War in Ukraine, day 408. Moscow does not believe that Beijing will change its position on the war in Ukraine after Macron’s visit.

Most Important Events in Last 24 Hours:

• Moscow does not believe that Beijing will change its position on the war in Ukraine after Macron’s visit
• The Pentagon is investigating an apparent leak of US and NATO information about Ukraine
• A Ukrainian conductor died defending the city of Kramatorsk
• From Turkey, Lavrov announced Russia’s conditions for peace talks in Ukraine
• Propagandist Solovyov: “We will use tactical nuclear weapons in Ukraine!”
• British intelligence: Russians advance on Bahmut, Ukrainian supply route under threat
• The Ukrainians claim to have repelled more than 40 Russian attacks in the past 24 hours.
• Thousands of Ukrainian citizens were deported to Russia
• Xi Jinping calls for ceasefire in Ukraine
• Boss Wagner: “The enemy is going nowhere from Bahmuth!”
• Russians withdraw troops from Crimea ahead of announced Ukrainian counteroffensive.
• Ukraine orders combat vehicles from Poland with US and EU money
• CNN: Zi Jinping announces when he will talk to Zelenskiy
• Russia announces steps to “reorganize defense architecture” after Finland joins NATO

Update 16:53 Moscow is monitoring talks between Chinese President Xi Jinping and French President Emmanuel Macron, but remains skeptical of a shift in Beijing’s stance on the conflict in Ukraine.

“These are very important contacts and we have followed all developments in this matter,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said of the conversation between Presidents Macron and Xi.

Journalists asked Pesco about the possibility that the communist government would change its position on the Ukraine war after talks between the two leaders.

“It is not a country that changes its position so quickly under foreign influence,” he replied.

French President and European Commission President Ursula van der Leyen wrapped up her three-day visit to China on Friday.

China has remained neutral in the Russia-Ukraine conflict and has tried to portray itself as a peacemaker, but has refused to condemn the Russian invasion and strengthened economic and diplomatic ties with the Kremlin last year. Hosted by President Xi Jinping in Moscow last month.

Update 15:56 The Pentagon is investigating the spread of classified US and NATO military information about Ukraine in the form of screenshots on social media.

U.S. Department of Defense Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh declined to comment on the authenticity of the documents, but said her agency was aware of the reports on social media posts and that the matter was being investigated.

CNN examined some of the images circulating on Twitter and Telegram, but was unable to determine whether they were genuine documents or fakes.

CNN quoted Mykhailo Podoliak, an adviser to Ukraine’s president, as saying Russia was behind the alleged leak.

According to the Ukrainian official, the documents allegedly distributed by the Russians are not genuine, have nothing to do with Ukraine’s real plans and are based on “a large amount of fictitious information”.

Podoliak qualified the apparent leak as “dust in the eye” and concluded that if Russia had indeed received military contingency preparations (from Ukraine and its allies, it had not), it would not have made them public.

Update 13:47 A well-known Ukrainian musician and conductor was killed at the front. This is Kostyantin Starovsky and his colleagues from the National Academic Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine said his loss is irreparable.

The quoted agency said the musician was killed Thursday while fighting against Russian troops in the city of Kramatorsk.

“Our comrade Kostyantyn Starovytskyi died protecting the whole of Ukraine, protecting us and you. Eternal memory of the hero,” said representatives of the orchestra.

Update 12:47 p.m Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov announced in Ankara what must happen for Moscow to participate in negotiations to end the war in Ukraine.

“Peace talks on Ukraine are only possible if they aim to establish a ‘new world order’ without US hegemony,” the Russian diplomatic chief said.

“Negotiations can only take place with Russian interests in mind. These are the principles that form the basis of the new world order,” Lavrov added at a joint press conference with his Turkish counterpart, Mevlut Cavusoglu.

On the other hand, he warned about the fate of the agreement allowing the export of Ukrainian grain.

“If there is no progress in removing barriers to Russian fertilizer and grain exports, we question whether this agreement is necessary,” the Russian minister said.

Update 11:47 Vladimir Solovyov, a well-known representative of Vladimir Putin’s propaganda apparatus, has returned with a new call for the use of nuclear weapons in Ukraine to determine the fate of the military conflict launched by Russia last February.

