”Babel” review of events on April 5: tortured civilians are found in Sumy oblast, Zelensky called for UN reform, Russian diplomats are expelled

Authors:
Kostia Andreikovets, Dmytro Rayevskyi
Date:

From the very beginning of Russiaʼs full-scale war against Ukraine, "Babel" has been conducting daily live text coverage of the events and promptly informed about the main news in the telegram channel. We also do a daily digest of the highlights of the day in case you havenʼt been able to follow online.

Tonight, April 5, the occupiers fired 51 times at residential areas in Luhansk Oblast. They also fired on a phenolic plant in New York City. In Rubizhne, the occupiers hit a tank with nitric acid. In total, the Armed Forces of Ukraine repulsed seven enemy attacks in Donbas during the day. During the fighting, 7 tanks, 8 armored vehicles, and 3 artillery systems were destroyed.

In Kharkiv Oblast, the Armed Forces of Ukraine destroyed the Ka-52 Alligator reconnaissance and attack helicopter with the help of the Stugna-P anti-tank system. This is the second time Zhytomyr paratroopers use anti-tank weapons to destroy enemy air targets.

The New York Times publishedsatellite photos of Bucha as of mid-March when the Russian military was still there. Photographs of March 19 show the bodies of dead civilians on the cityʼs streets at the same place where they were found by the Ukrainian military. This is one of the irrefutable proofs that the murders forces took place there when the occupying were stationed in the city.

Three civilians tortured by the Russian aggressors were found in the Konotop district of Sumy Oblast. For three weeks, the childrenʼs camp "Prolisok" in Kyiv Oblasthoused the base of a Russian army unit. Five corpses of men with their hands tied behind their backs were found in the basement of the building. In the village of Viktorivka in Chernihiv Oblast, which has been under occupation for 25 days, the Russians held people hostage in the basement, from the elderly to newborns.

Ukrainian military intelligence reports that Russian servicemen who committed atrocities in Bucha are being returned to Ukraine. It was reported about the 64th Motorized Rifle Brigade of the 35th All-Russian Army. It is possible that the Russian command is trying to get rid of war criminals and witnesses of such crimes in such a way that they cannot be interrogated.

The United Kingdom convened a meeting of the UN Security Council on the war crimes of Russians in Ukraine. President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed the gathering. He said that Russiaʼs right to veto any decisions which it holds in the Security Council undermines the foundations of global security. Zelensky called for removing Russia from the Security Council and reforming the UN or dissolving itself.

NATO is gathering evidence to hold Russian President Putin accountable of war crimes in Ukraine. US Permanent Representative to NATO Julian Smith said there are multiple ways to do that. In particular, through the International Criminal Court or through the UN.

NATO will provide Ukraine with weapons to defend against a new offensive by the Russian army, which is expected in Donbas in a few weeks. The United States will provide additional $300 million in military assistance to Ukraine. In total, the Pentagon has provided $1.6 billion in military assistance to Ukraine since the invasion. More than 30 US congressmen from both parties have called on President Joe Biden to increase arms supplies to Ukraine to counter Russian aggression.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has announced the fifth package of sanctions. These include a ban on coal imports, a ban on transactions for four key Russian banks, a ban on ships accessing EU ports, a ban on trucks entering Europe, new restrictions on exports and imports, a ban on participation in European public procurement, new personal sanctions.

Canada has expanded sanctions lists against Belarus and Russia to include 9 Belarusians and Russians. Australia has banned the export of luxury goods to Russia. The list includes wine, expensive cosmetics, and spare parts for luxury cars.

Denmark deports 15 Russian diplomats. Copenhagen calls them "spies working undercover at the embassy". Italy is expelling 30 Russian diplomats for national security reasons. Sweden expels three Russian diplomats. Spain is expelling 25 Russian diplomats. Estonia closes two consulates — in Tartu and the border with Russia Narva, and reports 14 employees of these consulates from the country. Latvia is also closing two Russian consulates in Daugavpils and Liepaja and recognizes Russian diplomats from these consulates as non grata. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell is expelling a number of diplomats from Russiaʼs permanent mission to the EU.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan, Mukhtar Tleuberdi, stated that his country does not recognize the "Donetsk and Luhansk Peopleʼs Republics".

Auchan is isolating the Russian office: new stores will not be opened, IT technologies and projects will not be supported, key software will not be updated, imported goods will not be supplied, and this is 90% of the range of clothing, footwear, household goods, and textiles.

Automobile plants in Russia, which were planned to reopen in early April, have not opened: Hyundai, Nissan, Toyota. There are no required details.

The Russian embassy in Ireland is running out of diesel fuel for the hot water and heating of both the embassy and diplomatsʼ housing. Irish oil companies refuse to supply them with petroleum products.