/r/WorldNews Live Thread: Russian Invasion of Ukraine Day 1503, Part 1 (Thread #1650)

[New post can be found here](/r/worldnews/comments/1sficv3/rworldnews_live_thread_russian_invasion_of/)

keep calm and support ukraine 💙💛 [Fundraiser for 100 Ground Drones](https://donorbox.org/fourwheeledfriends)

WTI oil price peaked at $117/barrel today and as of 10 mins ago had dropped to ~~$103~~ ~~$98~~ $93/barrel following trump's tweet implying he's cancelled his massive war crimes plan. Some talk will probably be about how the Trumps and friends have been using their market manipulation to reap huge personal profits, but I think it gives us some info relevant to the Russia-Ukraine war. Russian taxes depend on the price of Russian oil at Russian ports. But global prices are linked. I think this shows that there's at least ~~$15~~$25/barrel of wiggle room if things de-escalate soon. It would seemingly require Trump or the Iranian regime to surrender or be overthrown for that to happen though. We're stuck waiting to see what happens with prices, sanctions and export volumes from damaged ports. There's still a chance to limit Russia's financial gains here.

What is going on with the live threads? Now they're back. 

Ukrainian Officer: > Despite the fairly intense assault actions on many fronts, the situation in the LBZ [front] is relatively stable and the enemy has not made significant advances in these directions. > Among the potentially dangerous directions for us, the Kramatorsk-Konstantinovka agglomeration is currently worth highlighting, as battles are ongoing in Konstantinovka, and Sloviansk and Kramatorsk are under constant shelling from various types of UAVs and mortars. > All these directions: Limansky, Siversky, Chasik, and Konstantinovka are essentially boiling down to the defense of Druzhkovka, Sloviansk, and Kramatorsk https://t . me/officer_33/6803

Counterattacking through the kill zone, Ukrainian troops brace for new Russian offensives [https://kyivindependent.com/counterattacking-through-the-kill-zone-ukrainian-troops-brace-for-new-russian-offensives-in-the-south/](https://kyivindependent.com/counterattacking-through-the-kill-zone-ukrainian-troops-brace-for-new-russian-offensives-in-the-south/)

some other good news: >"There will be no loading until the end of April." Lukoil's largest refinery has been shut down due to a drone attack. [https://archive.is/oBEiz](https://archive.is/oBEiz) >Russia's largest Black Sea terminal has halted oil exports following a Ukrainian drone attack. [https://archive.is/I1FEs](https://archive.is/I1FEs)

Being slightly spammy, but The Daily Beast writes good articles: >Vance’s Trip to Trump Ally Hit by Humiliating Putin Call Leak [https://www.thedailybeast.com/jd-vances-trip-to-donald-trump-ally-viktor-orban-hit-by-humiliating-vladimir-putin-call-leak/](https://www.thedailybeast.com/jd-vances-trip-to-donald-trump-ally-viktor-orban-hit-by-humiliating-vladimir-putin-call-leak/)

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>Wow! More REPO injections today via the Bank of Russia, to the tune of 4.61 trillion rubles. This is a record in nominal terms for a non-holiday week. 👀 The banking system is experiencing stress. [https://bsky.app/profile/ukrainewarpod.bsky.social/post/3miw7ouyccc25](https://bsky.app/profile/ukrainewarpod.bsky.social/post/3miw7ouyccc25)

**The estimated total russian war losses from 24.02.22 to 07.04.26 inclusive are as follows****:** * personnel - approximately 1 305 470 (+980); * tanks ‒ 11 841; * armored fighting vehicles ‒ 24 364 (+4); * special equipment ‒ 4 115 (+3); * vehicles and fuel tanks ‒ 87 862 (+248). * artillery systems ‒ 39 562 (+65); * MLRS ‒ 1 722 **(+3)**; * air defense assets ‒ 1 340 (+2). * aircraft ‒ 435; * helicopters ‒ 350; * UAVs (operational-tactical level) ‒ 223 341 (+1 945); * cruise missiles ‒ 4 517. * warships and boats ‒ 33; * submarines ‒ 2. Source [https://mod.gov.ua/en/news/total-russian-combat-losses-in-ukraine-as-of-april-7-2026](https://mod.gov.ua/en/news/total-russian-combat-losses-in-ukraine-as-of-april-7-2026) Russia grows weaker every day. Slava Ukraini!

