Victory Chronicles-DAY 1163

The official website of the U.S. Congress confirms that U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration is preparing to authorize a $50 weapons sale to Ukraine – the first such pending approval in his second term.

A notice dated April 29, listed as entry EC-859, shows that the U.S. State Department has informed Congress of a proposed license to export “defense articles, including technical data, and defense services to Ukraine.” 

This step is required under the Arms Export Control Act before such sales can move forward. The notification aligns with earlier reporting by the English-language Kyiv-based newspaper, the Kyiv Post, which cited diplomatic sources saying the Trump administration had informed Congress of its intent to approve a direct commercial sale (DCS) of military goods and services to Ukraine, valued at $50 million or more.

Between 2015 and 2023, the U.S. has approved roughly $1.6 billion in similar commercial sales to Ukraine without major public announcements. However, this latest move is the first confirmed arms export initiative under Trump’s current term.

Syrskyi: Ukrainian forces recapture 115 positions, strike targets inside Russia in April. Ukrainian forces regained control of 115 battlefield positions in April, using what military officials described as “active defense tactics,” according to Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi.

Syrskyi said the military had focused on containing Russian advances in high-risk areas — particularly the Sumy and Kursk directions, as well as Pokrovsk and Novopavlivka. These areas have seen intensified fighting in recent weeks, with Russia aiming to exploit stretched Ukrainian defenses. 

He noted that Ukrainian forces applied active defense measures, allowing them to push back and reclaim dozens of positions over the past month.

In addition to ground gains,, Ukrainian forces reportedly struck 62 military targets inside Russia in April using deep-strike capabilities. Syrskyi said these operations damaged military infrastructure and disrupted the enemy’s defense industry.

Russian strikes kill two civilians, injure one in Donetsk region. Russian forces killed two civilians and injured another in overnight and early morning attacks on Donetsk Oblast on May 1, local officials reported.

Thirty minutes after midnight , Russian aircraft dropped three guided bombs on the city of Myrnohrad. One of the bombs struck a nine-story apartment building, killing a 43-year-old woman when a concrete slab collapsed onto her home.  Hours later, at approximately 6:30 a.m., Russian shelling hit the village of Novoekonomichne in Pokrovsk District, killing a 51-year-old man while his 52-year-old wife with shrapnel.

Russia launches mass drone strike on Odesa, killing two civilians and injuring five. Russian forces launched a large-scale drone attack on the southern Ukrainian port city of Odesa overnight from April 30 to May 1, killing two civilians and injuring five more, according to local officials. The attack is part of a recent escalation in Russian aerial assualts across Ukraine, as the Kremlin intensifies pressure on civilian infrastructure ahead of a renewed offensive. Fires broke out in multiple locations, prompting emergency responders to work through the night.

Authorities say an elderly couple may still be trapped under rubble.

The strike comes amid increasing concerns about Russia’s use of Iranian-made Shahed drones, which have been deployed in swarms to overwhelm Ukraine’s air defenses. Odesa, a key Black Sea port, has been a frequent target due to its strategic importance to grain exports and military logistics. 

“Russian drones targeted civilian areas,” Kiper reported, noting damage to apartment buildings, private homes, and public infrastructure. Emergency crews were deployed to extinguish fires and assist the injured. Shortly after 3 a.m., Kiper confirmed the deaths of two people and injuries to five others. Medical teams are continuing to treat the wounded, and tents have been set up to provide additional aid.

Key Takeaways:

• The United States and Ukraine signed a bilateral economic partnership agreement on April 30.
• Russian officials continue to demand full Ukrainian capitulation as the sole basis on which Russia is willing to accept a future peace agreement.
• Peskov overinflated Russia’s current military strength and battlefield victories thus far in the war in an attempt to justify Russia’s continued unwillingness to make territorial concessions.
• Russian officials continue to call for the cessation of Western aid to Ukraine as part of efforts to reintensify offensive operations when Ukraine’s defense capabilities are weakened.
• Senior Russian officials continue to claim that Russia is open to diplomacy to end the war while rejecting US and Ukrainian ceasefire proposals that would allow for formal peace negotiations to begin.
• Russian officials continue to falsely portray European efforts to increase their own defense capabilities – in line with U.S. President Donald Trump’s objective to have Europe shoulder more of the burden for collective security – as a threat to Russian national security, likely to support Russian efforts to justify future Russian aggression against NATO.
• North Korea and Russia continue to enhance bilateral cooperation, particularly in the military and labor spheres.
• Ukrainian sources continue to report on cases of Russian commanders ordering their subordinates to execute Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) in violation of international law.
• Ukrainian forces recently advanced in Kursk Oblast and near Toretsk. Russian forces recently advanced near Lyman and Toretsk.

In memoriam: Ukrainian soldier Serhii Vit, a hero of Ukraine’s defense forces

Sgt. Serhii Vit, known by the call sign “Vitas,” was killed in action on Dec. 10, 2024, near the village of Stepy in Izium district, Kharkiv region. He was 33. He died from fatal injuries after an enemy drone strike during a combat mission.

Vit was born and lived in Vinnytsia. He graduated from Secondary School No. 9 and later trained as a machine operator at Vocational Education Center No. 1. He worked at ANOD, a company producing household electrical appliances, and spent his free time with his family.

Following Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, he joined the 3rd Tank Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He served as commander of an engineering and sapper unit in the brigade’s 2nd Rifle Battalion. He helped defend both Kyiv and Kharkiv regions.

For his service, Vit received the Medal “For the Defense of the Hero City of Kharkiv,” the “Honor and Glory” Cross, and the Knight’s Cross. He was posthumously awarded a decoration from the commander of the 3rd Tank Brigade.

“A loyal son of his country who defended its sovereignty until his last breath,” his wife, Inna, said. Vit was buried at the Alley of Glory at Sabariv Cemetery in Vinnytsia. He is survived by his wife and daughter.

*Serhii’s story on the Heroes Memorial – a platform for stories about the fallen defenders of Ukraine.

• The New York Post: Trump team dissatisfied with envoy Witkoff’s approach to talks with Russia
• Bloomberg: US Senate threatens 500% tariffs on Russia’s partners if Putin doesn’t take steps towards peace in Ukraine
• Zelenskyy: Russia has ignored ceasefire proposal for over 50 days, tangible push is needed
• IAEA: Ukraine still repairing confinement structure over Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant damaged by Russian attack
• Kellog: Ukraine ready to concede territories “de facto” but not “de jure”
• Trump ally says Senate backs “bone-crushing” sanctions against Russia
• Politico: Macron and Starmer persuaded Trump to change his stance on Putin