Russia-Ukraine Conflict: Key Events Highlights on Day 1,140 | War Updates

Here is the latest update as of Wednesday, 9 April:

Fighting

• The Russian Ministry of Defense reported that its units intercepted and destroyed 23 Ukrainian drones overnight along the border in Russia’s Kursk and Belgorod regions.
• The ministry also stated that Russian forces launched a surprise attack and recaptured the village of Guyevo in Kursk, which had been under Ukrainian control since August 2024.
• Moscow claimed it conducted air and artillery strikes on Ukrainian troops stationed inside Russian territory, forcing Kyiv’s soldiers to retreat toward the border.
• The Russian Defense Ministry also accused Ukraine of attacking two Russian energy facilities in the past 24 hours, despite a mutually agreed moratorium on energy-related strikes.
• Ukraine’s Air Force reported that Russia launched 46 drones and an Iskander-M ballistic missile overnight. Nine drones were shot down, and 31 were lost due to electronic warfare countermeasures.
• At least 17 people were injured in Russian drone attacks on the Ukrainian cities of Dnipro and Kharkiv, which also caused fires and damaged homes, according to regional authorities. One woman sustained severe injuries.

• Ukraine claimed its forces struck and destroyed an aircraft hangar complex, several military buildings, and technical equipment in Ozerki village, located in Russia’s Kursk border region. Approximately 30 Russian soldiers were reportedly killed in the attack.

Ceasefire

• US Ambassador to the United Nations Dorothy Shea told the UN Security Council that Washington “will have no patience” for negotiations made in bad faith or any violations of commitments aimed at ending Russia’s war on Ukraine. “We will ultimately judge [Russian] President [Vladimir] Putin’s commitment to a ceasefire by Russia’s actions,” Shea said.

Politics and Diplomacy

• Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said it was extremely difficult to imagine the start of negotiations with the US on a new nuclear arms reduction treaty due to the strained mutual trust with Washington, which is only beginning to improve.
• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that his troops engaged six Chinese soldiers fighting for Russia on the battlefield and captured two as prisoners of war. Zelenskyy said he had ordered officials to seek an official explanation from China regarding the presence of Chinese nationals fighting alongside Russian forces.
• Ukraine’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrii Sybiha announced that China’s charge d’affaires had been summoned over the issue of Chinese citizens fighting for Russia. “Chinese citizens participating in Russia’s invasion army in Ukraine calls into question China’s declared commitment to peace,” he said.

• A new round of consultations between Russia and the US will take place on Thursday regarding the restoration of normal operations for Russian and US embassies, according to a diplomatic source cited by Reuters.
• Russia’s state-owned news agency TASS reported that Moscow’s delegation at the normalization talks will be led by the newly appointed Russian ambassador to the US, Alexandr Darchiev, while the US delegation will be headed by Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Sonata Coulter.

Aid

• Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever announced that his government had decided to provide a €1 billion ($1.19 billion) aid package to Ukraine this year. He also stated that Belgium intends to support Kyiv with a similar package annually during his term.
• US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth will virtually attend a meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG) on Friday, according to a US defense official quoted by AFP.