Timeline of the Russian invasion of Ukraine (1 April 2024 – present)

1 April

Ukraine reported shooting down two of three Shahed drones. A power substation in Zaporizhzhia Oblast was damaged by a drone strike.

Ukrainian border guards intercepted a Russian sabotage group trying to enter Sumy Oblast.

Valeriy Chaika, a Russian-appointed official in Starobilsk, Luhansk Oblast was killed after a bomb exploded in his car.

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) arrested a resident of Kharkiv on suspicion of spying for Russia and a businessman from Berdiansk on suspicion of selling construction material for Russian fortifications. It also charged RT chief editor Margarita Simonyan in absentia with promoting genocide, spreading propaganda, justifying the Russian invasion and encouraging the violation of Ukraine's territorial integrity.

2 April

A drone attack struck industrial facilities in Yelabuga and Nizhnekamsk in the Russian republic of Tatarstan. The drones hit the Yelabuga drone factory, causing "significant damage", according to Ukrainian officials. A local Russian official denied any damage to the factory. Russian media reported a nearby workers' dormitory was damaged, injuring twelve college students, including five minors, who were employed at the drone manufactory. Other drones struck the Tatneft oil refinery in Nizhnekamsk, causing a fire that did not cause “critical damage”. A Ukrainian-made light aircraft, believed to be an Aeroprakt A-22 Foxbat, was converted into a one-way drone. Another drone attack later that day damaged several buildings in Kursk.

Ukrainian military intelligence (HUR) said it had blown up an electricity substation in Sevastopol, causing blackouts in the city.

Two people were killed in Russian attacks in Kharkiv and Kherson Oblasts. Eighteen people were injured in a missile attack on Dnipro.

Russian president Vladimir Putin appointed vice-admiral Sergei Pinchuk as commander of the Russian Black Sea Fleet.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a law lowering the age of conscription in Ukraine from 27 years to 25.

The Register of Damage Caused by the Aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine (RD4U), an online registry for Ukrainians to submit claims for damage caused by the Russian invasion, was officially opened, with at least 100 claims submitted in the first hours.

Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) claimed to have intercepted 70 kilograms of RDX, an RPG-7 and other bomb-making material at a border crossing in Pskov Oblast from Latvia. Originating from Ukraine, the paperwork indicated that it travelled through several EU countries before reaching the Russian border. The weapons were discovered hidden in Orthodox religious icons and paraphernalia.

3 April

One person was killed in a Russian missile attack in Sumy Oblast.

NATO said it was considering a long term funding package for Ukraine worth 100 billion euros ($107 billion) over five years to "Trump-proof" future military support for Ukraine. The idea was raised by Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.

During his visit to Kyiv, Finnish President Alexander Stubb signed a 10-year security pact with Ukraine and announced 188 million euros ($203 million) in military aid and another 290 million euros in developmental aid.

4 April

Four people were killed and twelve others were injured in overnight Russian drone strikes on Kharkiv. Another person was killed in a separate attack outside the city. Two people were killed in an airstrike in New York, Donetsk Oblast.

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) assessed that Russian forces had reached the eastern suburbs of Chasiv Yar but were held back by Ukrainian forces.

Russia claimed to have shot down 13 drones over Belgorod, Kursk and Tula Oblasts.

Ukraine gave certificates of gratitude to a multinational group of "vigilante hackers" known as One Fist responsible for launching cyberattacks on Russian military firms and CCTV cameras "dozens of times".

The FSB announced the capture of a former Israeli Defence Force soldier who was trying to join the Ukrainian army. He was given a formal warning and deported back to Israel.

A Ukrainian court sentenced a suspect in the 2023 Kramatorsk restaurant missile strike to life imprisonment for aiding Russian forces in the attack.

Moldovan Border Police found the wreckage of a Russian drone near Etulia, at about 500 metres (1,600 feet) from the Moldova–Ukraine border.

5 April

Ukraine launched a barrage of drones into western Russia, targeting four airbases. Ukrainian officials claim at least six military aircraft were destroyed, eight others were "heavily damaged", and at least 20 personnel were killed or injured at a military airbase near Morozovsk, Rostov Oblast. Security sources reported the airbase held Su-27 and Su-34 aircraft, while an open-source intelligence researcher reported the base also held three Su-35 aircraft. Rostov Oblast Governor Vasily Golubev claimed Russia intercepted 44 Ukrainian drones and that only a 16-storey residential block and power substation were damaged, leaving around 600 people without power. Eight people were later injured by one of the fallen drone's explosives detonating during an investigation of the site. Drones were also launched at Engels-2 airbase in Saratov Oblast, reportedly home to Tu-95 and Tu-22 bombers. The attack allegedly caused "serious damage" to three Tu-95MS bombers and resulted in the deaths of seven. One drone was shot down over the nearby town of Engels. There were no reports of casualties or infrastructure damage from the neutralized drone. Yeysk Airport, which hosts the aviation units of the 4th Army of the Russian Air Force, was also allegedly struck, with two Su-25 aircraft destroyed. Local official Roman Bublik denied any damage. Kursk Vostochny Airport was also targeted. There was no information provided on possible damage. Russia reported no casualties and denied any serious damage, claiming to have intercepted 53 drones. The Institute for the Study of War found no visual evidence of Russian aircraft being hit at the airbases.

Russia claimed to have taken the village of Vodiane, near Avdiivka.

Four people were killed and at least 23 others were injured in Russian missile attacks on Zaporizhzhia.

Transnistrian authorities claimed that a drone attack damaged a radar facility in Rîbnița District.

The SBU arrested two foreign nationals from the Caucasus republics in Odesa on suspicion of spying for Russia.

