Victory Chronicles-DAY 776

Sixteen people were injured in a rocket attack on a family dormitory in Poltava Oblast by Russian troops on April 8. This was reported by the head of the Poltava Oblasts military administration, Pylyp Pronin. Four more people were identified as victims, including two children aged 5 and 11, bringing the total number of victims to sixteen. Pronin also provided information on the condition of the victims, noting that some of them are still receiving medical care. 

One patient is in serious condition, others are in moderate condition and are being provided with the necessary assistance. The attack caused a temporary power outage for over 9,000 households and 120 businesses in the affected communities. Power supply has now been restored, except for a partially damaged building. 

Special teams are helping victims fill out applications for financial assistance from the regional budget, both for those who were injured and those who suffered material damage. Emergency services are working to resolve the situation.

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Ukrainian law enforcement agencies are investigating 27 criminal cases involving the execution of 54 Ukrainian prisoners of war by Russians since the beginning of the war. The Prosecutor General’s Office of Ukraine is focusing on these cases, which involve the murder of defenders. The specific case in question occurred near Krynky in the Kherson Oblast, as confirmed by a video posted on social media. However, the details are still being verified. The head of the Department for Combating Crimes Committed in the Context of Armed Conflict of the Prosecutor General’s Office emphasized that these acts are not isolated incidents but part of Russian policy. The investigation is challenging due to limited access to the crime scenes and bodies. Despite this, efforts are being made to document and record the crimes, with cooperation from international organizations and non-governmental organizations. The goal is to bring the perpetrators to justice and reveal the truth to the world.

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According to a document from the Donetsk police, the Russian military has killed one person and wounded five others in several settlements in Ukraine. The shelling affected seven towns, including Kostiantynivka, Lyman, Selydove, Toretsk, Chasiv Yar, Kurakhivka, and Starodubivka. A total of 36 civilian objects were damaged, including 30 residential buildings, a library, a shop, vehicles, a gas pipeline, and power grids. In Chasiv Yar, Russia used Grad multiple rocket launchers with incendiary charges and cannon artillery, resulting in one death and damage to six private houses. In Selydove, a nine-story residential building was hit, injuring five residents, including a child. Three apartment buildings, a library, and a shop were also damaged. In Kostyantynivka, a bomb was dropped on the private sector, damaging nine houses, a minibus, a car, and disrupting communications. Additionally, the Russian army attacked Druzhkivka, damaging 18 infrastructure objects, including apartment buildings, administrative buildings, and cars.

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The Russian Ural-4320 was destroyed by border guards operating UAVs of the Stalevyi Kordon Offensive Guard Brigade. The enemy truck was spotted at night by aerial reconnaissance, and with the “assistance” of two FPV drones, the vehicle was destroyed.

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Ukrainian drone strikes against Russian oil refineries are reportedly forcing Russia to seek gasoline imports from Kazakhstan. Three unnamed industry sources told Reuters in an article published on April 8 that Russia asked Kazakhstan to establish an “emergency reserve” of 100,000 metric tons of gasoline that Kazakhstan could supply to Russia in case of shortages exacerbated by Ukrainian drone strikes and resulting refinery outages.

One of the unnamed sources stated that Kazakhstan and Russia have already reached an agreement allowing Russia to use Kazakh gasoline reserves in some unspecified capacity. Advisor to the Kazakh Energy Minister Shyngys Ilyasov denied that the Kazakh Energy Ministry had received such requests from Russia, however.

Reuters reported on April 2, citing its own data, that constant Ukrainian drone strikes have shut down about 14 percent of Russia’s overall oil refining capacity. Reuters also previously reported on March 27 that Russia has significantly increased its gasoline imports from Belarus following Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian oil refineries and that Russia has imported 3,000 metric tons of gasoline from Belarus in the first half of March as compared to 590 metric tons in February and no gasoline imports in January.

Recent Russian efforts to import gasoline from Belarus and Kazakhstan indicate that Russia is likely increasingly concerned about the immediate domestic supply of distillate petroleum products following Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries.

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Major Andrii Kudabekov, with the call sign BEK, died on October 31, 2023, near the village of Leonivka in Chernihiv Oblast, near the border of the hostile Russian Federation. While performing a special mission, he was killed in battle. 

Andrii was born in the family of a service member in Budapest, Hungary. Since 1990, he has lived in Chernihiv, Ukraine. He graduated from the National University of Chernihiv Polytechnic with a degree in Finance. Until 2014, he was engaged in entrepreneurial activity and was the director of the company “Furniture Soft as Clouds”. Then he devoted himself to the defense of the country. In 2014-2015, he participated in the anti-terrorist operation. In 2016, he created the Vovkulaka Veteran Special Training Center in Chernihiv, where he was engaged in combat training for civilians and military personnel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

From December 2019 to December 2021, he served in the State Special Communications Service of Ukraine as Deputy Head of the Department. He was promoted to the rank of lieutenant. Later, he received all ranks up to and including major ahead of schedule.

In February 2022, he interrupted a foreign assignment and came to defend Ukraine. He joined the military unit 4456 of the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and was promoted to the position of the unit’s commander. At first, he defended Chernihiv, and later went to other hot spots.

During his service, the fighter was repeatedly awarded, including the Order of the Knight’s Cross of the Volunteer, the medal “For the Defense of the Motherland”, the medal “For Military Valor of Ukraine”, the badge “Badge of Honor”, the insignia “Combatant” (war veteran), and was awarded a firearm – a PM pistol, and posthumously – the medal “For the Defense of Chernihiv”.

“Andrii was a brave man, he always went forward, never looking back. He always stood for the truth, justice and integrity of his country. He gave the most precious thing he had – his life – for his homeland. He was a wonderful son, brother, and the best father to his daughter,” said his niece, Olha Dekhane.

The officer was buried at the Yatsevo cemetery in Chernihiv. Andrii is survived by his daughter, loving family, many friends and colleagues.

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

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