Ukraine-Russia war latest: Trump threatens to ‘take a pass’ on peace talks while Putin launches overnight drone attack

Russia launched 8 missiles and practically 90 drones, damaging infrastructure in 5 areas throughout Ukraine on Friday evening.

Greater than a 3rd of the drones have been shot down, and one other 36 have been redirected by digital warfare, the Ukrainian air drive mentioned.

It stays unclear how many individuals have been injured within the assault.

“Through the evening of April 19, 2025 (from 9:00 p.m. Kyiv time on April 18), the Russian occupiers carried out a strike on Ukraine with ground- and air-launched missiles and assault UAVs,” the air drive mentioned in a press release.

Harm has been recorded in 5 of Ukraine’s areas within the south, northeast and east, it mentioned.

Nevertheless, the air drive didn’t reveal particulars relating to the destiny of the missiles.

The assertion famous that the eight missiles included three Iskander ballistic missiles in addition to anti-ship missiles suspected to be launched from the Crimean area.

A St. Petersburg courtroom sentenced a 19-year-old Russian activist for practically three months on Friday after she affixed a quote from a Ukrainian poem onto a monument.

Darya Kozyreva was sentenced to 2 years and eight months in a penal colony for “discrediting” the Russian military after she affixed a verse from a Ukrainian poet. Taras Shevchenko’s “My Testomony” to his statue in St Petersburg.

The quote she pasted reads: “Oh bury me, then rise ye up. And break your heavy chains. And water with the tyrants’ blood. The liberty you could have gained” (translation by John Weir).

She was arrested in February 2024 and has spent over a 12 months in pre-trial detention, in response to native information sources.

In her defiant closing assertion on the courtroom, Ms Kozyreva mentioned: “I nonetheless dream that Ukraine will reclaim each inch of its territory: Donbas, Crimea, all of it. And I consider that at some point, it would. Historical past will decide, and decide pretty. However Ukraine has already received. It has received. That’s all.”

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov mentioned on Friday that the momentary ceasefire settlement on using long-range missiles concentrating on power infrastructure had ended.

It stays unclear whether or not there might be an intensification of long-range missile strikes, because the phrases of the ceasefire have been by no means made public.

Peskov added that the Russian president has not issued any additional directions.

On Thursday, the Ukrainian president warned power staff that Russia could escalate strikes on Ukraine round Easter.

Australia says it might use “no matter avenues” it may to assist launch Melbourne man Oscar Jenkins, dealing with a 15-year jail time period in Russia for preventing on Ukraine’s aspect.

Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese mentioned his administration would “proceed to make representations to the reprehensible regime of Vladimir Putin” for Jenkins’ launch.

The 33-year-old former trainer reportedly arrived in Ukraine to take part as a mercenary within the conflict and was paid as much as $15,000 a month to struggle on Ukraine’s aspect.

The Australian prime minister mentioned his authorities would “arise and use no matter avenues we now have at our disposal to proceed to make these representations”.

Ukraine has imposed sanctions towards three Chinese language corporations for his or her involvement in manufacturing Russian Iskander missiles, which is a road-mobile nuclear-capable short-range missile system developed by Russia.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky mentioned these corporations have been concerned within the manufacturing of those missiles such because the one which struck Kharkiv on Friday, killing one civilian and injuring practically 100 others.

Companies banned by Ukraine embody Beijing Aviation And Aerospace Xianghui Expertise Co. Ltd, Rui Jin Equipment Co. Ltd, and Zhongfu Shenying Carbon Fiber Xining Co. Ltd – all registered in China and allegedly working in Russia.

You may learn extra concerning the missile system right here:

A Russian missile strike at a residential space of Kharkiv has killed one civilian and injured 98 others on Friday, in response to town’s mayor, Ihor Terekhov.

The ballistic missiles have been outfitted with cluster munitions, inflicting widespread harm to not less than 21 condo buildings, 40 homes, and two colleges, the mayor mentioned.

Russia has continued to make use of missiles with cluster munition warheads to focus on civilian centres in Ukraine.

One such assault on 4 April led to not less than 89 casualties in Kryvyi Rih, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast.

This tactic to hit civilian areas is probably going an try and reap the benefits of the ceasefire on power infrastructure strikes, the Institute for the Examine of Battle reported.

Ukraine has signed a memorandum of intent for a mineral take care of the US as a part of its efforts to finish the conflict.

The deal would give the US entry to a wealth of rare-earth minerals hidden in Ukraine’s practically 2.5 billion-year-old crystalline rock formations.

These rocks are a few of Earth’s oldest and are a treasure trove of a number of key minerals like lithium, graphite, manganese, titanium and uncommon earth parts, that are crucial for contemporary industries and the worldwide inexperienced power transition.

Most of those minerals are important for manufacturing electrical automobiles, wind generators, photo voltaic panels and power storage programs.

Ukraine’s deposits include 22 of 34 key minerals recognized by the EU as crucial for the inexperienced power transition.

The US has closely relied on China for importing most rare-earth minerals, which dominate the extraction of those metals.

However the ongoing Trump tariff-driven commerce conflict with China has led to Beijing halting its export of key minerals.

Now, with entry to Ukraine’s minerals in alternate for a peace deal, the US may keep away from reliance on China.

You may learn extra on the mineral deal right here:

Ukraine signed a memorandum of intent with the US on Friday to proceed with preliminary steps in direction of a bilateral US-Ukrainian mineral deal.

Ukrainian financial minister Yulia Svyrydenko confirmed that Ukraine and the US finalised and signed the memorandum of intent (moI) in direction of a rare-earth minerals deal anticipated to be signed subsequent week.

“We’re completely satisfied to announce the signing, with our American companions, of a Memorandum of Intent, which paves the way in which for an Financial Partnership Settlement and the institution of the Funding Fund for the Reconstruction of Ukraine,” Svyrydenko mentioned in a submit on X.

“Forward is the finalisation of the textual content of the Settlement and its signing—after which, ratification by parliaments…Within the meantime, we proceed to work on the Settlement itself,” she mentioned.

Russia’s overseas minister, Sergei Lavrov, has reiterated the Kremlin’s place that any decision to the battle should “comprehensively” deal with what Moscow refers to because the conflict’s “root causes”.

Because the begin of the conflict in 2022, Moscow has outlined these “root causes” as Nato’s alleged violation of a promise to not broaden eastward, and Ukraine’s alleged discrimination towards ethnic Russians.

Russia’s insistence on these calls for as a situation for ending the conflict successfully quantities to Ukraine’s full capitulation and the potential set up of a pro-Russian authorities in Kyiv.

Whereas the Kremlin continues to take part in bilateral discussions, Russian officers stay dedicated to Moscow’s pre-war calls for.

In the meantime, Marco Rubio obtained an “encouraging” response to the “outlines of a sturdy and lasting peace” throughout conferences with representatives from Ukraine and Europe, in response to the US division of state.

Vasily Nebenzya, everlasting consultant of Russia to the UN, claimed on Friday that the dialogue of a common ceasefire in Ukraine is “unrealistic”.

He additional accused Ukraine of not observing a moratorium on long-range strikes towards power infrastructure up to now month.

This seem’s to be in keeping with Russia’s broader technique to deflect blame onto Ukraine and extract further concessions from the US.

Stories of ongoing talks between US and European officers recommend Washington is planning to ease its financial sanctions towards Moscow if an enduring ceasefire deal is achieved.