LIVE TEXT The war in Ukraine, day 794. The US announced six billion dollars in military aid to Kiev / Russian forces are trying to encircle the city of Ceasiv And

UPDATE SBU strikes oil refineries and a military airfield in Russia’s Krasnodar region

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) launched drone strikes against two oil refineries and a military airfield in Russia’s Krasnodar region overnight, a security and defense source told the Kyiv Independent.

In recent weeks, Ukrainian forces have launched a series of drone attacks aimed at affecting Russia’s oil industry, which is crucial to supporting Moscow’s war effort. In one of the most recent attacks, the SBU hit two oil depots in Russia’s Smolensk region on April 24.

Kiev usually does not officially comment on attacks on Russian territory.

The drones hit “key technological targets” at the Ilsky and Slavyansk oil refineries, causing fires and the evacuation of staff, the source said.

The SBU and the Defense Forces of Ukraine also hit the Kushchyovskaya military airbase, “where dozens of military aircraft, radars and electronic warfare devices were stationed,” according to the source.

“The SBU continues to effectively target military and infrastructure facilities behind enemy lines, reducing Russia’s potential to wage war.”

The Russian Defense Ministry said its forces shot down 66 Ukrainian drones over the Krasnodar region and two more drones over occupied Crimea.

UPDATE Kiev claims that Russia has lost 465,054 soldiers in Ukraine since the beginning of the war

Russia has lost 465,054 soldiers in Ukraine since the start of the invasion, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported.

This number includes 1,124 casualties suffered by Russian forces in the last day alone.

According to the report, Russia also lost 7,268 tanks, 13,971 armored fighting vehicles, 16,019 vehicles and fuel tanks, 11,905 artillery systems, 1,049 multiple launch missile systems, 775 air defense systems, 348 of planes, 325 helicopters, 9,485 drones, 26 ships and boats and a submarine.

UPDATE This year, Ukraine received an international aid of 12 billion dollars to cover the budget deficit

The Prime Minister of Ukraine, Denis Shmihal, announced, during a government meeting, that Ukraine has received approximately 12 billion dollars in foreign financing since the beginning of the year to help solve the budget deficit.

In a speech given at the forum of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund last October, Shmihal stated that Ukraine will need almost 42 billion dollars in economic assistance in 2024 to compensate for the deficit. According to Şmîhal, the deficit will represent up to 21% of Ukraine’s GDP this year.

He highlighted the recent receipt of 1.5 billion euros from the EU and said that nearly $8 billion will come from the US aid package that was approved this week.

Şmîhal emphasized that these funds are crucial for financing medical services, salaries of medical personnel, teachers and social programs.

“We are grateful to our allies and partners for their support,” said Şmîhal.

UPDATE Russia attacked Ukrainian energy installations in three regions

Russia attacked Ukrainian energy facilities in three regions on Saturday, damaging equipment and injuring at least one worker, Ukrainian Energy Minister German Galushchenko said, quoted by Reuters.

Galushchenko said on Telegram that the Russian attacks targeted the Dnipropetrovsk region in central Ukraine and the western regions of Lviv and Ivano-Frankivsk.

DTEK, Ukraine’s largest private energy company, said four of its thermal plants were hit. “The enemy has again massively bombed Ukrainian energy installations,” DTEK said in a statement. “The company’s equipment was seriously damaged. Right now, energy workers are trying to clean up the aftermath of the attack.”

UPDATE Russian forces are trying to encircle the city of Ceasiv Iar

Russian troops are trying to encircle the city of Ceasiv Iar in the Donetsk region, said Nazar Volosin, the spokesman of the Khortytsia Group of Forces, on Friday.

Ceasiv Iar is located in the Donetsk region, about 10 kilometers west of Bahmut and 50 kilometers north of Avdiivka, cities that Russia captured in May 2023 and February 2024, respectively.

Russian forces have concentrated their efforts near Cheasiv Iar, which they see as crucial to their continued advance towards the neighboring towns of Kostiantinivka, Kramatorsk and Sloviansk, the Ukrainian military said in March.

“The assault is underway. The enemy is trying to take Ceasiv Iar into an operational encirclement, but has had no success in the last seven days,” he declared.

Russia has also focused its efforts on breaking through Ukraine’s defenses west of Bakhmut to gain access to the Siverskyi Donetsk-Donbass canal, he added.

Between 20,000 and 25,000 Russian soldiers are trying to storm Ceasiv Iar and the surrounding settlements, Volosin previously reported.

Volodymyr Zelensky said in early April that Russia was trying to capture the city by Victory Day on May 9.

INITIAL NEWS

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Friday announced a $6 billion long-term military aid package for Ukraine, the largest ever, which will allow Washington to buy new equipment made by the US defense industry for the military. Ukrainian.

“This is the largest package of security assistance we have announced to date. It will include critical interceptors for Ukraine’s Patriot and NASAMS air defense systems, multiple anti-drone systems and support equipment, significant amounts of of artillery ammunition and air-to-ground munitions, as well as maintenance support,” Austin said during a news conference Friday.

The announcement comes just days after the US announced a $1 billion package that would quickly provide equipment to Ukraine from American stockpiles, after President Joe Biden on Wednesday signed an additional $61 billion aid package for Kiev, blocked for several months in Congress.

Biden said moments after signing the law that aid shipments to Ukraine would begin within hours. However, the equipment in the $6 billion package announced Friday will take much longer to arrive.