> JD Vance arrives in Hungary to back Viktor Orbán’s election campaign. The Republicans loudly, publicly and actively supporting Russian interests again. A lot of people have insisted we should ignore previous Republican actions and not criticise them too hard or *gasp* point out how they have acted to hurt Ukraine and save Russia's war. But please look at their actions. https://bsky.app/profile/antongerashchenko.bsky.social/post/3mivnpdjtls2c

> Ukrainian drone operators destroyed a Russian Pantsir-S1 air defense system in the rear of Zaporizhzhia region, a key Russian air defense asset worth about $15 million. As often happens, the video cuts out before a hit and there's no follow up. But this time the drone looks like it's on target to me. https://bsky.app/profile/noelreports.com/post/3mivnxot7m22e

> Analysis of the result of the attack on the "Togliattikauchuk" plant > According to the results of the analysis of satellite images, the damage to BK-4 - the high-purity isobutylene production unit - has been confirmed. The fact of the damage is confirmed by a fire at the facility and water jets from the work of fire brigades. > BK-4 is a key link in the production chain of isobutane-isobutylene installations of the enterprise (BK-2, BK-3, BK-4). > **The damage to the unit means a stop or a significant reduction of** the entire butyl rubber production cycle at the enterprise, which supplies **a quarter of the entire Russian market of synthetic rubbers.** > There is a high probability that BK-4 is not the only target hit in this strike, but due to the cloudiness in the images, a full-fledged analysis is currently complicated. https://t . me/kiber_boroshno/12763

New thread from ChrisO\_Wiki 1/ Russian warbloggers warn of an alarming development: Ukraine's long-range drone strikes into Russia are reportedly being guided by Starlink connections, which potentially provide drones with precise and unjammable navigation across the entire country. ⬇️ [https://bsky.app/profile/chriso-wiki.bsky.social/post/3mivfjy4c3u2s](https://bsky.app/profile/chriso-wiki.bsky.social/post/3mivfjy4c3u2s) [https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/2041438364671353105.html](https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/2041438364671353105.html)

With Russia’s allies abroad rapidly evaporating over the last few years it occurs to me that his European Allies, chief among them Lukashenko and Orban, may possibly next on the chopping block. At a minimum Orban could be looking at being democratically kicked out of office and attempting to stay in power through corruption or a coup, and Lukashenko’s proximity to Ukraine makes his country a valid potential target by the Ukrainian military. With Russia blind to past incursions on their territory it makes me think that Belarus may be the target of the future Ukrainian offensive rumored to be in the planning phase. Ukraine invading to close off the northern axis permanently would be a boon to their security, they could remove Lukashenko from power, force Russia to divert more troops they don’t have to defend territory, and most importantly give another political black eye to Putin because losing territory is the absolute worst thing in the eyes of the Russian public.

An article about Ukraines systematic targeting of Russian air defense https://united24media.com/war-in-ukraine/ukraine-is-turning-russias-air-defense-into-swiss-cheese-whats-next-17659

It’s been 0 days since Russia has threatened to Nuke someone or something. 🙄 Slava Ukraine 🇺🇦

>Viktor Orbán told Putin ‘I am at your service’ in October phone call [https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/apr/07/viktor-orban-told-putin-i-am-at-your-service-in-october-phonecall](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/apr/07/viktor-orban-told-putin-i-am-at-your-service-in-october-phonecall)

>"Putin's mouse": leaked phone call reveals lengths Orbán was willing to go to help Russia – Bloomberg [https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2026/04/07/8029092/](https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2026/04/07/8029092/)

Unfortunately, I can't de-paywall the article yet, but this excerpt is important: >Orban Offered to Be ‘Mouse’ Helping Russian ‘Lion’ in Putin Call >“.. Yesterday our friendship rose to such a high level that I can help in any way,” Orban said, according to a Hungarian government transcript of the call .. “In any matter where I can be of assistance, I am at your service.” [https://bsky.app/profile/carlquintanilla.bsky.social/post/3mivn2gdevk2m](https://bsky.app/profile/carlquintanilla.bsky.social/post/3mivn2gdevk2m)

[Ukraine's National Guard fighters destroy Russian Pantsir-S system deep in rear | Ukrainian Pravda](https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2026/04/07/8029096/) > Fighters from the 23rd Khortytsia Brigade of the National Guard have identified and destroyed a Pantsir-S air defence gun-missile system deep in the Russian rear. The date and direction of the effective combat operation are not specified. The National Guard estimates the value of such a system at approximately US$15 million.

