War in Ukraine: Latest News for April 19, 2026

Have you missed the latest events in the war in Ukraine? 20 Minutes has the latest update for you every evening. Here’s the essential news for Sunday, April 19, 2026, the 1,516th day of the conflict.

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An 16-year-old teenager was killed during an attack in the city of Chernihiv, in northern Ukraine, as reported by the local administration chief Dmytro Bryjynsky on Sunday. “Four people were also injured: three women and one man,” the official wrote on Telegram, detailing the strikes that damaged 7 houses and two public buildings. The energy infrastructure of this city has been severely hit by several waves of attacks this week, leaving thousands of residents without electricity, according to local authorities.

Quote of the Day

“The continuous easing of sanctions against Russia does not reflect the true situation in the war or in diplomacy and fuels the Russian leadership’s illusion that they can continue the war […] Every dollar spent on Russian oil is money for war.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky criticized the extension announced on Friday of the U.S. suspension of sanctions on Russian oil. The U.S. Treasury Department temporarily extended on Friday, until May 16, the suspension of most sanctions on the Russian oil industry in the context of the energy crisis caused by the war in the Middle East triggered by the Israeli-American strikes against Iran on February 28.

Figure of the Day

2,360. That’s the number of drone attacks launched by Russia this week. Over 1,320 guided aerial bombs and nearly 60 missiles were also launched.

Trend

The Ukrainian Interior Minister announced that two police officers, accused of fleeing the scene of a shooting in Kiev on Saturday that killed six people, have been suspended and are under investigation for their conduct. On Saturday, a man opened fire in a residential neighborhood of the capital before taking hostages in a nearby supermarket, where he was eventually shot dead by law enforcement.

A video showing two officers in uniform and yellow vests standing near a person on the ground, then running away as shots rang out, leaving the person alone, sparked outrage in Ukraine. “It is a shame for the entire system. They have been suspended and an investigation is ongoing,” said Interior Minister Igor Klymenko in a statement on Telegram. The Ukrainian prosecutor’s office announced the opening of a criminal investigation into their conduct.

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“The two officers failed to assess the situation correctly and left civilians injured in danger,” said Patrol Police Department chief Ievgueny Joukov at a press conference on Sunday. He has submitted his resignation.