Fighting has intensified across the eastern and southern regions, with no sign of Russian forces letting up. Over the past 48 hours, cities like Odessa, Kherson, and the contested Donetsk area have experienced a series of deadly attacks, leaving destruction in their wake.
In the early hours, Odessa was struck by several Russian drones, with preliminary reports confirming three deaths. The city’s mayor stated that residential areas and civilian infrastructure were damaged. Meanwhile, in Kherson, a barrage of Russian shelling killed one person and injured three more, including an attempt on the life of the city’s military administration head. Across the region, 11 more civilians were wounded in similar attacks.
In Pokrovsk, located in Donetsk oblast, Ukrainian forces reported 28 Russian assaults on 15 April alone, amounting to nearly one third of all frontline engagements that day. Despite the frequency of attacks, the Russian military has failed to gain meaningful ground this year in the area. Instead, Moscow has shifted its attention towards the Dnipro region and the village of Kodlyn, where Ukrainian troops have reportedly repelled Russian forces in recent days.
Russia’s objectives include cutting off the highway connecting Pavlohrad to Pokrovsk and advancing westwards. Ukrainian units, however, are actively counterattacking in the south and southwest of the contested zones, putting continuous pressure on Kremlin positions.
Ukrainian special forces have adapted rapidly to evolving battlefield dynamics. In one failed Russian river crossing attempt, FPV drones and the elite “Ghosts of Kartuzia” Omega unit destroyed an enemy convoy mid-transit. Explosions struck the riverbank, stopping the Russian advance before they could threaten Ukrainian positions. These types of pre-emptive drone strikes are becoming increasingly effective in regions like Kharkiv and Donetsk.
Commander Dmytro Shevchenko of the Kraken unit, known for halting Russian armoured offensives, gave his final interview just four days before his death on 25 April 2024. Speaking with clarity and conviction, he reflected on the mission, the comradeship among fighters, and the price of defending Ukraine.
In Toretsk, Donetsk oblast, soldiers of Ukraine’s 28th Mechanised Brigade carried out a rooftop clearance operation on an abandoned mining tower. Enemy drones had previously targeted the site, and unexploded ordnance was left behind. Regaining such elevated positions is now a priority for Ukrainian forces to maintain visibility and communications. In urban warfare, vertical dominance has become a strategic necessity.
One of the most harrowing reports came from what Ukrainian soldiers call the “Road of Death” in Donetsk. In raw footage, a Russian evacuation team stumbled upon the charred remains of a fellow soldier near an anti-tank minefield. The audio captured confusion and despair as they navigated the remnants of yet another failed assault. Psychological trauma is becoming common among recovery teams forced to confront these haunting scenes.
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