RUSSIAN General Valery Gerasimov is testing Vladimir Putin's patience after he failed on the project of gaining Moscow full control of the Donbas region in Ukraine.
The General took personal command of the Chief of the General Staff (CGS)'s "special military operation" in Ukraine on January 11, 2023, with the aim of launching a winter offensive.
However, this attack failed after Russia lost thousands of soldiers and equipment in battle, weakening its forces.
The Ministry of Defence reported: "On several axes across the Donbas front, Russian forces have made only marginal gains at the cost of tens of thousands of casualties, largely squandering its temporary advantage in personnel gained from the autumn’s ‘partial mobilisation’."
The MoD claimed that Gerasimov "is pushing the limits of how far Russia's political leadership will tolerate failure" after spending 10 years at the CSG.
Read our Ukraine war blog below for the latest news...
Five-month-old boy killed by Russian artillery
The governor of Avdiivka, Ukraine, said that a five-month-old boy was killed by Russian artillery.
The Kyiv Indepedent reported: "Russian forces attacked eight regions across Ukraine over the past 24 hours, killing at least five people and wounding 10, according to regional governors’ reports on April 1, the Kyiv Independent reports.
"Among the killed was a five-month-old boy and his grandmother in the front-line city of Avdiivka, Donetsk Oblast Governor Pavlo Kyrylenko reported, adding that the parents of the newborn were wounded.
"In the southern Kherson Oblast, three people were killed, and two were wounded, according to the regional military administration."
Pavlo Kyrylenko said that there were three rounds of rockets at the frontline city which damaged houses in six streets.
Five rockets were also fired at Druzhkivka - found behind the Bakhmut front - where a civilian was wounded and a bank, an educational insititution and apartments were hit, the governor said.
There was also more shelling reported in Soledar, Vuhledar, Lysychansk and Bakhmut too.
Take on Russia's new foreign policy
The Institute for the Study of War noticed how Russia has issued new foreign policy - reported earlier today at 8.40am - just a day before the United Nations Security Council, which Moscow expects to preside.
The institute shared its opinion on the tank, saying: "The Kremlin likely decided to release the new foreign policy concept on the eve of assuming the presidency of the United Nations Security Council in order to set informational conditions for future rhetorical efforts at the UN aimed at forming an anti-Western coalition.
"Russia's declining economic power and degraded military effort in Ukraine continue to offer little incentive to countries to express serious interest in the proposal."
Kvitova opposes Wimbledon's lifting of ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes
Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova is against the decision of letting Russian and Belarusian athletes compete in the summer tournament held in London.
Wimbledon was the only Grand Slam to ban Russian and Belarusian athletes, leaving tennis greats such as Daniil Medvedev out of the game.
In 2023, they'll be able to compete as "neutral" athletes.
Kvitova, a Czech who won Wimbledon titles in 2011 and 2014, said players from Russia and Belarus should also be banned from the Paris Olympics next year.
The Czech tennis star said: "I always state that I'm against the war. I'm just more worried about the Ukrainian people and players. I appreciate that Wimbledon had a tough time last year not giving the points (after) Belarusians and Russians didn't play.
"I'm still a bit on the Ukrainian side of this. Not in the Olympics, for sure, because I feel the Games are because we don't want a war in the world. That's my concern. I'm really appreciating that Wimbledon didn't take them last year."
Russia assumes presidency of UN Security Council
Moscow assumed that it'll preside today's United Nations Security Council after the Kremlin said that it plans to exercise all its rights and Russia is prepared to preside over its meetings for the next month and represent the body to other nations of the UN.
The last time Russia was head of the council was when it invaded Ukraine in February 2022.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said: "We urge Russia to conduct itself professionally."
She added that the administration "expect[s] Russia to continue to use its seat on the council to spread disinformation" and justify its actions in Ukraine.
"Unfortunately, Russia is a permanent member of the Security Council and no feasible international legal pathway exists to change that reality," she said.
IOC criticises Ukraine's decision
Ukraine will not allow its athletes to compete in qualifying events leading up to the 2024 Paris Olympics if they have to face Russian opponents, the government minister Oleh Nemchinov announced on Friday.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) criticised this decision, claiming that Ukrainian athletes are the ones that will suffer.
The IOC released a statement which read: "If implemented, such a decision would only hurt the Ukrainian athlete community, and in no way impact the war that the world wants to stop, and that the IOC has so vehemently condemned.
"The IOC has always maintained that it is not up to governments to decide which athletes can participate in which international competitions."
"Due to the fact that there are unfortunately far too many wars, armed conflicts and crises in this world, we have seen in almost all editions of the Games athletes compete with each other despite the fact that their nations are at war or in conflict."
Update from the UK's Ministry of Defence
The UK's MoD gave its latest update on the situation in Ukraine, explaining the Russian Chief of the General Staff (CGS) General Valery Gerasimov's time as command of the "special military operation" in the war-tormented country.
