You may have missed the latest events on the war in Ukraine. 20 Minutes provides a summary for you every evening. Here is the essential news for this Tuesday, April 28, 2026, the 1,525th day of the conflict.
Highlight of the Day
The conflict was particularly deadly on Tuesday, on both sides of the border. In Russia, Ukrainian strikes killed four people: a man in the Bryansk region, and two men and a woman in the border region of Belgorod. In Ukraine, a septuagenarian perished in a Russian strike on a residential area in Tchougouïv in the east of the country, and another person died in Kryvyï Rih in the center. Simultaneously, loud explosions were heard in broad daylight shortly after an air raid alert was issued in the capital Kiev.
In recent months, these daytime attacks have become more frequent, while Russia continues to target Ukrainian territory every night. In response, the Ukrainian army also strikes targets in Russia. On Tuesday, it claimed a new strike on a Russian refinery in Tuapse in the south of the country, asserting that it “serves the supply of the Russian occupation army in Ukraine.”
Quote of the Day
“In any normal country, the purchase of stolen goods incurs criminal liability.”
These words are by Volodymyr Zelensky. The Ukrainian president accused Israel on Tuesday of “undermining” bilateral relations by allowing grain “stolen by Russia” to enter one of its ports and into the Ukrainian territories it occupies. “Israeli authorities cannot ignore which ships arrive in the country’s ports and what cargo they carry,” criticized Volodymyr Zelensky.
Ukraine, fighting against the Russian invasion since 2022, regularly accuses Russia of illegally exporting agricultural products from its occupied zones. And in recent weeks, several ships loaded with grain allegedly stolen by Moscow have reportedly arrived at the Israeli port of Haifa, Kiev claims.
Israel, on the other hand, reproached Kiev for not providing “any evidence” to support its allegations and assured that the ship had not yet arrived at Haifa. “The ship has not entered the port and has not yet submitted its documents,” responded Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, while criticizing Kiev’s “Twitter diplomacy.” “If you have evidence of theft, submit it through proper channels.”
According to Kiev, Russia has stolen over two million tons of cereals from its occupied territories in the year 2025 alone.
Trend of the Day
Europe probably needs Ukraine more than the other way around in terms of defense and must therefore question Kiev’s accession to the European Union and NATO, declared Finnish President Alexander Stubb on Tuesday. “Instead of thinking that Ukraine needs Europe, we should perhaps consider that it is us, in Europe, who need Ukraine more. It has the largest, most efficient, and most modern army in Europe,” he stated.
Europe has bolstered its defense capabilities in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which has been ongoing for four years, and the “hybrid attacks” attributed to Moscow against European countries, including presumed acts of sabotage, disinformation, and incidents involving drones.
Number of the Day
5. This is the number of prisoners released by Belarus, an ally of Putin’s regime, announced by Polish and American officials on Tuesday. Three Polish citizens, including journalist Andrzej Poczobut, detained by Minsk in 2021, as well as two Moldovan citizens, were released from Belarusian prisons.
The Polish government clarified that the release was possible following “a prisoner exchange.” Among them was the Russian archaeologist Alexander Boutiaguine, detained by Poland and who was supposed to be extradited to Ukraine where he is accused of conducting excavations in annexed Crimea. He was released along with another Russian citizen, according to the Russian security services (FSB).
