Ukraine Invasion: Part 56

[MagicFox]

The (free) world has gone mad. Slava Ukraini 🇺🇦

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It will be interesting to see how Trump eventually responds to being 'strung along' on the world stage.

No shit Sherlock 😂

I wonder if there’s something about him seeing how loved and respected Zelenskyy is outside of his tiny small minded WhiteHouse and finally realising he might have shackled his cart to the wrong horse. After all we all know that type of adoration is what Trump really wants.

I don’t suspect any new found respect for Zelenskyy will survive engagement with Vance. He’ll be feeding Trump again as soon as he can.

For the Pope, unlike his visit to the White House, Zelenskyy wore a suit. A black suit. (And Trump couldn't even summon up the couth to wear black at a funeral.) I'm sure Vance will make something out of that, emphasise what a slur it was not to wear the suit for Trump... "Look; he can perfectly well wear a suit when he chooses" and similar bullshit.

Should we be concerned about what Vance may think or say or do? Who cares about him.

I fear we have to be; he's probably the next POTUS, apart from anything else.

And for now at least he has the ear of Trump. He was certainly the ring leader in that Oval Office meeting.

Trump would do well to keep watch on Vance's ambition since Trump appears to want to go for a third term.

Yes, I think we should be very concerned.

https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-april-26-2025

Key Takeaways:

• Russian Chief of the General Staff Army General Valery Gerasimov claimed on April 26 that Russian forces pushed all Ukrainian forces from Kursk Oblast.
• Ukraine's August 2024 incursion into Kursk Oblast successfully pinned some Russian combat power, including elite airborne (VDV) and naval infantry units, but its long-term effects remain unclear at this time.
• Gerasimov made the first official Russian acknowledgement of North Korean troop participation in Russian operations in Kursk Oblast by thanking North Korean servicemembers for their assistance in Russian efforts to push Ukrainian forces out of the region.
• US President Donald Trump stated that the United States is no longer pursuing a concrete deadline for achieving a resolution to the war in Ukraine — a departure from the administration’s previously stated goal of ending the war within its first 100 days.
• Russia is likely preparing to systematically integrate motorcycle usage into offensive operations in Ukraine for Summer and Fall 2025, likely to offset adept Ukrainian drone capabilities.
• Ukrainian forces recently advanced near Pokrovsk. Russian forces recently advanced near Novopavlivka, Kurkakhove, and Velyka Novosilka.

Kyiv Independent Telegram Highlights

⚡️ Moscow claims (kyivindependent.com/moscow-claims-to-retake-kursk-oblast-confirms-north-korean-troop-deployment-for-first-time/) to retake Kursk Oblast, confirms North Korean troop deployment for first time.
Russian forces have fully recaptured the territory of Kursk Oblast, the Russian border region partially held by Ukraine since last August, the Kremlin claimed on April 26.
Ukraine has not commented on the claims, which could not be independently verified.
For the first time, Russia's top general, Valery Gerasimov, also acknowledged the participation of North Korean troops in the campaign, praising their "fortitude and heroism."

⚡️Ukraine still operating (kyivindependent.com/ukraine-still-operating-in-kursk-oblast-monitoring-group-says/) in Russia's Kursk Oblast, monitoring group says.

⚡️ Russia lost (kyivindependent.com/russia-lost-over-62-400-soldiers-in-kursk-operation-ukraine-says/) over 62,400 soldiers in Kursk operation, Ukraine says.
Of this number, 25,200 were "irreversible" losses and 36,200 were injuries, the General Staff said.

⚡️Russia training to integrate motorcycles (kyivindependent.com/russia-training-to-integrate-motorcycles-into-summer-offensive-in-ukraine-isw-says/) into summer offensive in Ukraine, ISW says.
Training footage indicates that Russia may be developing "a tactical doctrine for systematic offensive motorcycle usage," the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said on April 26.