It looks at how the "effort to launch a general winter offensive" in a bid for Russia to take control over the whole of the Donbas region has "failed."
Russian forces made "marginal gains at the cost of tens of thousands of casualties," and after 10 years at the CGS, Gerasimov might be "pushing the limits of how far Russia's political leadership will tolerate failure."
Putin signs off new Russian foreign policy
The Russian president signed off a new foreign policy which will curtail western "dominance" and sees China and India as key future partners.
The strategy document read: "The Russian Federation intends to give priority to the elimination of vestiges of the dominance of the United States and other unfriendly countries in world politics."
The document - which described Russia as a "state civilisation" tasked with defending the "Russian world" - stressed the importance of "the deepening of ties and coordination with friendly sovereign global centres of power and development located on the Eurasian continent."
The term "Russian world" is used by the Kremlin to justify the invasion on Ukraine as it claims that it is defending the country's Russian-speaking minority.
Putin said that updates to Russia's strategy of engagment on the global world were necessary due to "radical changes” in the world.
Biden tells Russia to let US journalist go
Wall Street Journal report Evan Gershkovich is being held in Russia on espionage charges.
Joe Biden is telling Russia to "let him go," as reported by the White House.
The Wall Steet Journal's board of opinion editors published a piece on Thursday afternoon calling for the expulsion of Russia's ambassador to the US, as well as "all Russian journalists working here," describing the move as "the minimum to expect."
"The timing of the arrest looks like a calculated provocation to embarrass the US and intimidate the foreign press still working in Russia," it added.
The newspaper's staff was sent a note on Friday by the editor in chief, Emma Tucker, saying that "we will carry on doing everything in our power to secure Evan's release."
"Your safety and security are what matters most to me, and we will continue to protect that no matter where you may be reporting from," she added.
Meanwhile, when Biden was leaving to view tornado damage in Mississippi, he told reporters that expelling Russian journalists was "not the plan right now."
US calls on all Americans to leave Russia ‘immediately’ after journalist arrest
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has called on American citizens to leave Russia, following the arrest of Evan Gershkovich – a Wall Street Journal reporter, on espionage charges.
On March 30, Blinken wrote: ”We are deeply concerned over Russia’s announcement it has detained a U.S. citizen journalist.
”The @StateDept’s highest priority is the safety and security of U.S. citizens abroad. If you are a U.S. citizen living or traveling in Russia – please leave immediately.”
US imposes sanctions on Slovak for trying to sell North Korean weapons and ammo to Russia
Sanctions have been imposed on Slovakian citizen Ashot Mkrtychev by America for attempting to sell dozens of varieties of North Korean weapons and ammunition to Russia, according to the US Treasury Department.
The treasury said Mkrtychev was sanctioned “for having attempted to, directly or indirectly, import, export, or re-export to, into, or from the DPRK [Diplomatic People’s Republic of Korea] any arms or related material” to help Moscow replace equipment lost in its illegal invasion of Ukraine.
US treasury secretary Janet Yellen released a statement saying: “Russia has lost over 9,000 pieces of heavy military equipment since the start of the war, and thanks in part to multilateral sanctions and export controls Putin has become increasingly desperate to replace them.
Ms Yellen added: “Schemes like the arms deal pursued by this individual show that Putin is turning to suppliers of last resort like Iran and the DPRK.”
Avdiivka city to be evacuated of families with children
According to the head of the city’s military administration, a mandatory evacuation of families with children in Avdiivka, Donetsk Oblast, will take place next week.
Vitalii Barbabash told Interfax: “Currently, six children remain in the city, although three weeks ago there were almost 50.
“But these six are like some kind of magic number: for more than a week this number has remained unchanged.”
Around 2,000 people remain in the region.
Luke Skywalker’s voice used for Ukrainian air defence app
Mark Hamill has allowed his voice to be used for an app linked to air defence in Ukraine.
The Air Alert app uses Luke Skywalker’s voice to warn citizens to take cover when air raid sirens start to sound.
Phrases from Star Wars, voiced by Hamill, advise people: “Don’t be careless” and “Your overconfidence is your weakness”.
When the danger has passed, he is heard saying: “The air raid is over” and “May the force be with you”.
Comparing Star Wars films with the situation in Ukraine, the actor said: “A fairy tale about good versus evil is resonant with what’s going on in Ukraine.
“The Ukrainian people rallying to the cause and responding so heroically…
“It’s impossible not to be inspired by how they’ve weathered this storm.”
Russia’s UN Security Council presidency ‘worst joke ever for April Fool’s Day’
Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba has criticised Russia‘s imminent position as chair of the UN Security Council.
Speaking at an event called “Russia’s aggression and a crisis for multilateralism” at Chatham House, London, Mr Kuleba said the Russian presidency of the council is “the worst joke ever for April Fool’s Day” and a “stark reminder that something is wrong with the way international security architecture is functioning”.
