The port and refinery in Tuapse are ablaze again due to a Ukrainian drone attack. The Verkhovna Rada has extended martial law and mobilization for another three months. Special Operations Forces hit an “Iskander” base in Crimea
We have gathered for you information about the one thousand five hundred and twenty-fifth day of the Great War: what Ukraine and Ukrainians lived through on April 28, 2026.
MOST IMPORTANT
The Verkhovna Rada adopted laws extending martial law and general mobilization for another three months, until August 2 – Ukrinform.
Ukraine is preparing a sanctions package that will affect both those who directly transport grain stolen by Russia and those who try to profit from this scheme – Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine.
On April 28, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs handed a note of protest to the Ambassador of the State of Israel due to the continued import of agricultural products illegally exported by the Russian Federation from the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine to Israel – Georgiy Tikhyy, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine. Ukraine is tracking the supply of stolen grain not only to Israel but to various countries and intends to counter this.
The EU is considering sanctions against Israel for purchasing stolen Ukrainian grain – Haaretz.
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Situation in the Middle East
The UAE, which produces about 3-3.5 million barrels of oil per day, announced its withdrawal from OPEC and the OPEC+ agreement, effective May 1 – Reuters. This move dealt a significant blow to raw material exporters and Saudi Arabia’s leadership position.
US President Donald Trump stated that Iran has reported being in a “state of collapse” and is trying to resolve issues regarding its leadership – Reuters. According to Axios, Trump is considering two scenarios for action regarding Iran to prevent the war from freezing.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that Iran’s new proposal is “better than expected” but emphasized that a future agreement must prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons – CNN.
Deputy Minister of Defense of Iran, Reza Talaei-Nik, stated on Tuesday that Tehran is ready to share “America’s experience of defeat” with the SCO member states – Reuters.
The LNG tanker Mubaraz, operated by the UAE’s national oil company ADNOC, passed through the Strait of Hormuz for the first time since early March – AFP.
A superyacht linked to one of Putin’s key allies has passed through the Strait of Hormuz despite the blockade of the critical shipping channel – BBC. Tehran has focused its diplomatic efforts this week on strengthening relations with Moscow.
QUOTES
Alar Karis, President of Estonia: “The EU has invested a great deal in Ukraine. We must have our own plans regarding the Russian Federation. These plans need to be developed right now because processes in the EU take a lot of time.”
Žygimantas Vaičiūnas, Lithuanian Minister of Energy: “Ukraine’s gas storage facilities can play a role in the European Union’s energy balance, becoming a storage site for the EU’s strategic gas reserve after the country joins the bloc.”
ENEMY LOSSES
WAR
Units of the Defense Forces of Ukraine on the night of April 28, for the third time this month, struck the Tuapse refinery in the Krasnodar Krai of the Russian Federation, which is involved in supplying the Russian army. Hits by attack UAVs on the facility’s territory with subsequent fires were recorded – General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Ukrainian long-range assets are capable of striking military targets deep within Russia at a distance of about 1,750 km; since 2022, the range has increased by more than 2.5 times – Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.
The Russians attacked 59 times since the beginning of the day, mostly in the Pokrovsk direction – General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine as of 4:00 PM.
Defense forces hit the “Ai-Petri” radio-technical battalion’s radar station in temporarily occupied Crimea – General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
On the night of April 28, drones of the Middle-strike units of the Special Operations Forces hit a storage site for “Iskander” operational-tactical missile systems in temporarily occupied Crimea – press service of the Special Operations Forces.
The Ministry of Defense recorded cases of insufficient food supply to remote positions in three brigades – Ministry of Defense. Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrskyi, ordered the commanders of groupings and corps to check the provision of soldiers on the contact line by May 20.
Russia attacked with 123 UAVs: 95 were neutralized – Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
CONSEQUENCES OF THE WAR
Losses. War Crimes
In Ukraine, as a result of the full-scale invasion by Russian troops, 349 artists, as well as 137 Ukrainian and foreign journalists, have died – Ministry of Culture.
Consequences of enemy attacks
- In Kryvyi Rih, a man died and five others were injured as a result of a Russian drone strike on an infrastructure facility.
- A Russian drone attacked Chuhuiv in the Kharkiv region, killing two people.
- In the Kherson region, five people were injured during the day as a result of drone attacks.
- Enemy UAVs attacked Kyiv: drone debris fell on a cemetery in the Solomianskyi district and an unfinished building in the Shevchenkivskyi district; the number of injured increased to two.
Ecology
Environmental damage due to the shelling of Korosten in the Zhytomyr region on April 3 amounted to almost UAH 1 billion – State Ecological Inspectorate of the Polissya District.
Economy
On the night of April 28, Russian invaders attacked agricultural enterprises in the Chernihiv region with strike drones. Hangars with grain and property were destroyed. In the Kulykivska community of Chernihiv district, a farm was damaged. In Horodnyanska, village houses burned down – Viacheslav Chaus, head of the Chernihiv Regional State Administration.
The Russians attacked an enterprise in Konotop, Sumy region, injuring five people. Private houses, a hospital, administrative premises, and a civil infrastructure facility were damaged – Oleh Hryhorov, head of the Sumy Regional State Administration.
NEWS: UKRAINE
Following a meeting with the head of the Main Intelligence Directorate, Oleh Ivashchenko, President Zelenskyy stated that the Russian leadership plans offensive operations and is preparing to involve more personnel – Zelenskyy on Telegram.