⚡️ Putin ready for talks with Ukraine 'without preconditions,' Kremlin says. (https://kyivindependent.com/putin-ready-for-talks-with-ukraine-without-preconditions-kremlin-says/)

⚡️ US rejects Russian demand (kyivindependent.com/us-rejects-russian-demand-for-full-ukrainian-withdrawal-from-4-occupied-oblasts-nyt-reports/) for Ukraine's full withdrawal from partially occupied oblasts, NYT reports.
The United States considers the demand an "unreasonable and unachievable" condition, the source told the New York Times.

⚡️ 'He's just tapping me along' — Trump admits (kyivindependent.com/putin-maybe-doesnt-want-to-stop-the-war-trump-admits/) Putin may not be interested in ending war on Ukraine.
In a Truth Social post published shortly after he met with President Volodymyr Zelensky, Trump said that "there was no reason for Putin to be shooting missiles into civilian areas, cities and towns, over the last few days."

⚡️ Russian military helicopter violates (kyivindependent.com/russian-military-helicopter-entered-polish-airspace-poland-says/) Polish airspace to probe air defenses, Poland says.
A Russian military helicopter of the Baltic Fleet violated Polish airspace on the evening of April 25, the Polish military command said.
The aircraft was tracked by Polish military radar systems and civilian systems of the Polish Air Navigation Services Agency over Poland's territorial waters in the Baltic Sea.

⚡️ Most online services restored (kyivindependent.com/most-online-services-restored-in-ukraine-after-data-center-outage-no-signs-of-cyberattack/) in Ukraine after data center outage, no signs of cyberattack.

⚡️Update: Zelensky meets (kyivindependent.com/zelensky-meets-macron-starmer-for-talks-on-peace-in-rome/) France's Macron, UK's Starmer, Italy's Meloni on sidelines of Pope Francis's funeral.

⚡️Zelensky meets (kyivindependent.com/zelensky-meets-von-der-leyen-following-funeral-of-pope-francis/) von der Leyen following funeral of Pope Francis.

⚡️Zelensky meets Vatican state secretary (kyivindependent.com/zelensky-meets-vatican-state-secretary-on-sidelines-of-pope-franciss-funeral/) on sidelines of Pope Francis's funeral.

⚡️ Secret Russian satellite linked to nuclear weapon program seems to malfunction, Reuters reports. (kyivindependent.com/secret-russian-satellite-linked-to-nuclear-weapon-program-seems-to-malfunction-reuters-reports/)
A Russian space satellite that U.S. officials tie to its nuclear anti-satellite weapon program seems to be spinning uncontrollably and may no longer be functioning, Reuters reported on April 25, citing U.S. experts.

⚡️ Russian EW systems designer reportedly killed (kyivindependent.com/russian-electronic-warfare-systems-designer-killed-in-car-bombing-in-bryansk-media-reports/) in car bombing in Bryansk.
Yevgeny Rytikov, a Russian engineer involved in modernizing electronic warfare (EW) systems used against Ukraine, was killed in a car bombing in western Russia on April 17-18, Ukrainian and Russian media outlets reported on April 25.

⚡️Republican senator calls for secondary tariffs (kyivindependent.com/republican-senator-calls-for-secondary-tariffs-on-russian-energy-buyers/) on Russian energy buyers.
"As to additional sanctions on Putin's Russia, I have bipartisan legislation with almost 60 cosponsors that would put secondary tariffs on any country that purchases Russian oil, gas, uranium, or other products," U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham said on April 26.

⚡️ Update: Presidential Office praises (https://kyivindependent.com/zelensky-meeting-trump/) Zelensky-Trump meeting in Vatican as ‘constructive.’

⚡️ Russian attacks (kyivindependent.com/russian-attacks-against-ukraine-kill-6-injure-at-least-28-over-past-day/) against Ukraine kill 6, injure at least 29 over past day.

