Iran Gearing Up for Revenge Attack on Israel in the Next 48 Hours

"Iran is likely to launch a direct attack on Israel soon, according to reports. The attack, expected within the next 24 to 48 hours, may target either the southern or northern regions of Israel, according to the Wall Street Journal, which cited a person familiar with the matter.

However, according to a source briefed by leaders of the Iranian regime, a final decision regarding attack plans has not yet been reached, despite discussions on the matter." IBT

Ukrainians urge government to ban Russian prisoners of war from making phone calls: petition has gathered enough votes

"A petition demanding the suspension of the right of Russian prisoners of war (POWs) to make telephone calls has received the required number of votes. Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers must now consider it. The author of the petition, Inna Turova, stated that relatives of Ukrainian defenders who are currently held in various POW camps in Russia have no information about their health or whereabouts." Pravada

67 attacks in five sectors of the front

"67 attacks in five sectors of the front including 24 attacks on the Bakhmut axis. Ukrainian aircraft struck 12 areas in which enemy troops and military hardware were concentrated and four anti-aircraft missile systems. The enemy launched two missile strikes and 72 air strikes and carried out 116 attacks using multiple rocket launchers against the positions of Ukrainian troops and settlements." Ukrin

Latest Humiliation For Biden Admin, Russian Oil Is Trading Above The G7 Price Cap Everywhere

"Back in late 2022, when "Western democracies" bombastically unveiled theatrical sanctions against Putin, capping the price at which imports of Russian oil were permitted to no higher

than $60, we said that this was one of the biggest farces in modern history, not only because it was an optical play that was made entirely for public consumption (as nobody in the west actually wanted to curtail Russian oil exports as the outcome would be a devastating surge of inflation as Biden now realizes), but also because there was no enforcement mechanism to cap the price at $60 and no more.
We were right, again, and today Bloomberg reports that "Russian oil is trading far in excess of a Group of Seven price cap that’s supposed to deprive Moscow of revenue for its war in Ukraine, suggesting significant non-compliance with the measure", which anyone with half a working brain would have expected to happen, which of course excludes virtually all "democratic" bureaucrats who implemented this idiotic sanction (which only ended up making the Vitol oil traders billionaires). Russian flagship Urals grade oil is now selling for $75 a barrel at the point it leaves ports in the Baltic Sea and Black Sea. A Treasury official told Bloomberg that US officials are tracking the price increase, which they attribute to broader geopolitical dynamics, as the alternative - admitting they are idiots, would be a bit too introspective." ZeroHedge

Russian Attacks on Ukraine Stoke Fears Army Near Breaking Point

"Russia’s missile attacks on Ukraine’s energy system, the bombardment of its second-largest city and advances along the front are stoking worries that Kyiv’s military effort is nearing

breaking point.
A dire shortage of ammunition and manpower along the 930 mile front and gaps in air defense show that Ukraine is at its most fragile moment in over two years of war, according to Western officials with knowledge of the situation. Zelenskiy called the military’s lack of air defense “the biggest challenge” in the hours after the attack.
Russian forces have also unleashed their firepower all along the frontline and made marginal gains since capturing the eastern city of Avdiivka in February. Kremlin troops are seeking to close in strategically key spots, such as the town of Chasiv Yar, west of Bakhmut in Ukraine’s Donetsk region.
After months of stalling, Zelenskiy and Ukrainian lawmakers have expedited contested legislation to bolster the ranks of fighting forces, approving a lower conscription age and tightened rules for the draft." MS

Russia conducts massive strike on Ukrainian energy infrastructure

"Russian forces have unleashed a wave of powerful high-precision strikes on Ukrainian energy and oil facilities across the country....the overnight large-scale attack had involved long-range air- and sea-based weapons, as well as drones. Ukrenergo, the national power grid operator, said the barrage had damaged energy facilities in Odessa, Kharkov, Zaporozhye, Lviv, and Kiev regions. It added that Kharkov Region, which borders Russia, had been affected by an emergency shutdown." RT

55 combat clashes along front lines in last 24 hours

"Fifty-five combat engagements occurred on the battlefield in Ukraine in the past 24 hours, with enemy forces launching most attacks in the Bakhmut sector.
Russian air strikes targeted Derhachi, Lyptsi, Vovchansk, Kurylivka and Kruhliakivka in the Kharkiv region, Bilohorivka and Serebrianske Forestry in the Luhansk region, Spirne, Verkhniokamianske, Ivanivka, Oleksandropil, Semenivka, Novokalynove, Berdychi, Netailove, Krasnohorivka, Kostiantynivka, Vuhledar, Urozhaine and Staromaiorske in the Donetsk region, as well as Mala Tokmachka and Robotyne in the Zaporizhzhia region.
More than 120 settlements in the Chernihiv, Sumy, Kharkiv, Luhansk, Donetsk,