On his morning show “Full Contact,” broadcast on several radio and streaming platforms in Russia, Solovyov expressed his displeasure that Russian military leaders were “waiting” for a Ukrainian counterattack.

He called for the use of weapons of mass destruction, which, in his view, did not produce their deterrent effect.

“Why wait for their counterattack? Let’s use tactical nukes! Let’s hit their troop concentrations and their decision centers. What’s the problem? ‘Ah, we can’t use nukes!’ Then why did you grow them further? ‘Prevent’.

Well, I inspired them? They are bombing our regions, cities, villages. They are killing our people! Did our nuclear weapons help you?” said Solovyov indignantly.

Update at 10:30 The Russians are making “new advances” in Pakmut, and the Ukrainians’ supply route is “severely under threat,” according to British intelligence services, Sky News reported.

The city in eastern Ukraine has been the scene of fierce fighting between Russians and Ukrainians for months.

By the end of March, the Russian offensive had been largely repelled, but recently they had “advanced into the center of the city and occupied the west bank of the river,” the British Ministry of Defense reported.

As a result, the main Ukrainian supply route to the west of the city is under threat.

“Russian forces, including airborne troops, have probably reinforced the area, and Russia is using artillery very effectively in this sector,” the British Ministry of Defense said.

Update 09:30 Ukrainian military officials announced that more than 40 “enemy attacks” had been repelled in the past 24 hours.

The announcement was made by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

According to him, Russia launched 53 missiles in different parts of Ukraine.

Most of the gains were made in Lyman, Bagmut, Avdiyvka and Maringa, located in eastern Donetsk region. The Ukrainians retaliated with attacks on Russian troops.

“During the day, the Ukrainian Air Force carried out six airstrikes against Russian troops and military equipment. In addition, Ukrainian defenders shot down three UAVs of various types (Orlan-10, Supercam and Lancet-3), as well as three guided bombs.

“At the same time, Ukrainian missile and artillery units hit two enemy manpower concentrations, two fuel depots and one enemy electronic warfare station,” the statement of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said.

Update 08:20 Thousands of Ukrainian citizens were deported to Russia

2,500 Ukrainian citizens have been deported, according to Dmytro Lubinets, the human rights commissioner of the Ukrainian parliament. However, he admits that Ukrainian authorities cannot be sure of the number of citizens in Russia. “We cannot say clearly how many Ukrainians there are currently on the territory of the Russian Federation, because Russia has not provided us with any official numbers,” he said.

Dmytro Lubinets added that there is evidence that Russia is trying to recruit some of these men into Wagner mercenaries to fight in eastern Ukraine. Ukrainians also estimate that Russia transferred about 19,000 children to its territory during the war.

Update 00:00 “China calls on all parties to remain calm and rational and cooperate to create an environment for peace talks. We oppose efforts to escalate and complicate the situation,” the Chinese president announced, according to CNN television.

“China supports ideas and proposals for a political solution to the crisis in Ukraine based on its own fundamental and long-term interests, and promotes the establishment of a balanced, efficient and stable European security architecture,” the Beijing presidency said. . Xi Jinping also told the meeting that China and the European Union should intensify dialogue and cooperation to improve bilateral relations through mutual respect and stability.

France’s president, Emmanuel Macron, called for peace talks between Russia and Ukraine in Beijing on Thursday, highlighting the important role China can play. “To build sustainable peace, it is essential to resume negotiations as soon as possible,” declared Emmanuel Macron. “I know I can count on you to justify Russia again and bring everyone to the negotiating table,” Emmanuel Macron told Chinese President Xi Jinping.

However, in a reaction, the administration in Moscow suggested on Thursday that China withdraw from its role as a mediator in the military conflict between Russia and Ukraine, insisting that the conditions for a cessation of hostilities have not been met at this time.

War in Ukraine, April 6 | Russians withdraw troops from Crimea ahead of announced Ukrainian counteroffensive.

War in Ukraine, April 5 | Vladimir Putin has blamed western secret services for attacks in Russia

War in Ukraine, April 4 | Finland’s accession to NATO upsets Russia. France intervenes

War in Ukraine, April 3 | UNICEF: More than 500 children killed in war in Ukraine

War in Ukraine, April 2 | Volodymyr Zelensky and Emmanuel Macron want to organize a peace summit