[ Ukraine's defence forces push back Russians near Ambarnе village in Kharkiv Oblast – DeepState | Ukrainian Pravda](https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2026/04/06/8028925/) > Ukraine's defence forces have regained control near the village of Ambarnе on the South Slobozhanshchyna front in Kharkiv Oblast. It is reported that units from the 129th Heavy Mechanised Brigade carried out a successful operation to wipe out Russian forces in the forests near Ambarnе and mopped up the area. > "Fighters are systematically wiping out the enemy, depriving it of the ability to regain lost positions and entrench itself on new lines," the statement says. > According to DeepState maps, the Ukrainian defenders liberated 5.7 square kilometres north of the village towards Milove and the state border with Russia. Earlier, DeepState analysts reported that three months ago the Russians had advanced along the Ambarnе–Opytne line.

[ Ukraine's commander-in-chief reveals Russian tactics in Kostiantynivka-Druzhkivka urban area | Ukrainian Pravda](https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2026/04/07/8029070/) > Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, has inspected the defence line in the Kostiantynivka-Druzhkivka urban area, where Russian forces are attempting to improve their tactical position. "I was working in the area of responsibility of the 19th Corps, which is defending the Kostiantynivka-Druzhkivka urban area. Russian occupying forces are attempting to improve their tactical position in this section, combining attacks by small infantry groups and mass drone raids." > Syrskyi notes that for nearly a year, units from the corps have been successfully repelling the Russians' attempts to seize Kostiantynivka, holding their positions and inflicting significant losses on the Russian forces. "The command personnel are demonstrating a high level of adaptability to changes on the battlefield, taking the initiative and making unconventional decisions," Syrskyi noted. > The commander-in-chief stressed that the priority areas of work remain fire damage to the Russians' rear logistics, wiping out their infantry at the outset of assaults and the preservation of the lives of Ukrainian troops in high-intensity combat conditions. "I paid particular attention to analysing proposals from commanders regarding the urgent needs of units. Key aspects included questions of strengthening capabilities to counter enemy UAVs, the supply of ammunition and other material and technical resources," Syrskyi said.

[ Russia drops bombs on Stepanivka near Kherson, injuring 5 people and destroying school | Ukrainian Pravda](https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2026/04/07/8029120/) > On the morning of 7 April, Russian forces carried out an airstrike on Stepanivka in Kherson Oblast, injuring five people, including a 14-year-old boy. At around 10:50, Russian forces struck the village from the air, dropping 3 guided aerial bombs on the centre of Stepanivka. A school building was destroyed by a direct hit, and a hospital building and residential houses were damaged. > Initially, one injured person was reported – a 52-year-old man who was taken to hospital in a serious condition. The number of those who were injured later increased. According to updated reports, men aged 66, 71 and 57 and a 14-year-old boy were also injured. They were diagnosed with blast injuries, concussions and head injuries of varying severity. > Earlier on 7 April, Russian forces attacked the Korabelnyi district of Kherson, killing 3 people and injuring another 5.

[Ukrainian defender who held position for 113 days in encirclement near Myrnohrad dies in Lviv | New Voice of Ukraine](https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/ukrainian-defender-who-held-position-for-113-days-in-encirclement-near-myrnohrad-dies-in-lviv/ar-AA1ZUr8Y) > Before the full-scale invasion, Viktor worked in France. His wife and two children were in Ukraine. However, in 2022 the man voluntarily joined the ranks of Ukraine’s defenders. Khariv served in the Second Separate Galician Brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine. > “In the winter of 2026, Viktor and two brothers-in-arms found themselves encircled near Myrnohrad,” Yaryna Kliuchkovska said. > “For 113 days they held the position — three of our men, cut off from the world, a step away from death. All were wounded, one of them seriously. Then they spent three weeks making their way to our positions, carrying their brother-in-arms. As the senior in rank, Viktor decided: we cannot abandon our own. So they carried him.” > The wounded brother-in-arms — a 27-year-old Ukrainian serviceman — survived thanks to Viktor and is currently undergoing treatment. Khariv also received treatment — first in Dnipro, then in a Lviv hospital. > “After the hospital in Dnipro, Viktor returned for treatment to Lviv,” Iryna Klyuchkovska said. “But after the hell he had endured, his strong body could not withstand it — his soul departed into eternity. His children — Severyn and Yaryna — and his wife Zoriana were left orphaned.” > The defender’s heart stopped on March 30, 2026. > “His wisdom and experience were a reliable support and protection for his brothers-in-arms, and those whose lives he saved will always consider him their Guardian Angel,” the International Institute of Education, Culture and Diaspora Relations added.

[ Ukrainian serviceman and former TV cameraman Yevhenii Solovei killed in action | Ukrainian Pravda](https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2026/04/01/8028146/) > Yevhenii Solovei, a cameraman for the Ukrainian news programme TSN who had been covering the war alongside war correspondents since 2014 and volunteered to serve as a drone pilot in 2022, has been killed at the front. > His story at 1+1 media began in 2011. Since then, Ukrainian viewers have seen thousands of key events through his eyes. From 2014, Yevhenii worked alongside war correspondents in the combat zone, documenting the truth about the war."