Ukrainian authorities ordered the evacuation of children from 52 settlements in Sumy Oblast due to Russian attacks.

6 April

Seven people were killed and 11 others were injured in overnight Russian missile attacks on Kharkiv. Later that day, another attack on the city killed one person. One person was killed in an attack outside Odesa, while three people were killed by shelling in Donetsk Oblast.

Russian forces entered the village of Pervomaiske, ten kilometers west of Avdiivka, and took control of Krasnohorivka. Fighting was also reported north of Avdiivka, at a farmstead on the outskirts of Novokalynove.

Russia claimed to have downed ten missiles over Belgorod Oblast.

Lithuania delivered an unspecified number of M577 tracked armored personnel carriers to Ukraine.

Estonian Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur announced the country's own initiative to purchase one million shells for Ukraine. Similar to the Czech initiative it requires 2-3 billion euros to purchase ammunition, including 155 mm and 152 mm shells and Grad rockets.

7 April

Russian shelling killed three in Huliaipole, Zaporizhzhia Oblast. One person was killed in an airstrike in Kupiansk.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported three direct strikes on the main reactor containment structures of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, causing “physical impact” in one reactor and one casualty. The HUR denied involvement.

Russia claimed to have shot down 15 Ukrainian drones over Belgorod Oblast, during which falling debris killed one person and wounded four, including two children.

According to Ukrainian media, the Russian Buyan-class corvette Serpukhov was damaged in a fire perpetrated by HUR operatives while it was docked in Kaliningrad Oblast. The HUR released a video of the fire being started and claimed that the fire had destroyed "its communication and automation systems".

Ukraine opened an investigation after video emerged of three prisoners of war being summarily executed by Russian soldiers near Krynky.

8 April

Three people were killed and eight others were injured in a Russian missile attack on Zaporizhzhia. One person was killed and five others were injured in Russian air strikes in Sumy Oblast. Two people were killed in separate attacks in Chasiv Yar and Poltava.

Ukrainian hackers launched a cyberattack on a data center used by the Russian military, energy, and telecommunications industries, which affected 10,000 enterprises including Gazprom and Lukoil.

The SBU arrested a former member of the Party of Regions in Sumy Oblast on suspicion of spying for Russia.

9 April

Three people, including a 13-year-old child, were killed in a Russian attack on Kostiantynivka. One person was killed by shelling in Chernihiv Oblast.

The IAEA reported a drone strike on the training center of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.

In Russia, the governor of Bryansk Oblast claimed two people were killed by Ukrainian shelling in Klimovo.

Russian forces claimed to have intercepted a Neptune missile near the Crimean coast and four drones, two over Belgorod Oblast and another two over Voronezh Oblast.

The HUR claimed to have struck the Borisoglebsk Aviation Training School in Voronezh Oblast. CCTV footage, with sound, showed automatic gunfire followed by an explosion at the school.

Rheinmetall announced 20 additional Marder IFVs for Ukraine.

United States Central Command announced that it had transferred weapons seized from Iran to Ukraine, including thousands of rocket launchers, machine guns, sniper rifles and hundreds of thousands of rounds of ammunition.

10 April

Three people, including a 14-year-old child, were killed in a Russian airstrike in Lyptsi, Kharkiv Oblast. Six people, including a 10-year-old child, were killed in a Russian airstrike in Odesa.

In Russia, the governor of Kursk Oblast claimed that three people, including two children were killed in a Ukrainian drone strike on a car in Korenevsky District.

The Ukrainian military claimed that a Russian Ka-27 helicopter was destroyed in disputed circumstances over Chornomorske, Crimea. On the same day, the Russian Defence Ministry said that an Mi-24 helicopter crashed due to possible equipment failure off the Crimean coast.

The SBU arrested a former city councilor of Bakhmut on suspicion of collaboration with Russia.

The US Department of Defense sold Ukraine $138 million in spare parts to maintain and upgrade its HAWK missile systems.

Germany announced a new aid package to Ukraine that included 6,000 rounds of 155 mm shells, a mine clearing tank, small arms and some one million bullets.

11 April

Russia launched a massive air attack on cities and energy infrastructure across Ukraine, killing five people in Mykolaiv and destroying the Trypilska thermal power plant in Ukrainka, Kyiv Oblast. Two storage facilities belonging to the state gas firm Naftogaz were also targeted. President Zelenskyy said that the power plant was destroyed after air defenses ran out of missiles after intercepting seven Russian missiles, resulting in four other missiles hitting the facility.

The FSB claimed to have thwarted an attempted landing by Ukrainian special forces in occupied Kherson Oblast, inflicting casualties and capturing a commando.

Ukrainian authorities ordered the evacuation of families with children from 47 communities in Kharkiv Oblast near the border with Russia due to Russian attacks.

Ukrainian military commanders convinced the Verkhovna Rada to drop a clause from a bill on mobilization of Ukrainian military personnel that allowed soldiers who had fought for 36 months a chance to be discharged. Citing the ongoing Russian offensive, the officers claimed that the clause would "weaken the defence forces". The bill was passed later in the day after over four thousand amendments were submitted since its introduction in February 2024. It must now be signed into law by Zelenskyy.

The Ukrainian Ground Forces announced that Andrii Kovalchuk, the head of its Operational Command South, had been appointed as head of the Odesa Military Academy, while Serhii Litvinov, the head of its Operational Command West, had been appointed as deputy head of the National Defence University of Ukraine. They were replaced in their previous positions by Major General Hennadii Shapovalov and Brigade General Volodymyr Shvediuk, respectively.

12 April

Russian-installed officials in Zaporizhzhia Oblast claimed that ten people were killed by Ukrainian shelling in Tokmak.