The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted:
- in the first reading, the draft of a new Civil Code;
- amendments to the law on international arbitration.
First Vice Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal held meetings:
- with President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development Odile Renaud-Basso, where new directions for deepening cooperation were discussed, especially in preparation for the next winter;
- with EU Commissioner for Energy and Housing, Dan Jørgensen. The financing needs of Ukraine’s energy sector were discussed;
- with Estonian Minister of Energy and Environment, Andres Sutt. The transfer of decommissioned and reserve equipment from Estonian thermal power plants through accelerated mechanisms was discussed.
Olena Kyiivets, elected from the “Servant of the People” party, took the oath of a people’s deputy at a parliamentary session on April 28 – Verkhovna Rada session.
Law enforcement agencies of Ukraine, with the assistance of Europol, conducted the second phase of the special operation “Black Shell” and exposed participants of an organized criminal group that had established a channel for supplying weapons to the criminal world – National Police of Ukraine.
The High Anti-Corruption Court, upon the claim of the Ministry of Justice, seized the assets of former People’s Deputy, “Speaker of the Parliament of the DNR and LNR,” Oleh Tsarov, into state revenue – High Anti-Corruption Court.
The Pechersk District Court of Kyiv, at the request of the State Bureau of Investigation, allowed special pre-trial investigations against Ukrainian oligarch Kostiantyn Zhevago, who is фигурантом case of embezzlement of $113 million from the bank “Finance and Credit” – State Bureau of Investigation.
Counterintelligence of the SBU and the National Police detained two agents of Russian special services who were preparing an assassination attempt on a Major General of the Armed Forces of Ukraine – SBU.
In a road accident in the Kyiv region, trucks and cars collided, resulting in five injuries – Kyiv region police.
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Gasoline and diesel prices have slightly decreased: the average price of A-95 gasoline dropped by 3 kopecks to UAH 72.43/l, and diesel fuel by 7 kopecks to UAH 88.07/l – minfin.com.ua.
On April 28, the Ministry of Finance of Ukraine raised almost UAH 4.6 billion equivalent to the state budget at an auction for the placement of domestic government loan bonds – Ministry of Finance.
State budget expenditures for the maintenance of the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone last year amounted to UAH 2.66 billion, an increase of 15% compared to 2024 – Energy Map data.
WORLD: AID, SANCTIONS, EVENTS
During an event at UN headquarters dedicated to nuclear safety and the 40th anniversary of the Chornobyl disaster, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Oleksandr Mishchenko emphasized the need for an immediate cessation of hostilities near nuclear facilities, which pose risks of nuclear catastrophe in the context of Russia’s war against Ukraine – Ukrinform.
IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi stated at the 11th Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons in New York that the risk of nuclear catastrophe has increased to a level not seen since the Cold War – IAEA.
Prime Minister of Ukraine Yulia Svyrydenko and US Secretary of Energy Chris Wright discussed cooperation to strengthen Ukraine’s energy resilience during the Three Seas Initiative Summit – Svyrydenko on Telegram.
The Czech Republic will join the Agreement to launch a Special Tribunal for the crime of aggression against Ukraine, becoming the 23rd state to join this historic initiative – Andriy Sybiga, Head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.
Charles III arrived in the US on a state visit and will address a joint session of the US Congress – CNN. King Charles III of Great Britain separately welcomed the Ambassador of Ukraine, Olha Stefanishyna, and expressed support for Ukrainians.
As part of an exchange of prisoners with Belarus, Poland handed over Russian archaeologist Oleksandr Buyagin, whom Ukraine suspects of illegal excavations in temporarily occupied Crimea.
Lithuania, during its presidency of the Council of the EU, is ready to facilitate the decision to completely abandon the import of Russian oil as part of strengthening sanctions – Žygimantas Vaičiūnas, Lithuanian Minister of Energy, in an interview with Ukrinform.
The Ministry of the Interior of Estonia has prepared amendments to the law that will restrict the purchase of real estate by citizens of Russia and Belarus who do not have a permanent residence permit – ERR.
The Magyar Party will not vote for the appointment of Szijjártó as Deputy Speaker of the Hungarian Parliament – Magyar on social media X.
In Mali, rebels have regained control of the town of Kidal, which has been a symbol of Russia’s presence in the region for years – Bloomberg.
ENEMY
Russia’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Nebenzya, compared Western countries to “pirates” at a Security Council meeting on Monday and stated that Iran has every right to restrict navigation in the Strait of Hormuz – CNN.
Russia has changed the head of “Rossotrudnichestvo” after a series of failures in foreign directions, including the defeat of pro-Russian forces led by Viktor Orbán in Hungary – Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine.
Russia exported oil to Georgia worth almost $70 million; its petroleum products accounted for 42.5% of Georgia’s external purchases – BlackSeaNews.
Russia is currently experiencing the largest labor shortage in industry in the country’s modern history, estimated at approximately 2 million workers, which is already affecting the state of the economy – Elvira Nabiullina, head of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation. Significant problems are also recorded in law enforcement agencies, the agricultural sector, and large cities, including Moscow.
The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation issued a “refutation” of reports about numerous cases of expelling students to force them to sign contracts for “service in drone troops.” A “hotline” for complaints has been announced, which only confirms the mass nature of such practices – Center for Countering Disinformation.
Prepared by Zhanna Telegonova, Kyiv
First photo: Armed Forces of Ukraine
Source: www.ukrinform.ua