This week, Ukraine and Russia conducted the 73rd prisoner exchange, the “Druzhba” oil pipeline resumed its operation, and the European Union approved a €90 billion loan for Ukraine and the 20th package of sanctions against Russia.
Babel has compiled the main events of the week so that you can stay up to date with the news.
Russians attacked the house of Serhiy "Flash" Beskrestnov
On the night of Monday, April 20, the Russians launched five “Shahed” guided missile drones at the house of Serhiy “Flash” Beskrestnov, an advisor to the Ukrainian Defense Minister. One of the drones crashed into the wall of his house, destroying the house and damaging the cars on the premises. “Flash” himself was injured, says he is in a cast and will likely be in a cast for a long time.
"Druzhba" has resumed work
On Tuesday, April 21, President Volodymyr Zelensky reported that the repair of the Ukrainian section of the “Druzhba” oil pipeline had been completed. On the morning of April 22, they began to increase the pressure there and fill the system with oil — the very next day, Slovakia and Hungary began receiving oil. These are the only countries in the European Union that continue to buy Russian oil.
Ukraine has suspended oil transit through the “Druzhba” pipeline since late January due to Russian attacks. For their part, Hungary and Slovakia have said that Ukraine is blocking the oil route “for political reasons”.
Hungary then blocked a €90 billion loan for Ukraine from the EU until Kyiv restored the “Druzhba” oil pipeline. In March, Ukraine agreed to let the EU help repair it.
Court orders preventive measures for police officers suspected of fleeing during shooting in Kyiv
Police officers Mykhailo Drobnytsky and Anna Dudina, who responded to a shooting in the Holosiivsky district of Kyiv, are suspected of negligence. On Tuesday, April 21, the Pechersky court of the capital sent them to a pre-trial detention center for 60 days with the option of a bail of UAH 266 000. Both law enforcement officers pleaded not guilty. The next day, bail was posted for them.
«Суспільне»
Journalists of "Slidstvo.Info" found out that Dudina actually works in the police not as a patrol officer, but as a senior inspector for housing issues. She was brought on duty as reinforcement due to the shortage of more than 60% of patrol officers in Kyiv. Also, during the events of the Revolution of Dignity, Dudina was a doctor on the Maidan. By her first education, she is a rehabilitation specialist.
EU agrees on loan for Ukraine and 20th package of sanctions
On Thursday, April 23, the Council of the European Union approved a €90 billion loan for Ukraine and the 20th package of sanctions against Russia. The reason for this was the resumption of “Druzhba” work — Hungary lifted its veto on the loan, and Slovakia stopped blocking the sanctions.
The EU Council added that the first loan payments will begin as soon as possible — in the second quarter of 2026. Zelensky previously said that Ukraine expects to receive the first tranche of the loan from the EU by the end of May or the beginning of June.
€30 billion will go to macroeconomic support, the rest to defense. The President emphasized that the funds will be directed, in particular, to weapons production, the purchase of necessary weapons from partners that are not yet produced in Ukraine, as well as to preparing the energy sector and critical infrastructure for next winter.
The Ministry of Finance added that the loan is designed for 2026-2027. This year, Ukraine is expected to receive €16.7 billion for budget support and €28.3 billion for defense needs.
As for the 20th package of sanctions, here is what it provides:
- Shadow fleet. 46 more vessels have been added to the list, bringing the total to 632. Tankers are banned from EU ports.
- Ports. Two Russian ports, Murmansk and Tuapse, were targeted by sanctions, as well as the Karimun oil terminal in Indonesia, which helped circumvent restrictions on Russian oil.
- Finance. The package includes a complete ban on transactions with twenty Russian banks, as well as four financial institutions in third countries. Crypto platforms registered in Russia are also subject to sanctions.
- Military-industrial complex. 58 Russian companies and people associated with arms production are now under restrictions, as well as 16 companies from China, the UAE, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Belarus.
- Trade. New bans on the export of technologies and goods (over €360 million) and the import of Russian raw materials (over €570 million). For the first time, an anti-sanctions circumvention tool was used — the export of certain equipment to Kyrgyzstan was prohibited. A quota was also introduced for the import of ammonia.
- Companies and people. 60 companies (32 Russian and 28 from third countries) and 120 sanctions against oligarchs, military companies, propagandists, and individuals involved in the abduction of Ukrainian children and the looting of cultural heritage were added to the list.
Cartel
On Friday, April 24, the 73rd prisoner exchange between Ukraine and Russia took place. Another 193 Ukrainian servicemen returned from Russian captivity. Most of the released servicemen were illegally detained in Chechnya. Criminal cases were fabricated against some of them, which is a violation of the Geneva Conventions.
In particular, many young Ukrainian soldiers born in the 2000s and wounded soldiers returned home.
The released soldiers defended the country in the Luhansk, Donetsk, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, and Kursk directions. The youngest of them is 24 years old, and the oldest is 60. Two soldiers celebrated their birthdays on the day of the exchange — already on their native land.
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