>**Orban Offered to Be ‘Mouse’ Helping Russian ‘Lion’ in Putin Call** >Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban told Vladimir Putin during a phone call in October that he was willing to go to great lengths to assist the Russian president, including to help settle the war in Ukraine by hosting a summit in Budapest. >“Yesterday our friendship rose to such a high level that I can help in any way,” Orban said, according to a Hungarian government transcript of the call reviewed by Bloomberg. “In any matter where I can be of assistance, I am at your service.” >To underline the point, Orban recalled a children’s story he said was popular in Hungary. The Aesop fable involves a mouse freeing a lion caught in a net after it had earlier spared the rodent’s life. The remark drew a laugh from Putin, the transcript shows. Spokespeople for Orban and Putin didn’t immediately respond to emailed requests for comment. >The relationship between Orban’s government and the Kremlin is coming under increasing scrutiny as Hungarians prepare to vote in an election this weekend, with opinion polls indicating that Putin’s closest ally in the European Union could be ousted after 16 years. Hungary opposes aid to Ukraine, while Orban’s campaign is portraying President Volodymyr Zelenskiy as an enemy of the state. >—[Bloomberg](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-04-07/viktor-orban-offered-to-help-vladimir-putin-call-transcript-shows)

Okay this is a very far-fetched thought, but you never know with Trump. Could we see him deploying tactical nukes or the like in Iran, to embolden Putin to do the same in Ukraine?

Some good news from today's ISW update: > The Russian military is experiencing manpower challenges and is unable to recruit enough contract soldiers to replace its frontline losses. > Ukraine’s “I Want to Live” initiative reported on April 6 that the Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) recruited fewer soldiers in the first three months of 2026 than it would need to be on track to meet its 2026 recruiting target of 409,000 contract soldiers. > The initiative reported that the Russian MoD would need to recruit 1,100-1,150 soldiers a day to meet its annual recruiting target but was only able to recruit an average of 940 contract soldiers a day in the first three months of 2026. So Russia army is now dwindling in numbers and at the same time, Ukraine is also dealing serious blows to the Russian economy. Damn good news! > The Russian MoD is attempting to generate additional manpower through other sources, regardless of the financial and societal costs. > Russian independent outlet Mozhem Obyasnit (We Can Explain) reported on April 2 that at least 12 Russian federal subjects increased one-time signing bonuses by between 50 and 80 percent since mid-February 2026. 50-80% increase and people are still not really willing to sign up. Damn good to see! > Ukraine’s “I Want To Live” initiative‘s data indicates that Russian forces recruited roughly 80,456 in the first three months of 2026, and data from the Ukrainian General Staff indicates that Russian forces suffered 85,290 casualties in the same time frame. So the Russian army is now down by some 5000 soldiers. Good! This is a good start. Keep it up a while longer and the Russian lines will be filled with holes that can be exploited (and already are being exploited).

Russia is preparing to strike Lviv, Kyiv or Starokostyantyniv with "Oreshnik", - eRadar 2 missiles of this complex are equipped and ready for use at Kapustin Yar. The attack may occur during the next massive missile strike on Ukraine or immediately after such a strike. Source ( grain of salt as the Maks account is sometime not great with reporting): /Maks_NAFO_FELLA/status/2041422312021336300?s=20

Russia has lost 980 soldiers killed and wounded over the past day, bringing its total number of personnel losses to 1,305,470. **Source:** [Russian losses over past day: 980 soldiers killed and wounded | Ukrainska Pravda](https://www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/2026/04/07/8029051/) **Details:** The total combat losses of the Russian forces between 24 February 2022 and 7 April 2026 are estimated to be as follows \[figures in parentheses represent the latest losses – ed.\]: * approximately 1,305,470 **(+980)** military personnel * 11,841 (+0) tanks * 24,364 **(+4)** armoured combat vehicles * 39,562 **(+65)** artillery systems * 1,722 **(+3)** multiple-launch rocket systems * 1,340 **(+2)** air defence systems * 435 (+0) fixed-wing aircraft * 350 (+0) helicopters * 223,341 **(+1,945)** operational-tactical UAVs * 4,517 (+0) cruise missiles * 33 (+0) ships/boats * 2 (+0) submarines * 87,862 **(+248)** vehicles and fuel tankers * 4,115 **(+3)** special vehicles and other equipment. The information is being confirmed.

I’m going to party for a week when Putin finally gets the gaddafi treatment 

F*** Putin!!

Slava Ukraini!

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