukrainian forces, and 3,400 civilians on both sides of the frontline. The vast majority of civilian casualties were in the first year.
Orlivka is a village in Ocheretyne settlement hromada, Pokrovsk Raion, Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine.During the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Orlivka has been the site of fighting since the end of the battle of Avdiivka in February 2024.
A strike on a crowded market in the Russian-occupied city of Donetsk in eastern Ukraine has left at least 25 people dead and 20 wounded. Moscow and Kyiv have accused each other of a sharp escalation in attacks on civilian areas in the past two months. The Russian-controlled administration in Donetsk blamed Ukraine for the strike, while Moscow called it a 'barbaric terrorist attack' and emphasized the need for its 'special military operation' in Ukraine.
Ukrainian and Russian forces exchanged drone and artillery fire on Thursday, leaving at least seven dead, regional officials on both sides of the frontline announced. The uptick in civilian deaths came as Russian forces are pressing in hard in the eastern Donetsk region of Ukraine, ahead of events in Moscow on May 9, hailing the Soviet Union's victory in World War II. A Ukrainian attack drone left two dead in the southern region of Zaporizhzhia and two more were killed by Ukranian artillery fire in the southern Kherson region, officials said. The Kremlin claimed to have annexed both regions in late 2022 even though Russian forces are still battling to gain full control over them. "A man and a woman were killed as a result of a strike on a civilian car.
US citizen Russell Bentley, known for fighting with pro-Russian separatists in Ukraine between 2014 and 2017, was reported killed in Moscow-occupied Donetsk according to Russian state media and his battalion. The 64-year-old, referred to as 'Texas,' was confirmed dead by the Vostok battalion he fought with after being reported missing by authorities. Margarita Simonyan, the head of the pro-Kremlin RT TV channel, acknowledged his death on social media without providing details on how he died.
A battle took place in and around the village of Ocheretyne, Donetsk Oblast, in April 2024, during the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
NDTV
By SUSIE BLANN
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