One person was killed by Russian shelling in Kharkiv Oblast. Two people were killed in separate Russian attacks in Donetsk Oblast.

Russia reported shooting down four drones over an oil refinery in Novoshakhtinsk. One drone fell in the grounds of the oil refinery. Another drone was reportedly shot down over Belgorod Oblast.

A former SBU agent who defected to Russia shortly before the 2022 invasion was injured in a car bombing in Moscow.

Russia and Ukraine conducted an exchange of war dead, with 99 Ukrainians being exchanged for 23 Russians.

The HUR said that Russia had transferred 2,000 personnel from its Pacific Fleet and 400 personnel from the Russian Air Force's 11th Air and Air Defence Forces Army, in addition to halting the deployment of soldiers to Syria on rotation. It claimed that the transfers will either form new units or fill losses in existing units.

Norway announced that it would transfer 22 F-16s to Ukraine as well as spare parts, simulators and other equipment to operate them.

13 April

The Ukrainian Defence Ministry confirmed that Russian forces had reached the northern outskirts of Bohdanivka, ten kilometers from Chasiv Yar. Russia claimed to have taken Pervomaiske, 11 kilometers west of Avdiivka.

Three people were killed in separate Russian attacks in Donetsk Oblast, while two people were killed in Kharkiv Oblast. One person was killed in a Russian attack on a car carrying humanitarian aid in Chernihiv Oblast.

The Russian-installed head of Luhansk Oblast claimed that three people were injured in a Ukrainian missile attack on a factory in Luhansk city. Ukrainian officials claimed to have destroyed a major Russian headquarters using Storm Shadow missiles. Russian media later reported that Colonel Pavel Kropotov, commander of the 59th Guards Communications Brigade, was killed in the attack.

The SBU announced that it had thwarted an assassination attempt against Kherson Oblast Governor Oleksandr Prokudin, adding that it had arrested a suspect who tried to launch a drone at his car.

The IAEA reported that the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant had been placed in a state of cold shutdown for the first time since October 2022.

Germany announced that it would deliver another Patriot battery and additional missiles to Ukraine.

14 April

One person was killed in a Russian airstrike in Donetsk Oblast. Another person was killed by Russian shelling in Sumy Oblast.

Russia claimed that it had shot down all ten drones launched by Ukraine at Krasnodar Krai.

15 April

Four people were killed by Russian shelling in Siversk, Donetsk Oblast. Two people were killed in a separate attack in Lukiantsi, Kharkiv Oblast.

Ukrainian media reported that the Ukrainian military launched a missile attack on a Russian command post in Crimea. The partisan group Atesh claimed that the headquarters of the 810th Marine Brigade in Sevastopol was struck.

Ukrainian border guards intercepted a Russian sabotage group trying to enter Sumy Oblast.

16 April

The SBU claimed to have destroyed a Russian Nebo-U radar system in Bryansk Oblast using drones.

Russian-installed officials in Zaporizhzhia Oblast said that Anton Yakimenko, a member of the district council of occupied Yakymivka, was lightly injured in a bomb attack as part of an assassination attempt.

Ukraine announced that it was testing an “unmanned submarine” that can be fitted with a warhead, stealth features and sensors, carry up to 10 divers, carry six torpedoes or missiles and has an endurance of 54 hours/1000 km, with a speed of up to 50 km/h underwater.

Zelenskyy signed the revised mobilization bill into law.

Denmark announced a new military aid package for Ukraine valued at 2.2 billion kroner ($313 million) that is partly aimed at weapons production in the Czech Republic.

17 April

At least eighteen people were killed and at least 78 others were injured in a Russian missile attack on Chernihiv.

Ukraine claimed responsibility for an attack at the Dzhankoi air base in Crimea, during which six explosions were reported. Russian milbloggers and Ukrainian sources said that that ATACMS missiles or ballistic missiles were used, some of which deployed cluster munitions. A millblogger claimed 30 people were killed and 80 others wounded. Ukraine said four missile launchers were 'critically damaged' in the attack. Subsequent satellite pictures showed the destruction of between three and five S-300/S-400 components and other areas marked with "scorch marks" that suggested equipment that had been damaged but removed. Ukrainian media reported that the HUR struck a radar system in the Russian republic of Mordovia and a factory producing bomber aircraft in Tatarstan using drones.

The Canadian government announced that it would budget some 1.6 billion Canadian dollars ($1.16 billion) in military aid for Ukraine over the next five years.

18 April

Two people were killed in separate Russian attacks in Donetsk Oblast.

Russia claimed to have shot down five Ukrainian balloons carrying explosives over Belgorod and Voronezh Oblasts.

A Polish national was arrested in Poland on suspicion of spying for Russia as part of a plot to assassinate Zelenskyy during his visit there, following a tip from Ukrainian authorities.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell called on EU member states to send anti-missile systems to Ukraine.

19 April

Eight people, including two children, were killed while 29 others were injured in Russian missile attacks on Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, particularly in Dnipro and Synelnykove. A total of 22 missiles and 14 Shahed drones were fired, including six Kh-22 missiles and two Iskander-K missiles; according to Ukraine, 29 were intercepted including two Kh-22s, which were intercepted by the Patriot air defense system, the first time these missiles were intercepted since the start of the invasion.

Two people were killed in separate attacks in Mykolaiv Oblast and Kherson.

A Russian Tu-22M3 long range strategic bomber crashed in Stavropol Krai while returning to base, killing one crew member, with another missing. Ukraine claimed to have shot it down, at a range of 308 km, using an S-200 missile, according to an interview with Lt. Gen. Kyrylo Budanov, head of the HUR. Russian authorities claimed the aircraft crashed due to a technical malfunction.

