Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 1,147

Here are the main developments on the 1,147th day of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

In the Kharkiv region, Ukrainian forces used cumulative charges to destroy Russian ammunition on April 14, 2025.

Updates for Wednesday, April 16:
Military Operations

– The Russian Ministry of Defence reported the destruction of 115 Ukrainian drones in an overnight assault.
– The ministry accused Kyiv of attacking Kremlin energy infrastructure six times in violation of a 30-day moratorium on energy strikes.
– A Russian soldier was sentenced to 15 years for desertion and surrendering to Ukraine.
– Five young Russians were imprisoned for up to 18 years for setting fire to a helicopter and railway equipment on behalf of Ukraine.

In a Ukrainian drone strike in Russia’s Kursk region, one person died, and seven others were wounded. The attack damaged two residential buildings and 15 cars.

On the political and diplomatic fronts:

– US special envoy Steve Witkoff, after meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, mentioned Putin’s willingness to negotiate a “permanent peace” agreement with Ukraine.
– Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov noted challenges in agreeing on key components of a potential peace deal with the US.
– The Kremlin expressed readiness to explore a US-Russia agreement on Ukraine but stated that the specifics are not yet defined.
– Russia’s foreign spy service chief, Sergey Naryshkin, stated readiness for proactive action with Belarus in case of an attack.
– Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy proposed extending military mobilization and martial law for another 90 days, as well as seeking the dismissal of the military governor of Sumy.
– Zelenskyy emphasized Ukraine’s urgent need for air defense systems and missiles during discussions with NATO chief Mark Rutte.

Rutte, in a surprise visit to Odesa, supported US-led peace efforts while condemning Russia’s attacks on Ukrainian civilians.

(Source: Al Jazeera and news agencies)