Russia takes over chairing the UN Security Council on April 1.
China’s response to Ukraine war will be ‘a determining factor for EU-China relations going forward’
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Thursday that the way in which China interacts with Vladimir Putin‘s war in Ukraine will be “a determining factor for EU-China relations going forward.”
During a speech ahead of her visit to Beijing tomorrow, von der Leyen said: “Any peace plan which would in effect consolidate Russian annexations is simply not a viable plan. We have to be frank on this point.
“How China continues to interact with Putin’s war will be a determining factor for EU-China relations going forward.”
The King’s speech to German Parliament decries Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
King Charles became the first British monarch ever to deliver a speech to the German parliament on Thursday, during which he decried Russia‘s illegal invasion and praised the country’s military aid to Ukraine.
Charles said “freedom and dignity are being trampled under foot” and “unimaginable suffering” has been caused by Vladimir Putin’s war.
The Monarch continued: “We are deeply shocked by the destruction, but we can be encouraged by our unity when it comes to defending Ukraine, peace, and freedom” – receiving a lengthy round of applause.
Speaking about Germany’s military aid to Ukraine, he added: “Germany’s decision to provide such military support to Ukraine is considered to be very welcome and very important by the world at large.”
Wall Street Journal denies allegations of espionage against its reporter
The Wall Street Journal has released a statement “vehemently” denying the The Federal Security Service’s allegations of espionage against its reporter Evan Gershkovich.
The statement reads: “The Wall Street Journal vehemently denies the allegations from the FSB and seeks the immediate release of our trusted and dedicated reporter, Evan Gershkovich.
“We stand in solidarity with Evan and his family.”
Atomic energy chief warns Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant ‘can’t be protected’
UN atomic energy chief Rafael Mariano Grossi visited the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant yesterday, saying there had been a considerable increase in the number of troops in the region, meaning it could no longer be protected.
It was Mr Grossi’s second visit to Zaporizhzhia since the start of Russia‘s illegal invasion of Ukraine last February.
He said: “It is obvious that military activity is increasing in this whole region. So the plant can’t be protected.”
Wall Street Journal journalist detained by FSB on espionage charges
A journalist for the Wall Street Journal has been arrested in Russia on espionage charges.
The Federal Security Service (FSB) said they detained US citizen Evan Gershkovich in the city of Yekaterinburg, east of the Ural Mountains.
The FSB alleged Gershkovich “was collecting classified information about the activities of one of the enterprises of the Russian military industrial complex”.
If convicted of espionage, the American journalist could face up to 20 years in prison.
Russian attack seriously injures two in Orikhiv, Zaporizhzhia Oblast
A Russian attack has seriously injured two people in Orikhiv, Zaporizhzhia Oblast.
Two employees of one the largest electricity suppliers of Ukraine, Zaporizhzhiaoblenergo, were wounded on the morning of March 31, the company reported.
Russian combat losses pass 173,000
In the last 24 hours, Russia lost a further 460 troops, according to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
This brings Russia’s total combat losses up to 173,360.
5 tanks, 4 artillery systems and 9 UAVs were also destroyed by the Ukrainian military in the past day’s fighting.
New $15.6bn support for Ukraine
President Zelensky has today thanked the IMF and Kristalina Georgieva for approving a new four-year support programme for Ukraine.
Taking to Twitter, the Ukrainian leader wrote: ''I'm thankful to the IMF and @KGeorgieva for approving a new four-year support program for Ukraine for the total of $15.6 billion.
''It is an important help in our fight against Russian aggression. Together we support the Ukrainian economy. And we are moving forward to victory!''
I'm thankful to the IMF and @KGeorgieva for approving a new four-year support program for Ukraine for the total of $15.6 billion. It is an important help in our fight against Russian aggression. Together we support the 🇺🇦 economy. And we are moving forward to victory!
— Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) March 31, 2023Spain to aid Ukraine with Leopard tanks
Reuters is reporting that Spanish defence minister Margarita Robles is saying that six Leopard 2A4 tanks will be sent over to Ukraine after Easter.
The tanks haven’t been used since the 1990s with Robles telling lawmakers that they have been repaired and will be tested to check their combat readiness before shipping them off to Ukraine.
She added that Spain will repair four more tans that shall be sent “in the near future.”
Moment column of Russian tanks is destroyed one by one by hero Ukrainian firing US-made Javelin missiles
Video footage has captured the moment a column of Russian tanks was wiped out one by one by Ukrainian marines using US-made Javelin missiles.
The Russian convoy of tanks could be seen trundling along a road in the Donetsk region before it was obliterated by fierce Ukrainian troops.
Cowardly Russian soldiers fled from their burning vehicles as heroic Ukrainian forces fired at them with rocket launchers.
The video was shared by the 36th Separate Marine Brigade.
Watch the heart-pounding moment here.