Russian media reported that Russell Bentley, an American citizen and a resident of Donetsk Oblast who fought for pro-Russian separatists during the Donbas War was killed in unspecified circumstances after going missing following a Ukrainian attack on 8 April. His wife claimed that he had been abducted by Russian soldiers.

Russian media outlets claimed that Izvestia war correspondent Semyon Eremin was killed by a Ukrainian drone strike after visiting a Russian unit in Zaporizhzhia Oblast.

Ukraine claimed that the armored strength of the Russian Southern Group of Forces had decreased "significantly" to 650 tanks, including those damaged or otherwise disabled, and total number of AFVs deployed was "no more than" 1,850 vehicles.

20 April

Two people were killed in a Russian attack on Vovchansk. One person was killed in a separate attack in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast.

Ukrainian forces claimed responsibility for strikes on Russian energy infrastructure, with fires breaking out in three electrical substations in Smolensk, Kaluga and Bryansk Oblasts. A fuel storage tank belonging to Lukoil was set on fire in Smolensk Oblast by falling drone debris. The Russian ministry of defence claimed to have shot down some fifty drones over the said oblasts as well as in Ryazan, Tula, Moscow, Kursk and Belgorod Oblasts, where two people were claimed to have died.

The US House of Representatives passed a $61 billion aid package for Ukraine. It must be passed by the Senate and signed into law by President Joe Biden.

21 April

Russia claimed to have taken Bohdanivka, three kilometers from Chasiv Yar.

The Russian-installed governor of Sevastopol said that a Neptune missile was launched at a vessel of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, causing a small fire. The Ukrainian Navy claimed that it struck the salvage ship Kommuna. Subsequent satellite images did not reveal any damage.

Ukrainian military observer Kostyantyn Mashovets claimed that the Russian Central Grouping of Forces, which operates in the Pokrovsk and Toretsk directions (northwest and northeast of Avdiivka), had over 86,000 personnel, 280 tanks, 760 armored vehicles, and around 1,100 tube and rocket artillery systems.

22 April

Russia claimed to have captured the village of Novomykhailivka, Donetsk Oblast, 20 kilometres from Vuhledar.

The upper half of the Kharkiv TV Tower was destroyed by a Russian air strike.

British intelligence reported that Russian legislator Dmitry Sablin created a new reserve military drone unit called Bars Kaskad to allow VIPs to serve in Ukraine with a reduced risk of “frontline combat”.

A crowdfunding effort by 50,000 private Slovak citizens raised €3,071,405 in a week to contribute to the Czech initiative to purchase artillery ammunition for Ukraine.

23 April

Russia claimed to have captured the village of Ocheretyne, Donetsk Oblast, which was attributed to a rotational error by Ukrainian military commanders that left the sector mostly undefended and led to Russian forces advancing by five kilometers.

The Ukrainian foreign ministry announced that it would suspend consular services to overseas Ukrainian men who were eligible for military service until 18 May, with the exception of those returning to Ukraine.

The SBU arrested a resident of Kharkiv on suspicion of spying for Russia.

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced a new military aid package for Ukraine that included 400 vehicles, 1,600 weapons and four million rounds of ammunition, along with £500 million in funding.

The US Senate passed the bill authorising financial aid for Ukraine. The bill must now be signed into law by President Joe Biden.

24 April

Russia claimed that a Ukrainian drone attack set fire to energy infrastructure in Smolensk Oblast. A drone struck an industrial area in Lipetsk Oblast without details on injuries or damage caused, while an oil refinery was also struck in Voronezh Oblast, causing a fire. Ukrainian sources claimed that some 26,000 cubic metres of fuel was destroyed.

The Ukrainian government issued a decree banning the delivery of identification documents and passports to Ukrainian men of military age abroad.

The SBU formally announced that Metropolitan Arsenii, the UOC-MP head of the Sviatohirsk Lavra in Donetsk Oblast, was under suspicion of spying for Russia for divulging Ukrainian military positions during a public liturgy.

Ukraine received another tranche of 1.5 billion euros in funds from the EU.

President Biden signed into law the aid package for Ukraine. The US Department of Defense subsequently announced a $1 billion package that included HIMARS systems, artillery rounds, air defense missiles and Bradley IFVs.

A Russian court ordered the seizure of $439.5 million in funds from JPMorgan Chase to recoup losses from US sanctions.

25 April

Three people were killed in Russian attacks in Donetsk Oblast.

Russian-installed officials claimed that four people were killed in separate Ukrainian attacks in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia Oblasts.

Two Russian soldiers were arrested for fatally shooting at least seven people while intoxicated in the villages of Podo-Kalynivka and Abrykosivka in Kherson Oblast, including the head of the latter village.

The Polish and Lithuanian governments offered to repatriate Ukrainian men living in their countries to Ukraine in order for them to be drafted into the Ukrainian military.

Spain pledged to provide Patriot missiles to Ukraine.

The Swiss Parliament's Security Committee approved a proposal to send five billion Swiss Francs in aid to Ukraine.

Russia seized the village of Novobakhmutivka, ten kilometers northwest of Avdiivka.

26 April

Two people were killed by Russian shelling in Bilopillia, Sumy Oblast.

Russian-installed officials in Luhansk Oblast claimed that one person was killed by Ukrainian shelling in Novodruzhesk. The governors of Kursk and Bryansk Oblasts also claimed that two people were killed in separate Ukrainian attacks.

Ukrainian media reported that the HUR carried out an operation that destroyed a Russian Ka-32 helicopter in Ostafyevo Airport, Moscow, and a cyberattack that targeted the United Russia party.

