11 April. Russian forces once again concentrated their efforts on Bakhmut and Marinka, where Ukrainian troops repelled a total of 72 attacks. Although the shelling was less intense than on previous days, it continued to strike civilian targets.

Deputy Minister of Defence Hanna Maliar emphasised that holding Bakhmut was crucial to preventing Russian forces from advancing deeper into Ukraine. Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal announced that a counteroffensive could begin in the summer, although the final decision would be taken at the last moment. Denmark declared plans to deliver approximately 100 Leopard 1A5 tanks to Ukraine.

12 April. Ukrainian forces repelled more than 45 Russian attacks, primarily around Marinka. Russia conducted over 70 attacks of various types, including two missile strikes that resulted in civilian casualties, particularly in Sloviansk. In the occupied territories, counterintelligence measures were intensified: patrols were increased and civilian movement restricted. False reports claiming that Russian forces had captured 80% of Bakhmut circulated online but were denied by the Ukrainian side. Leaked U.S. intelligence documents revealed the presence of NATO special forces in Ukraine—British, French and U.S. units—during February and March 2023, numbering a total of 97 personnel. The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) noted that attempts at Russification in Ukraine were reinforcing nationalist attitudes within Russia itself.

Videos circulated online showing decapitated bodies of Ukrainian soldiers and the beheading of a Ukrainian serviceman. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy strongly condemned these acts.

13 April. The European Council decided to provide Ukraine with ammunition worth €1 billion. The German government approved Poland’s export request for five MiG-29 fighter jets. Poland announced that it would transfer its entire MiG-29 fleet—approximately 30 aircraft—to Ukraine. The New York Times, citing classified U.S. documents, reported that Russia’s FSB had assessed Russian losses in February at approximately 110,000 killed and wounded soldiers, while U.S. estimates were higher.

14 April. Russia carried out an intense attack on Sloviansk, killing 11 people and injuring 21; missile strikes also hit Kramatorsk. Danish military assistance included CAESAR self-propelled howitzers, while Canadian Leopard 2 tanks arrived in Poland. According to U.S. intelligence, Russian Spetsnaz units had suffered catastrophic losses, reaching 90–95% of personnel strength in some formations.

According to the United Nations, more than 740 civilians had been killed or injured by mines or other explosive remnants since the beginning of the Russian invasion, with approximately 160,000 km² of Ukrainian territory contaminated by mines.

In the second half of April 2023, fighting on Ukraine’s eastern front continued to focus on Bakhmut, Avdiivka, Marinka and Lyman. Bakhmut, as the epicenter of hostilities, witnessed brutal clashes in which the Wagner Group—supported by Russian airborne forces—suffered heavy losses. Ukrainian troops consistently repelled dozens of attacks daily, preventing a full breakthrough of defensive lines.

Poland and Hungary imposed bans on the import of Ukrainian grain and other food products, citing the protection of their domestic agricultural sectors. These decisions were criticised by Ukraine’s Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food and by the European Commission.

16 April. Russia conducted 42 air raids, 25 missile attacks—mainly using S-300 systems—and 46 artillery shellings, resulting in civilian casualties. In Snihurivka, two teenagers were killed, while in Komyshuvakha shelling destroyed a historic church dating from 1906, as well as a library and a house of prayer. As part of a prisoner exchange, 130 Ukrainian soldiers were released, and the bodies of 85 fallen servicemen were returned from occupied territories. In Moscow, President Vladimir Putin met with Chinese Defence Minister Li Shangfu. Reports emerged in the background regarding Chinese components found in Russian weapons and leaks concerning possible Chinese arms supplies to Russia.

17 April. Slovakia also banned the import of Ukrainian grain following similar decisions by Poland and Hungary. Meanwhile, President Putin visited military commanders in Kherson Oblast and Russian troops in Luhansk. The ISW assessed that the purpose of Putin’s frontline visit was to portray him as a wartime leader and to identify “potential scapegoats” ahead of the anticipated Ukrainian counteroffensive. The Kremlin began shaping the information space in preparation for forthcoming military setbacks.

Illustrative photo generated by AI