Zaporizhzhia, Dnipropetrovsk, Kherson, and Mykolaiv regions came under artillery fire.
The operational situation in the Volyn and Polissia sectors remains largely unchanged.
In the Sivershchyna and Slobozhanshchyna sectors, the enemy maintains his military presence in the border areas, conducting subversive activities to prevent the deployment of Ukrainian troops to dangerous sectors and increasing the density of minefields along the state border.
The enemy did not conduct offensive (assault) operations in the Kupiansk sector.
In the Lyman sector, Ukrainian soldiers repelled three enemy attacks outside Terny in the Donetsk region, where the enemy tried to break through the defenses of Ukrainian troops.
In the Bakhmut sector, Ukrainian soldiers repelled 23 attacks near Bilohorivka, Luhansk region, Vyimka, Rozdolivka, Chasiv Yar and Klishchiivka in the Donetsk region.
In the Avdiivka sector, Ukrainian defenders repelled six attacks near Keramik, Berdychi, Umanske, Netailove and Pervomaiske in the Donetsk region.
On the Novopavlivka axis, Ukraine's defense forces continued to hold off the enemy near Krasnohorivka, Heorhiivka and Novomykhailivka, where the enemy, supported by aircraft, made 16 attempts to break through the defenses of Ukrainian troops.
In the Orikhiv sector, the enemy once attacked the positions of Ukrainian defenders near Staromaiorske in the Donetsk region.
In the Kherson sector, the enemy did not abandon his intention to dislodge Ukrainian units from the bridgeheads on the east (left) bank of the Dnipro. In the past day, the enemy launched six unsuccessful attacks on the positions of Ukrainian troops.
At the same time, Ukrainian soldiers continued to inflict losses on the occupation forces and their equipment, wearing down the enemy along the entire front line.
In the past day, Ukrainian aircraft struck an enemy manpower and equipment cluster, an anti-aircraft missile system, an artillery piece and an EW station." Ukrin

Russian Air Defenses Down 12 Ukrainian Drones Over Six Regions

"Russian air defense systems destroyed 12 Ukrainian drones overnight over the Kursk, Tambov, Belgorod, Bryansk, Lipetsk regions and Mordovia, the Defense Ministry said in a statement." Sputnik

Army Special Forces students are learning Ukrainian in new language course

"The U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School (SWCS) is currently testing a Ukrainian language and culture course, which concludes on April 29. The course is one of 14 languages offered by the Language, Regional Education, and Culture Program (LREC), the final phase of the Army’s Special Forces training pipeline." MS

"We're Going To Lose A Major War": US Navy Deletes Photo Of Ship Commander Shooting Rifle With Backwards Scope

"Cmdr. Cameron Yaste, the Commanding Officer of the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile

destroyer USS John S. McCain (DDG 56), was recently photographed shooting a 5.56×45mm M4 carbine with the optics installed backward.
The now-deleted image and press release on the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service website featured Yaste shooting the M4 with the Trijicon VCOG scope installed backward while pointed at a giant target balloon.
Netizens mocked the Navy commander, and that's probably why the service deleted the image and text." ZeroHedge

Hunter Biden-linked Ukrainian firm connected to terror attacks in Russia

"A Biden family-linked Ukrainian business has been named in a criminal probe into the financing of terrorism, Russia’s Investigative Committee announced on Tuesday. The industrial conglomerate Burisma Holdings, which employed Hunter Biden as a highly paid director in the 2010s, is included among several entities listed by investigators.

The focus on the company stems from a complaint filed by a group of Russian MPs and public figures in the aftermath of the deadly Crocus City Hall attack outside Moscow last month. The original petition claims that the US and its allies have allegedly organized a string of attacks on Russian soil.
So far, investigators have “established that the funds, flowing through commercial organizations, including the oil and gas conglomerate Burisma Holdings, operating in Ukraine, have been used in recent years to carry out terrorist attacks in Russia,” committee spokeswoman Svetlana Petrenko said. Terrorist activities have also taken place in third countries, aimed at the “elimination of prominent political and public figures, as well as causing economic damage,” she added.
Biden’s father Joe was President Barack Obama’s vice president at the time and oversaw Washington’s Ukraine policy. He once famously bragged about getting a corruption prosecutor fired – which just happened to occur after the official began investigating Burisma.
The company also offered protection payments to the government in Kiev, according to former Ukrainian MP Andrey Derkach. Its co-founder Nikolay Zlochevsky paid some “800 million hryvnias [over $21 million] for terrorism financing” in “various jurisdictions,” Derkach claimed in January." RT

Hamas Can't Locate 40 Israeli Hostages Needed For 1st Round Of Ceasefire

"Lebanese and Israeli sources are reporting that Hamas is open to releasing hostages as part of deal that would see IDF troops gradually retreat from the Gaza Strip, instead of its prior demand of full troop withdrawal as a precondition to letting the hostages go free.