Ukraine withdrew its M1A1 Abrams tanks from frontline service after two months in action. A US Defense official said the withdrawal was due to difficulties in maneuvering undetected through terrain and Russian drone attacks.

Zelenskyy dismissed Brigadier General Oleksandr Yakovets as commander of the Ukrainian military's Support Forces after more than a month in office, and transferred him to head the State Transport Special Service, replacing Bohdan Bondar.

The US government announced a US$6 billion military aid package for Ukraine that included Patriot and NASAMS missiles, counter drone systems, artillery ammunition and other precision strike weapons. US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin called it the “largest security assistance package that we've committed to date”.

Six photos surfaced online, taken somewhere in Russia, which appeared to show a crashed Swift 2 fitted with a single OFAB-100-120 bomb along with other equipment to allow for it to become a “remotely piloted bomber”.

UK Defense Secretary Grant Shapps claimed that Italy had supplied Ukraine with Storm Shadow missiles during an interview with the Sunday Times. The Italian government did not confirm this statement.

27 April

Ukraine launched a drone attack in Russia's Krasnodar Krai, causing fires in the Ilsky and Slavyansk-on-Kuban oil refineries with 10 drones attacking the Slavyansk-on-Kuban refinery alone. The Kushchyovskaya airbase was also attacked. A number of KAB glide bomb kits were reportedly destroyed along with possibly one Su-34. The Russian MoD claimed to have shot down 66 drones over Krasnodar Krai and two over Crimea. The distillation column of the Slavyansk-on-Kuban refinery was also reported damaged, forcing it to partially suspend operations. The HUR also claimed to have hit a Russian Podlet-K1 radar used to coordinate S-300/400 missile systems.

Ukraine claimed that two S-300 missiles hit a hospital in Kharkiv, injuring one man. The Ukrainian Air Force claimed to have intercepted 21 out of 34 Russian missiles. Attacks severely damaged equipment at four thermal power plants in Dnipropetrovsk, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Lviv Oblasts causing blackouts. Two people were injured in Kryvyi Rih.

During a visit to Lviv, Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles announced a $100 million AUD military aid package for Ukraine that included drones, short range air defences, air dropped precision munitions and other “high-priority equipment”.

Two Ukrainian soldiers were killed in a stabbing attack by a Russian national in Murnau am See, Germany, in what authorities said may have been a politically motivated attack.

28 April

Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Oleksandr Syrskyi confirmed that Ukrainian forces had retreated from the villages of Berdychi, Semenivka, and Novomykhailivka in Donetsk Oblast. He also said that Ukrainian forces had regained control of Nestryha Island in the Dnipro River delta in Kherson Oblast. The ISW assessed that Ukrainian soldiers suffered a "one-to-three manpower disadvantage" northwest of Avdiivka.

Russia claimed to have shot down 17 drones over Belgorod, Kursk, Kaluga and Bryansk Oblasts.

Russian milbloggers claimed that Ukraine conducted an unsuccessful ATACMS strike on Russian air defense units at Cape Tarkhankut, Crimea.

Ukraine announced that it would partially suspend its adherence to the European Convention on Human Rights in order to be able to fully apply martial law on its territory.

29 April

Seven people were killed in a Russian missile attack on Odesa. One person was killed in a separate attack in Kherson Oblast.

Russia claimed to have taken the village of Semenivka, five kilometers west of Avdiivka.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg visited Kyiv and apologised for delayed weapons shipments from the bloc.

The HUR claimed that some 18,000 Russian soldiers had deserted the Southern Military District, including 2,000 contract and 10,000 mobilised soldiers.

30 April

Three people were killed in a Russian missile attack on Odesa. Russia subsequently claimed that it had struck the headquarters of the Ukrainian Operational Command South in the city. One person was killed in a Russian airstrike in Kharkiv.

Russian-installed officials in southern Ukraine claimed that several Ukrainian missiles were shot down by air defenses over Crimea.

The SBU arrested two people in Kyiv on suspicion of impersonating security officials on social media and establishing a bot farm as part of a Russian disinformation campaign.

Germany announced a new military aid package for Ukraine, including a Skynex air defense system, missiles for the IRIS-T launchers, ammunition for Leopard 2 tanks, Gepard ammunition, 155 mm shells, small arms ammunition, grenade launchers, mine clearing equipment, bridge laying and first aid supplies. Latvia also pledged another military aid package that included anti-aircraft guns and tactical unmanned surveillance systems.

Lithuania announced its support for repatriating Ukrainian military-aged men to be mobilised. Andriy Demchenko, head of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, said that 30 Ukrainians had died trying to leave the country since the invasion began.

1 May

Two people were killed in a Russian airstrike in Zolochiv, Kharkiv Oblast. Two people were also killed in a Russian missile strike in Hirnyk, Donetsk Oblast. A missile strike on Odesa injured 14 people.

In Russia, the governor of Ryazan Oblast claimed that an oil refinery was set on fire by a drone. The governor of Voronezh Oblast claimed that a drone was shot down over Voronezh city, while energy infrastructure was also damaged by drones in Kursk and Oryol Oblasts.

Ukrainian special forces claimed to have disabled two Russian Buk missile systems in Sumy Oblast using attack drones. Several Russian personnel were claimed killed and equipment destroyed during a Ukrainian strike on Rohove, Luhansk Oblast. It is believed three missiles, either ATACMS or Tochka-U, were used with cluster munitions.

The head of the SBU's cybersecurity unit, Illia Vitiuk, was dismissed by Zelenskyy following investigations into suspicious financial activities by the former's wife while he was in office and attempts by SBU personnel to harass journalists.

