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10:55
Russian journalist from Forbes placed under house arrest
A journalist from the Russian edition of Forbes, Sergei Mingazov, has been placed under house arrest. This was reported by the Russian state news agency RIA. He is accused of spreading disinformation about the Russian military. According to Forbes, Mingazov was arrested by Russian authorities on Friday.
Mingazov’s lawyer, Konstantin Bubon, said in a post on Facebook that the reason for the arrest were messages Mingazov posted on Telegram about Butcha. In that city, near the capital Kyiv, the Russian army carried out a massacre shortly after the invasion of Ukraine. Mingazov could face a prison sentence of up to 10 years.
Since the start of the invasion, Russia has been cracking down on journalists who are critical of the war. According to the NGO Reporters Without Borders, 64 journalists have been detained since 2022. One of them is the American journalist Evan Gershkovich, from The Wall Street Journal. He is accused of espionage. Various independent media, such as The Moscow Times and Novaya Gazetawere also labeled as ‘foreign agents’ and were therefore forced to move abroad.
Thom Canters
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08:30
Ukrainian power plants damaged by attacks
Russia has attacked power plants in three different regions, according to Ukraine. Ukrainian Energy Minister Herman Halushchenkoin reported this in a message on Telegram. The attacks took place in the central Dnipropetrovsk province and the western provinces of Lviv and Ivano-Frankivsk.
According to Halushchenko, several power stations suffered damage and one person was injured. Dtek, the country’s largest energy producer, said four power stations were attacked, without providing further details on where exactly they were located.
Russia bombards Ukraine with drones and missiles almost every day. According to the Ukrainian Air Force, Russia fired 34 missiles into Ukraine last night, 21 of which were shot down.
Lately, these attacks have specifically targeted regions that have less good air defenses. Ukraine has long argued that it does not have enough air defense systems to protect the entire country. Earlier this month, President Volodymyr Zelensky said he needed 22 additional Patriot systems. Since then, only Germany has provided one additional Patriot system. The recently approved United States aid package does include Patriot missiles.
Russia, in turn, reports that 66 Ukrainian drones were taken down last night over the southern Krasnodar region and two over occupied Crimea. According to the Russian state news agency Tass, an oil refinery in Krasnodar has been partially put out of action as a result. Ukraine has often targeted the Russian oil industry, which is important for its economy.
Thom Canters
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11:30 PM, Yesterday
Welcome to the live blog of Saturday 27 and Sunday 28 April
This was the most important news of Friday April 26:
• Russia attacks Ukrainian track to thwart Western arms supplies. This is why three people who worked for the Ukrainian railways have already died in Donetsk.
• The US supplies Ukraine with additional Patriot missiles. These are part of a $6 billion package. Spain refuses to supply Ukraine with Patriot systems, but also supplies missiles.
• Five people have been arrested in the United Kingdom for alleged involvement in arson on behalf of Russia. They allegedly set fire to a building owned by Ukrainians. The Russian ambassador to the UK has been summoned.
Read yesterday’s full live blog here.
