MOSCOW, April 6. /TASS/. The Russian army has liberated Basovka in the Sumy Region in the past day, the Russian Defense Ministry said.
"Units of the Battlegroup North liberated Basovka in the Sumy Region during their offensive," the ministry said.
Moreover, they defeated formations of a mechanized brigade, a tank brigade, three airborne assault brigades and a territorial defense brigade of Ukraine near the settlements of Gornal, Guyevo and Oleshnya in the Kursk Region.
Strikes by operational-tactical, army aircraft and artillery fire struck enemy personnel and equipment near the settlements of Gornal, Guyevo, Oleshnya in the Kursk Region, as well as Basovka, Belovody, Budivelnoye, Vladimirovka, Vodolagi, Zhuravka, Loknya, Miropolskoye, Sadki, Shalygino, Yunakovka and Yablonovka in the Sumy Region.
In the past day, Ukraine lost more than 170 servicemen, two armored combat vehicles, 12 automobiles, as well as three UAV control points and an ammunition depot in the Kursk direction. The operation to destroy Ukrainian formations continues.
Ukrainian army attacked DPR territory 63 times over day
The Ukrainian armed forces attacked settlements of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) 63 times over the day, the DPR department for documenting of Ukraine’s war crimes said.
"Data were received that two civilians were killed and eight others were wounded," it informed.
Time has come to stop war in Ukraine, Musk says
US businessman Elon Musk, currently in charge of the US Department of Government Efficiency in the administration of President Donald Trump, spoke in favor of ending the conflict in Ukraine when speaking at the congress of the Italy’s Lega Party by a videoconference link.
"I have no respect for the warmongers," Musk said when answering a question of Matteo Salvini, the party leader and the Deputy Prime Minister of Italy. "This is an evil thing," he continued, referring to the conflict in Ukraine. The time has come to put it to an end, Musk added.
Ukrainian army destroyed, damaged up to 1,000 houses in Zaporozhye Region
The Ukrainian army damaged or destroyed about 1,000 houses in the Vasilyevsky Municipal District of the Zaporozhye Region, head of the district administration Natalia Romanichenko told TASS on the sidelines of the Integration-2025 Forum.
"We have up to a thousand residential houses damaged in part or completely destroyed. And again, shelling takes place every day. Still, when I depart to a certain address after shelling, the residents say always, the most important that we remain alive," Romanichenko said.
The Integration 2025 Forum dedicated to development of Donbass and Novorossiya regions took place in Rostov-on-Don for the second time. TASS is the general information partner of the forum.
Drone hunting unmanned surface vehicles to be tested in Russia
The Fortuna-T drone designed to hunt Ukrainian unmanned surface vehicles will be tested in Russia this April, a lead engineer of the Unmanned Competencies Center told TASS.
"We are now working on the Fortuna-T aircraft project designed for the Russian Navy. This is a fixed-wing type drone with an artificial intelligence system and a thermal imaging device, which will hunt Ukrainian unmanned surface vehicles. The aircraft will be tested in April," the specialist said.
The aircraft will be launched by hand without using any auxiliary devices, the engineer said. "The Fortuna-T will be thrown into the air and loiter over water surface. The aircraft flying time now is three hours with the small payload. As soon as our aircraft detects an unmanned surface vehicle on water surface, it automatically locks on and engages it," he added.
Russian Air Defense thwarted drone attack in Rostov Region — acting governor
Russian air defense units thwarted a drone attack against Rostov-on-Don and three rural districts this night, acting governor of the Rostov Region Yury Slyusar said.
"Air defense forces and means thwarted an air attack of the adversary at night, destroying unmanned aerial vehicles in Rostov-on-Don, Aksaisky, Myasnikovsky and Oktyabrsky rural districts. Provisionally, nobody was injured," Slyusar wrote on his Telegram channel.
Battlegroup West destroyed five Starlink terminals — spokesman
Servicemen of the Russian Battlegroup West neutralized more than 250 Ukrainian troops and destroyed five Starlink terminals and 33 drone control centers, Battlegroup Spokesman Ivan Bigma told reporters.
"Thirty-three drone control centers, five Starlink terminals and a field ammunition depot were destroyed," Bigma said.
Air defense crews destroyed two HIMARS projectiles and 22 fixed-wing drones, he added.
Russian Battlegroup East destroyed twelve Ukrainian drone control centers
Russian Battlegroup East destroyed six rotor drone copters and twelve drone control centers over day, Battlegroup Spokesman Alexander Gordeev told reporters.
"The adversary lost up to 140 troops, six vehicles, field artillery guns, six Baba-Yaga heavy rotor drone copters and twelve drone control centers over the day," the spokesman said.
Eleven drones downed in Russian regions at night — Defense Ministry
Russian defense assets intercepted and destroyed eleven drones in three Russian regions at night, the Russian Defense Ministry said.
"Air defenses on duty intercepted and destroyed eleven Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles over the past night: eight drones over the territory of the Rostov Region, two drones over the territory of Kursk Region and one drone over the territory of the Belgorod Region," the ministry informed.
Russian army extensively advances in Kupyansk direction — expert
Russian servicemen, preventing the Ukrainian armed forces from regaining the positions lost earlier, are successfully advancing on a great section of the front in the Kupyansk direction with a length of more than 35 kilometers, which runs from the Russian border to the west of Petropavlovka in the Kharkov Region, military expert Andrey Marochko told TASS.