The United States Department of State alleged the use of chloropicrin by Russian forces in Ukraine and imposed fresh sanctions against Russian individuals and entities as a response.

Russia placed several captured and destroyed Western armored vehicles on display at Moscow, including an M1A1 Abrams, M2A2 Bradley, Leopard 2A6 and several types of lighter NATO-origin armored vehicles.

2 May

Russia claimed to have taken Berdychi, near Avdiivka. It also claimed to have shot down a drone over Crimea.

Two people were killed in separate Russian attacks in Donetsk and Kharkiv Oblasts.

3 May

French president Emmanuel Macron announced he would consider sending French troops to Ukraine "if the Russians were to break through the front lines" or if Ukraine were to request it.

In Donetsk Oblast, three people were killed by Russian attacks in Kurakhove and Chasiv Yar, while one person was killed in a separate attack in Kharkiv.

In Russia, the governor of Belgorod Oblast claimed that two people were injured by Ukrainian drone strikes in Voznesenovka and Shebekino.

The HUR claimed the destruction of two Russian locomotives by fire over the last few days: one in Orenburg, the other in Vladikavkaz. Ukrainian media also reported that the agency carried out a cyberattack on internet providers and mobile operators in Tatarstan.

The SBU arrested a resident of Kharkiv on suspicion of spying for Russia.

The FSB claimed to have "liquidated" an agent working for the HUR who was plotting to carry out terrorist attacks against "military and energy objects" in Moscow and Leningrad Oblasts.

The US announced plans to purchase new sensors for the JDAM-ER for Ukraine, which are designed to locate and destroy Russian GPS jammers.

4 May

The Russian interior ministry placed Zelenskyy in its list of wanted criminals.

Ukraine claimed to have shot down a Russian Su-25 fighter jet over Donetsk Oblast.

The Russian defence ministry claimed to have shot four ATACMS missiles over Crimea.

A court in Russia sentenced a Ukrainian POW captured during the Siege of Mariupol to 18 years imprisonment for membership in the Azov Battalion.

5 May

In Berdiansk, Yevgeniy Ananievsky, a Russian-appointed official allegedly responsible for setting up torture chambers in occupied Zaporizhzhia Oblast, was killed after a bomb exploded in his car.

Two people were killed by Russian rockets in Pokrovsk. One person was killed by Russian shelling in Kharkiv Oblast. The Sloviansk Thermal Power Plant in Donetsk Oblast was also damaged by Russian shelling.

Ukrainian former Olympic weightlifter turned soldier Oleksandr Pielieshenko was killed in action.

6 May

In Russia, the governor of Belgorod Oblast claimed that eight people were killed and 35 others were injured in a Ukrainian drone strike that hit three vehicles in the village of Berezovka.

Russia claimed to have taken the villages of Soloviove in Donetsk Oblast and Kotliarivka in Kharkiv Oblast, 20 kilometers from Kupiansk.

Ukraine claimed to have destroyed a Russian military fast attack craft in Crimea using a naval drone.

Ukrainian forces claimed a series of successful counterattacks against Russian forces near Bakhmut, resulting in an advance of some 500 metres, and inflicting casualties on Russian soldiers and the destruction of four supply trucks, a BMP-2, and a BMD-4 using drones.

Russia released footage of a Ka-29 opening fire on a Sea Baby drone armed with a R-73 infrared missile to defend it from helicopters. One missile appeared to have been fired before it was destroyed by gunfire.

In response to perceived threats from France, Britain, and the United States, Russia announced it would practice the deployment of tactical nuclear weapons as part of a military exercise.

7 May

The SBU announced that it had foiled a Russian plot to assassinate Zelenskyy and several senior Ukrainian military leaders and arrested two Ukrainian government protection unit colonels on suspicion of involvement.

One person was killed by Russian shelling in Sumy Oblast.

Russian-installed officials in Luhansk claimed that five people were injured in a fire caused by a Ukrainian missile strike on an oil depot.

Ukrainian media reported that the HUR carried out a cyberattack on the Russian software firm 1C Company.

8 May

The Verkhovna Rada passed a bill allowing for the voluntary mobilization of convicts into the Ukrainian Armed Forces for a chance at parole. Those convicted of violent crimes, treason, rape, terrorism or drug dealing would be barred from volunteering. The bill requires Zelenskyy's signature to become law. Ukrainian Justice Minister Denys Maliuska subsequently said in an interview that between 10,000 to 20,000 convicts could be recruited if the bill is signed into law.

One person was killed by Russian shelling in Kherson Oblast.

Russia claimed to have taken the villages of Kyslivka in Kharkiv Oblast, 20 kilometers from Kupiansk, and Novokalynove, ten kilometers north of Avdiivka. The Ukrainian military confirmed that Russian forces had entered Krasnohorivka and were holed up in the town's refractory plant. A spokesman for Ukraine's Khortytsia operational-strategic group said that its units, mainly the 59th Brigade, had blocked the Russians inside the refractory plant and claimed to have killed 30 Russians over the past day.

The governor of Kharkiv Oblast, Oleh Syniehubov, reported a large gathering of Russian forces north of the region.

A jury-rigged Kh-101 modified with a second high explosive warhead containing steel fragments was shot down over Ukraine.

The EU agreed to donate €3 billion in income from frozen Russian assets to Ukraine for “for arms purchases and reconstruction”.

The head of the Ukrainian Defense Industry claimed that Ukraine's production of suicide drones identical to Shahed 131s and Shahed 136s has caught up with Russia's production of Shahed drones. He also claimed that Ukrainian manufacturing has reached parity with Russia's production of other strike drones, and that Ukrainian forces have already used domestically produced drones similar to Russia's Lancet drones.