UNITED24 Media Telegram Highlights

Russians demonstrate a new air-to-surface cruise missile for tactical aircraft during Medvedev’s visit to the Kapustin Yar test site.
The missile, whose characteristics and name have not been disclosed, visually resembles the American AGM-158 JASSM cruise missile.

Denmark has allocated 42.5 million euros for the purchase of artillery ammunition for Ukraine as part of the 25th aid package.

Special attention was paid to the preparation of the 17th package of EU sanctions. It is important that it be aimed at key sectors of the Russian economy and become one of the elements of pressure on Russia to restore peace, said President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy following the meeting with President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen.

US President Donald Trump has promised the Estonian president not to walk away from the Ukraine talks.
“I asked him how the peace process was going and asked him to do everything to keep the process going so that the US doesn’t step back from the role of mediator. He promised to do so and said that we are pretty close to a solution because he had just met with Zelensky. Of course, I didn’t ask him too much about what the meeting was about,” said Alar Karis.

We are grateful for the Vatican’s assistance to Ukraine in returning Ukrainian children illegally deported and displaced by Russia and in releasing prisoners, — President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy following the meeting with Cardinal Matteo Zuppi.

During our conversation, special attention was paid to the path to a just and lasting peace and the efforts of Ukraine, the United States and Europe to establish a complete, unconditional ceasefire, — President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy following the meeting with Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin.

Kyiv Post Telegram Highlights

None.

Live: Ukraine Telegram Highlights

After meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky in Rome, French President Emmanuel Macron stated that Ukraine is ready for an unconditional ceasefire, and now it is up to Putin to demonstrate that he truly seeks peace.
Zelensky said that during their talks, he and Macron discussed the path toward a full, unconditional ceasefire and the need to maintain pressure on Russia to achieve it.

The Vatican broke protocol to seat Zelensky in the front row at Pope Francis’ funeral, The Telegraph reports.
Leaders were seated according to protocol: following the country names in French alphabetical order, as French was the language of diplomacy when this protocol was established.
“Mr. Zelensky could have expected a seat in the third row or even further back. Instead, he was placed in the front row, eleven seats away from Mr. Trump, who was seated to his right,” the article states.
The Vatican did not object to the Ukrainian president sitting closer.

📍 Man Killed and 14-Year-Old Girl Injured in Russian Attack on Pavlohrad, Dnipropetrovsk Region
📍 Russian Forces Launched 408 Strikes on Settlements in Zaporizhzhia Region Over the Past Day
📍 Five Drone Strikes Recorded Overnight in Sumy Region — Elderly Woman Injured

Zelensky from youth to the present.

One tiny price of this war, how it's aged him and broken his heart.

Whenever I see pictures of him in his youth all I can think is that the joy has gone from his eyes. It must be heartbreaking for Olena and his family.

I hope one day they’re able to just be a family again and that all he has to worry about is mundane stuff like what to have for dinner.

If Trump snuffs it, Vance becomes US President. That's the most worrying thing. Evil & stupid is one thing, but evil & clever is far more dangerous.

Shit. I’ll need to fine tune my prayer curse list to add this one and for Trump not to snuff it too soon. Thanks everyone for explaining the dangers of Vance.

You'll have to pray for a meteor large enough to squish both of them.

But then I think by default you get Mike Johnson...🤔

@MissConductUS will know the routine..

The worst possible case is that Trump dies during his third year as president, which makes Vance president immediately, after which Vance runs for president, gets the sympathy vote and wins, because he can then go for a second term. If he wins that, he will have been elected only twice and evil will then have been in power for twelve years.

The Trump Third Term Theory postulates him running as vice-president to Vance, and I think the constitution does say that if someone is ineligible to be elected as president (which at that point Trump would be) he is also ineligible to be elected as vice-president; that's the twelfth amendment, and presidents not being able to be elected for a third term is the twenty-second.

Well, that would be an improvement at least...

Not much of a one, if any. He is as nasty a piece of work as Vance, just less obvious about it.