But any potential forward progress has been stymied by a significant complication revealed by Hamas to negotiators. The group is unable to identify and locate some 40 Israeli hostages which would be needed to complete the first phase of the ceasefire deal." ZH

Three Sons of Hamas Political Office Head Haniyeh Killed in Israeli Strike

"An Israeli strike on the Gaza Strip killed three sons and several grandchildren of Ismail Haniyeh, the chairman of the political office of Hamas. "The deaths of my sons will not affect the movement's demands for a ceasefire," Haniyeh said, as quoted by Sky News Arabia. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that he was still determined to enter Rafah as there was no other way to defeat the remaining Hamas forces, adding that he would do that with or without US support." Sputnik

Flooding continues in Russia's Orenburg

"Maxar company has released satellite images showing the flooding in Russia's Orenburg Oblast. The Kremlin believes that the flood forecast is unfavorable and that the water level will continue to rise." Pravda

83 combat clashes on front lines in past 24 hours

"The Russian army has launched 11 missile strikes, 108 air strikes and 149 MLRS attacks on the positions of Ukrainian troops and settlements in the past 24 hours.
In the past day, Ukrainian aircraft struck 15 enemy manpower and equipment clusters and two anti-aircraft missile systems.

In the past day, enemy air strikes hit Kharkiv, Potykhonove, Chaikivka, Hlyboke, Ivanivka and Borova in the Kharkiv region; Novoselivske and Tverdokhlibove in the Luhansk region; Yampolivka, Torske, Verkhniokamianske, Chasiv Yar, Spirne, Kostiantynivka, Bila Hora, Druzhba, Kalynove, Semenivka, Novobakhmutivka, Berdychi, Netailove, Yasnobrodivka, Karlivka, Krasnohorivka, Novomykhailivka, Vodiane, Yelyzavetivka, Antonivka, Kostiantynivka, Urozhaine and Staromaiorske in the Donetsk region; Robotyne in the Zaporizhzhia region; and Beryslav in the Kherson region.
More than 110 settlements in the Chernihiv, Sumy, Kharkiv, Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Dnipropetrovsk, Kherson, and Mykolaiv regions were under artillery fire.
In the Sivershchyna and Slobozhanshchyna sectors, the enemy maintains his military presence in the border areas, conducting subversive activities to prevent the deployment of Ukrainian troops to dangerous sectors and increasing the density of minefields along the state border.
In the Kupiansk sector, Ukrainian defenders repelled three enemy attacks near Kyslivka and Ivanivka in the Kharkiv region and Andriivka in the Luhansk region.
In the Lyman sector, Ukrainian soldiers repelled three enemy attacks outside Terny in the Donetsk region, where the enemy tried to break through the defenses of Ukrainian troops.
In the Bakhmut sector, Ukrainian soldiers repelled 29 attacks near Bilohorivka in the Luhansk region and Verkhniokamianske, Vyimka, Rozdolivka, Chasiv Yar, Novyi, Klishchiivka and Andriivka in the Donetsk region.
In the Avdiivka sector, Ukrainian defenders repelled 14 attacks near Novokalynove, Berdychi and Umanske in the Donetsk region.
In the Novopavlivka sector, Ukraine's defense forces continued to hold off the enemy near the settlements of Krasnohorivka, Heorhiivka, Novomykhailivka, Vodiane and Urozhaine, where the enemy tried to break through the defenses of Ukrainian troops 28 times.
In the Orikhiv sector, the enemy launched five attacks on the positions of Ukrainian defenders near Staromaiorske, Donetsk region, and Robotyne, Zaporizhzhia region.
In the Kherson sector, the enemy did not abandon his intention to dislodge Ukrainian units from the bridgeheads on the east (left) bank of the Dnipro. In the past day, the enemy launched an unsuccessful attack on the positions of Ukrainian troops.
At the same time, Ukrainian soldiers continued to inflict losses on the occupation forces and their equipment, wearing down the enemy along the entire front line." Ukrin