9 May

Two people were killed by Russian shelling in Nikopol.

In Russia, the governor of Belgorod Oblast claimed that eight people were injured in a Ukrainian airstrike in Belgorod city. A drone attack on Krasnodar also set a fuel depot on fire. A drone strike was also reported in an oil refinery in Salavat in the first such incident of its kind in the constituent republic of Bashkortostan. The drone used in the attack on Bashkiria was conducted by a drone light aircraft, make unknown, that travelled some 1,500 km.

The SBU arrested a resident of Kharkiv on suspicion of spying for Russia. It also claimed to have arrested several individuals in Kyiv on suspicion of attempting to set off bombs on behalf of Russia.

Zelenskyy implemented a number of changes in the Ukrainian defense apparatus. He appointed Brigadier General Oleksandr Trepak as commander of the Ukrainian Special Operations Forces, replacing Colonel Serhii Lupanchuk. He also dismissed Valeriy Zaluzhnyi, former commander-in-chief of Ukraine's Armed Forces, from military service “on health grounds", and reappointed Dmytro Hereha as the commander of the Ukrainian Support Forces after replacing him with Oleksandr Yakovets in March 2024. Zelenskyy also dismissed Serhii Rud as director of the State Security Administration. Two colonels were also arrested after being accused of being agents for the Russian FSB.

The US Army announced that it would supply three additional HIMARS units paid for by Germany to Ukraine.

10 May

Russia launched an offensive in Kharkiv Oblast, pushing Ukrainian forces back one kilometer from the international border. Heavy shelling was reported in Vovchansk. Five villages (Strilecha, Krasne, Pylna, Borysivka and Ohirtseve [uk]) were reported to have been taken by Russia, while fighting was ongoing in the villages of Pletenivka [uk] and Hatyshche. At least two civilians were killed in Russian attacks. During a press conference with Slovak President Zuzana Čaputová, Zelenskyy acknowledged the Russian offensive, but said that "Ukraine met them there with our troops, brigades, and artillery."

One person was killed by Russian shelling in Sumy Oblast. Two people were killed in separate Russian attacks in Donetsk Oblast.

Russian-installed officials in Luhansk Oblast claimed that three people were killed and seven others injured in a drone strike on the Rovenky oil depot.

Ukrainian media reported that the HUR carried out a drone strike on an oil refinery in Russia's Kaluga Oblast. Russian officials also claimed that drone strikes caused damage in Belgorod and Kursk Oblasts.

The Czech Republic delivered an F-16 fighter jet simulator to Ukraine.

11 May

Russia claimed to have taken the village of Keramik in Donetsk Oblast.

Ukraine claimed to have shot down a Russian Su-25 fighter jet over Donetsk Oblast.

Two people were killed by Russian bombing in Vovchansk. One person was killed in a missile strike in Sumy.

In Russia, drones were reported over Belgorod and Kursk Oblasts. Several projectiles were shot down but debris left "several dozen" private homes, mostly smashed windows, and cars damaged. Russian officials subsequently claimed that five people were killed and nine injured by drone strikes in Belgorod, Kursk and Donetsk Oblasts.

A Russian Iskander missile struck an Ukrainian forward arming and refuelling point in Pavlohrad, Donetsk Oblast. Two Mi-24s and a Mi-17 helicopter which had just landed were seriously damaged.

12 May

Russia claimed to have taken the villages of Hatyshche, Krasne, Morokhovets, and Oliinykove in Kharkiv Oblast.

In Russia, the governor of Volgograd Oblast, Andrey Bocharov, claimed that a Ukrainian drone started a fire at an oil refinery, which was put out without any casualties. In Belgorod, officials claimed that 16 people were killed and 27 others were injured when a fragment of a Tochka-U struck an apartment building, according to the Russian Defence Ministry, which also claimed to have shot down several missiles over Belgorod Oblast. Ukrainian media later reported that the HUR carried out drone strikes in Volgograd, Lipetsk and Kaluga Oblasts.

One person was killed by Russian shelling in Sumy Oblast.

Officials reported that Ukraine's seaborne grain exports had recovered to close to their prewar level.

The Kremlin announced the appointment of economist and Deputy Prime Minister Andrey Belousov as Defence Minister, replacing Sergei Shoigu who was transferred to become secretary of the Security Council of Russia.

13 May

Ukrainian outlet Rubryka reported that the DeepState map indicated that Russian forces had taken control over the village of Zelene, while the village of Lukiantsi was almost wholly occupied. Ukrainian forces meanwhile claimed to have killed over 100 Russian soldiers in the last 24 hours in northern Kharkiv Oblast. Some five Russian battalions were reported to be involved in Vovchansk. Ukrainian officials acknowledged that Russian forces had made "tactical gains". Russian forces subsequently claimed to have entered Vovchansk.

An explosion was reported in Sorokyne, occupied Luhansk Oblast, with the Russian-installed governor claiming the deaths of three people in what he called a missile strike and the Ukrainian-installed governor attributing it to an explosion at an ammunition depot.

Russia claimed to have shot down 31 drones over Crimea and Lipetsk, Belgorod, and Kursk Oblasts, which also led to the closure of the Crimean Bridge for several hours after the Russian Defence Ministry claimed that four Storm Shadow missiles and seven drones were shot down over Crimea. Ukrainian media reported that the SBU was behind the strikes. Russian officials claimed that one person was killed in Kursk Oblast.

Denis Kharitonov, a member of the Astrakhan Oblast legislature from the United Russia party, claimed to have survived a car bombing while driving as a soldier in occupied Ukraine.

