SECOND ATTEMPT
🇷🇺 WHAT: After weeks of retreating and regrouping, Russian forces have launched an all-out offensive against Ukraine in what Kremlin has declared as “another phase of this operation.”
❗️On April 18, Russia launched an air and ground assault along a nearly 300-mile front in Ukraine’s east including artillery and rocket attacks on cities, infrastructure and military positions.
📷 Map published by the British Defence Ministry of the Russian offensive on April 18. Arrows in red mark areas where Russian troops advanced.
🥀 At least five missiles fell in Lviv, in the west, where thousands of fleeing civilians are taking shelter. At least seven died.
🇺🇸 FYI: The US says Russia has already sent 8,000 to 11,000 soldiers into Ukraine for this second phase of the war. Tens of thousands more in reserve and being readied to join.
❗️STUCK: Hundreds of thousands of civilians are trapped in the east; evacuations are impossible.
🇺🇦 UKRAINE says Russia wants to seize the Donbas region, create a land link between the region and Crimea, and destroy all of Ukraine’s armed forces. It also said it will continue to fight back.
SALT TO THE WOUND
🇷🇺 WHAT: Russian President Vladimir Putin has awarded the 64th Motor Rifle Brigade — the army unit Ukraine has accused of war crimes in Bucha — the honorary title of “guards” for defending the “motherland and state interests” with “mass heroism and valour, tenacity and courage”.
🩸 ABOUT BUCHA: A northwestern suburb of Kyiv where more than 350 civilian corpses were found under rubble and in mass graves after Russian forces withdrew.
🥀 Photos earlier this month showed some bodies with their hands tied behind their backs and gunshot wounds on their head, lying abandoned for weeks.
📣 Testimonies by survivors and eye witness to the press include allegations of brutal rapes and gang rapes of women and children.
🌏 Ukraine has posted a list of the names and ranks of all members of the brigade, saying they will be “brought to justice.” A team of French forensic investigators are in Bucha collecting evidence of Russia’s “war crimes”.
🇮🇳 MEANWHILE: Russia is asking India for medical equipment following sanctions that have almost ended imports from Europe. A meeting is scheduled between medical equipment companies of the two countries next week, with India hoping to increase overall exports to Russia this year almost 10-fold to Rs 2 billion.
WHAT'S HAPPENING IN SRI LANKA?
🇱🇰 One person has died and over 10 people injured after police and protesters clashed in Rambukkana this afternoon. People have been protesting for the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa across the country, as they struggle for all essential commodities and services amid an acute economic crisis.
The International Monetary Fund said it will consider bailing Sri Lanka out.
BACKSPACE
🚩 CONTEXT: Following communal violence during a Hanuman Jayanti procession in Jahangirpur which left nine people injured on Saturday, the Delhi Police, on Monday, filed an FIR against Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), Bajrang Dal and their office-bearers for allegedly taking out the procession without permission.
🤐 NOW: Within hours, the Delhi police retracted their statement and reissued it, this time without any mention of the right-wing outfits. They also said the one person who was being questioned was let off since the accused have been charged under a bailable offence.
📣 FLIP SIDE: Soon after the police filed the FIR, the VHP threatened to “start a battle” and go to court if the police took action against members. It said it had all necessary permissions and even, police protection for the rally.
🎥 ON THE RECORD: Videos of the violence show people in the processions wielding guns, swords, batons and sloganeering as they passed a Muslim neighbourhood.
🙄 MEANWHILE, both, the BJP and the AAP have alleged that the main accused in the violence—Ansar—is a leader of the other party.
ONE STEP AHEAD
▪️WHAT: Following a recent spurt in communal violence across India, UP CM Yogi Adityanath is rushing to ensure it doesn’t spill over into the state.
✨ NOTE: All preparations are being made keeping in mind that Eid and Akshaya Trititiya fall on the same day—May 3—and during the month of Ramzan.
📌 NEW ORDERS:
1️⃣ No religious processions allowed without proper permission and an affidavit from the organisers swearing to keep the peace.
2️⃣ Only “traditional” festivities will be allowed, not “new arrangements”.
3️⃣ No permissions for microphones at new locations. Places with existing g microphones/loudspeakers have to ensure the sound doesn’t reach beyond the premises.
4️⃣ Programmes and processions can only be held at designated spots and road routes and traffic will not be blocked.
5️⃣ Leaves of all police and administrative officials in the state till May 4.
6️⃣ Senior police officials will hold talks with religious leaders and eminent personalities within the next 24 hours to ensure peace during the upcoming festivals.
🗯 ON THE RECORD: “Those trying to vitiate the atmosphere should be dealt with strictly. There should be no place for such people in a civilised society.”—Yogi Adityanath
🖊 EDITORS' NOTE: If you want to understand the larger pattern behind the growing intolerance, bigotry and violence against religious minorities, especially Muslims, we highly recommend you watch our latest deep dive.
#QUOTEWORTHY
✂️ "Unfortunately, women cricketers had not been taken seriously till about 2006, when Mr [Sharad] Pawar took the initiative to merge the men’s and women’s association. I was aghast to know that men’s uniforms were being cut up and re-stitched for women’s players. I had to ring up Nike and tell them that this was not on and that their design would be different."—Vinod Rai, former chairman, Committee of Administrators, BCCI, to The Week
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