Ukraine war latest: China provides weapons to Russia, Zelensky says
Key developments on April 17:
- China provides weapons to Russia, Zelensky says
- Ukraine repels Russian offensive near Pokrovsk, killing 200 Russian soldiers, Zelensky says
- Ukrainian forces liberate 16 square kilometers near Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast, Syrskyi says
- Ukrainian drones attack Russian brigade linked to Sumy strike for second day in a row, sources say
China is supplying weapons to Russia, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on April 17, days after Ukrainian soldiers captured Chinese nationals fighting for Russia’s army.
“Today, we have general information from the Security Service (of Ukraine), from intelligence about gunpowder, artillery,” Zelensky said during a briefing in Kyiv.
“I think we will be able to say in detail next week that we believe that Chinese representatives are engaged in the production of some weapons on the territory of Russia,” he added.
Zelensky’s statement marks Kyiv’s first confirmation that Beijing supports Russia’s war effort by providing weapons. Iran and North Korea are two other allies of Moscow that supply Russia with arms.
Multiple reports have previously suggested that China sends weapons to Russia amid Moscow’s all-out war against Ukraine, but Beijing denied this. In the summer of 2024, Zelensky said that China confirmed it wouldn’t provide Russia with arms.
Ukraine repels Russian offensive near Pokrovsk, killing 200 Russian soldiers, Zelensky says
The 14th Chervona Kalyna Brigade of Ukraine’s National Guard has repelled a Russian offensive near Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast on April 17, President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
According to Zelensky, Ukrainian forces killed around 200 Russian soldiers and injured 30 others, as well as destroyed 115 units of Russian military equipment.
There has been a notable slowdown in Russia’s offensive operations after months of steady territorial gains across eastern Ukraine. In recent weeks, Ukrainian forces have liberated approximately 16 square kilometers of territory near Pokrovsk, Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said on April 17.
The massive attack near Pokrovsk involved Russian armored combat vehicles and motorcycles, as well as about two companies, National Guard Commander Oleksandr Pivnenko said earlier in the day, sharing footage showing the assault.
“This battle is yet another proof of the coordinated and professional actions of our defenders who are holding the front line,” the commander said.
The Kyiv Independent could not verify these claims.
Zelensky warned that Russia would likely make several attempts to launch offensives in Sumy, Kharkiv, and Zaporizhzhia oblasts.
“And possibly in the east, because they have not attacked there for a long time,” he said.
The Kyiv IndependentThe Kyiv Independent
Ukrainian forces liberate 16 square kilometers near Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast, Syrskyi says
Ukrainian forces have liberated approximately 16 square kilometers of territory near Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast in recent weeks, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi said on April 17.
There has been a notable slowdown in Russia’s offensive operations after months of steady territorial gains across eastern Ukraine. According to battlefield monitoring group DeepState, Russian troops have captured just 133 square kilometers in March, the lowest monthly total since June 2024.
The recently recaptured territory by Ukrainian troops includes areas near the settlements of Udachne, Kotlyne, and Shevchenko, according to Syrskyi. He made the announcement after a three-day visit to the Operational-Tactical Group Donetsk, which he described as the strongest formation within the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
“Over the course of three days, I visited almost all brigades of this most powerful grouping of the Ukrainian Defense Forces, which bears the brunt of the enemy’s spring offensive and destroys its best forces and means,” Syrskyi said.
According to Syrskyi, Ukrainian forces are halting around 30 Russian assaults daily in the Pokrovsk sector in Donetsk Oblast, inflicting significant losses on Russian troops.
During his visit, Syrskyi met with commanders at front-line command posts and reviewed operational plans with Brigadier General Oleksandr Tarnavskyi, commander of the operational-tactical group. He said that on-site problems related to logistics, ammunition supply, and combat organization were being addressed.
Despite continued Russian efforts to push Ukrainian troops out of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts and reach the administrative borders of these regions, Syrskyi said those objectives remain unfulfilled.
“We continue our defensive operation, carry out counteroffensive actions, and are achieving certain successes,” Syrskyi said.
As of late 2024, Russian forces controlled around 60% of Donetsk Oblast and approximately 98.5% of Luhansk Oblast.
Moscow does not fully control any of the four Ukrainian regions – Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson – that it illegally claimed to annex in 2022. According to media reports, including from The Moscow Times, Russia is seeking full control over these regions in the negotiations on ending the war with the United States, which started in March 2025.
The Kyiv IndependentAnna Fratsyvir
Ukrainian drones attack Russian brigade linked to Sumy strike for second day in a row, sources say
Ukrainian drones struck positions of Russia’s 112th Missile Brigade in Shuya in Ivanovo Oblast on April 17, marking a second day of the attacks in a row, sources in Ukraine’s Defense Forces told the Kyiv Independent.
The brigade, which Ukraine’s intelligence said was behind the Palm Sunday strike against Sumy on April 13 that killed 35 people, including two children, and injured 117, was also attacked by drones on April 16.
Shuya’s residents reported explosions in the early morning hours of April 17, with local authorities issuing a drone alert. Footage shared online shows explosions and a fire in the area.
Russian news outlet Astra said it had geolocated one of the videos of the strike, placing it 180 meters from the brigade’s garrison. The extent of damage or possible casualties is not immediately clear.
Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed its forces downed 71 Ukrainian drones overnight – almost 50 of them in Kursk Oblast and none over Ivanovo Oblast.
Ukraine has not commented on the claims, which could not be independently verified.
Shuya is situated on the Teza River, approximately 33 kilometers (20 miles) from the regional center, Ivanovo. It lies about 700 kilometers (435 miles) northeast of the Ukrainian border.
Note from the author:
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The Kyiv IndependentAndrea Januta