Ukrainian forces claimed to have shot down a Russian Ka-52 helicopter and an Su-25 jet over Donetsk Oblast.

14 May

Two people were killed by Russian shelling in the Vovchansk area.

Russian state media reported that a drone strike derailed a freight train at Kotluban station in Volgograd Oblast. A storage tank carrying diesel caught fire, another exploded and nine rail cars were derailed. Russian Railways said the derailment was a result of "interference by unauthorised persons". No injuries were reported.

At least 20 people were injured and fires erupted after a series of Russian airstrikes using new UMPB D-30 glide bombs on residential areas of Kharkiv.

French Minister of the Armed Forces Sebastien Lecornu announced another batch of Aster surface-to-air missiles for the Franco-Italian SAMP/T-MAMBA air defenses defending Kyiv.

15 May

Russian-installed officials in Crimea claimed that a missile attack caused explosions and fires in Sevastopol, adding that air defenses shot down 10 ATACMS missiles over the Black Sea and near the Belbek airfield. Other reports indicated that some missiles struck dropping cluster munitions on the airfield, destroying at least two Russian ground-based air defense systems, two MiG-31s and a fuel farm. An Su-27 was also damaged.

Two drones struck an oil refinery in Proletarsky District, Rostov Oblast, Russia, causing explosions according to the local governor. However no fire was started and there were no casualties. The Russian Defence Ministry claimed to have intercepted various drones, rockets and missiles fired at Belgorod Oblast, which injured two people. Drones were downed over Kursk and Bryansk Oblasts as well as in Tatarstan.

Two railway workers were killed by Russian shelling of railway infrastructure in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. One person was killed by shelling in Sumy Oblast.

Russian guided bomb and missile strikes on residential areas of Mykolaiv and Kherson injured at least 25 people, with three in serious condition. Local officials said apartment blocks, private residences, two schools, and a medical facility were damaged in the bombings. Another six were injured in a separate missile attack on a car service shop in Mykolaiv.

The SBU arrested six people in Donetsk Oblast on suspicion of aiding Russian airstrikes.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced an additional $2 billion in aid, in addition to more ammunition, armoured vehicles, missiles, and air defences for Ukraine.

16 May

Two people were killed in Russian attacks in Kharkiv Oblast. One person was killed in a separate attack in Kherson Oblast.

Ukrainian media reported that the HUR launched a drone attack on a weapons manufacturing plant in Russia's Tula Oblast.

President Zelenskyy arrived in Kharkiv to meet with the military leadership, saying that the situation in Kharkiv Oblast was "generally under control" but the area remained "extremely difficult".

A police official in Kharkiv said that up to 40 civilians in Vovchansk who attempted to flee shelling were captured by Russian forces and were reportedly imprisoned in basements where they are interrogated by alleged FSB agents. According to Ukrainian Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko, Russian soldiers in Vovchansk executed a civilian prisoner after he refused to obey orders and attempted to flee. Police opened a criminal investigation on the grounds of violations of laws of war.

Ukrainian soldiers in the Kharkiv front reported that they had "never seen anything close to the number of Lancets (drones) flying" compared to earlier battles. The ISW assessed that the "tempo of Russian offensive operations in the area continues to decrease".

17 May

Russia claimed to have destroyed more than 100 air and naval drones over its western regions and in the Black Sea. Explosions were reported at petroleum facilities in Novorossiysk, while two people were reported killed in a drone strike in Belgorod Oblast. The Russian-installed Governor of Sevastopol, Mikhail Razvozhayev, said that the attack caused power outages in the city.

Four people were killed and 31 were wounded in a Russian airstrike in Kharkiv.

Two people were killed in a separate attack in Vovchansk. Police accused Russian soldiers in the town of using up to 40 civilian prisoners as human shields. The regional prosecutor's office also began a criminal proceeding on Russian soldiers allegedly executing a person in a wheelchair.

Zelenskyy signed a bill into law permitting individuals convicted of minor offenses to serve in the Ukrainian military, as well as another bill that increases fines for draft dodgers fivefold.

Zelenskyy reported the situation in Kharkiv had been "controlled" but not "stabilized". He also reported Ukraine has "about 25 percent" of the air defences needed to counter future Russian attacks, needing 120 to 130 F-16s or other advanced aircraft to achieve air "parity" with Russia.

18 May

Russia claimed to have taken the village of Starytsia in Kharkiv Oblast.

Two people were killed in Russian attacks in Kherson Oblast.

Truckers partially blocked a section of the Kyiv-Odesa highway near Savran in protest over the revised mobilization law.

A Russian court seized over 700 million euros ($700 million) worth of assets from UniCredit, Deutsche Bank and Commerzbank to counter western sanctions.

19 May

Five people, including a pregnant woman, were killed in a double-tap Russian airstrike in the Mala Danylivka suburb of Kharkiv, while five others were killed in airstrikes in Kupiansk Raion.

Russian-installed officials in Kherson Oblast claimed that one person was killed in a Ukrainian drone strike on a minibus in Radensk, while one person was injured in a separate attack in Donetsk.

Ukrainian forces claimed to have sunk the Russian minesweeper Kovrovets, while Russian forces claimed to have shot down nine ATACMS and a drone over Crimea.

The SBU claimed that drones struck the Slavyansk oil refinery and the Kushchyovskaya airbase in Russia's Krasnodar Krai. Explosions were reported at both locations with Ukraine claiming aircraft hit at the base while the refinery was closed to determine the extent of damage.

• 2024 in Russia
• 2024 in Ukraine
• Outline of the Russo-Ukrainian War
• Bibliography of Ukrainian history
• War crimes in the Russian invasion of Ukraine
• List of wars involving Russia