On the 792nd day of the war, here are the latest updates as of Friday, April 26, 2024.
In terms of fighting, tensions continue to escalate.
In the realm of politics and diplomacy, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg called on China to cease its support for Russia in the conflict in Ukraine if it wishes to improve relations with the West. Despite China claiming neutrality, Stoltenberg pointed out the significant role China plays in supplying Russia with microelectronics used in military equipment production. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced plans to visit China in May, following previous meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Ukraine’s agriculture minister, Mykola Solsky, resigned amidst a corruption investigation, while Russian human rights group Memorial raised concerns about the health of its jailed leader, Oleg Orlov. In other events, a couple in Ukraine was sentenced to 15 years for treason, while a former soldier was arrested for allegedly assisting Russia in planning attacks. Additionally, a Siberian man was jailed for 10 years for state treason.
The US is considering a $6 billion weapons package for Ukraine, which may include Patriot air defense systems, artillery ammunition, drones, counter-drone weapons, and air-to-air missiles. Despite this, Russia downplayed the impact of these weapons on the battlefield. Denmark has also increased its military aid to Ukraine.
Other events include a fine for a Russian celebrity for calling for peace on social media, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko warning of military incidents on the border with Ukraine, and ongoing discussions within the G7 about using frozen Russian assets to aid Ukraine.