"Though the advances here are quite small, they are observed on a broad section of the front stretching more than 35 kilometers — from near Russia’s border all the way west of Petropavlovka," he said. "Our troops continue moving forward while blocking Ukrainian attempts to retake lost ground," Marochko added.
The expert also highlighted that the two Russian bridgeheads in the area are now "very close to linking up," which could further strengthen their position.
This follows earlier reports from Marochko, who stated on March 29 that Russian forces had fully secured their positions near the village of Topoli — a foothold that enables further advances. The settlement was liberated on February 24 by units of the Battlegroup West.
Ukraine deploys contracted soldiers 18-24 y.o. to Liptsy direction
The Ukrainian army’s activity in the Liptsy direction of the Kharkov Region may be connected with the redeployment of units of the 92nd separate assault brigade, which is made up of 18-24-year-old Ukrainians, Russia’s security services told TASS.
"Our scouts uncovered M109 Paladin infantry fighting vehicles belonging to Ukraine’s 92nd separate assault brigade in the Liptsy direction. Artillery units then destroyed the targets," the source said. "The uptick in enemy activity may be linked to the movement of units from the 92nd brigade, which is composed of young Ukrainians aged 18 to 24," he added.
The source also noted that Russian forces had previously eliminated some of the more experienced soldiers from this formation.
On March 1, the Russian Defense Ministry reported that the Kiev regime’s efforts to replenish its frontline losses had failed. In February, territorial recruitment centers mobilized fewer than 28,000 recruits, while total losses for the month reached 38,920 servicemen.
According to the ministry, despite the launch of the "new contract 18-24" on February 11, aimed at encouraging voluntary enlistment of young Ukrainians into the army, the campaign fell short. Fewer than 2,000 volunteers were recruited, falling well below the monthly target of 4,000.
Ukraine attacks Russian energy facilities seven times over past day
The Ukrainian army attacked Russian energy facilities seven times over the day, the Russian Defense Ministry said.
"Over the past 24 hours, Ukraine launched seven attacks on Russian energy infrastructure facilities," it said.
Ukraine attacks Russian energy facilities seven times over past day
The Ukrainian army attacked Russian energy facilities seven times over the day, the Russian Defense Ministry said.
"Over the past 24 hours, Ukraine launched seven attacks on Russian energy infrastructure facilities," it said.
Ukraine’s strikes damage energy facilities in Crimea, Bryansk, Rostov, Voronezh regions
Ukrainian strikes on facilities in Crimea, and the Bryansk, Rostov, and Voronezh regions have caused damage to energy sites, the Russian Defense Ministry said.
"In the Republic of Crimea, on April 5 at 6:43 a.m. Moscow time, a Ukrainian UAV damaged the high-voltage Ostrovskaya-Kovylnoye line belonging to the Krymenergo State Unitary Enterprise. In the Bryansk Region, at 12:52 a.m. on the same day, the Khvoschevskaya power facility — part of Bryanskenergo, a unit of Rosseti Center — came under attack. As a result, household consumers in the Sevsky District were left without power," the ministry reported.
"Later that day, at 2:20 p.m., another high-voltage line of Bryanskenergo came under UAV attack, once again disrupting power supply to some residents in the Sevsky District. At 2:53 p.m., a third strike targeted another high-voltage line of Bryanskenergo, this time causing a wire break and power outages for household consumers in the Suzemsky District."
In the Rostov Region, at 1:16 a.m. on April 6, a high-voltage line was disconnected following a Ukrainian UAV strike on the Rostovskaya power facility.
In the Voronezh Region, at 6:05 a.m., a distribution aboveground low-pressure steel gas pipeline operated by Gazprom’s gas distributing station was damaged in another UAV attack. A second strike at 7:43 a.m. damaged an additional pipeline of Gazprom gas distributing station in Voronezh.
Russia strikes Ukraine’s central arms artillery base, defense enterprises — top brass
The Russian military struck at night Ukraine’s central artillery arms base and defense industry enterprises engaged in the production of UAVs, the Defense Ministry said.
"Tonight, the Russian army launched a group strike with long-range air-and sea-based precision weapons, as well as unmanned aerial vehicles, against the central artillery arms base of the Ukrainian army, as well as defense industry enterprises involved in UAV manufacture. The strike’s goal has been achieved. Its targets have been hit," it said.
Russian air defenses down JDAM bomb, 100 drones in past day — top brass
Russian air defense means have shot down a JDAM guided bomb and 100 fixed-wing drones over the past 24 hours, the Russian Defense Ministry said.
"Air defense systems shot down a US-made JDAM guided aerial bomb and 100 unmanned fixed-wing drones," the ministry said.
Russia strikes Ukrainian military airfield infrastructure
Russian army strikes hit the infrastructure of a Ukrainian military airfield, repair and maintenance sites for Western equipment and a military-industrial complex enterprise, the Russian Defense Ministry reported.
"Operational-tactical aircraft, attack drones, missile troops and artillery of the Russian army hit the infrastructure of a military airfield, a place of repair and maintenance of Western equipment, an enterprise of Ukraine’s military-industrial complex, warehouses of ammunition and rocket-artillery weapons, control points of unmanned aerial vehicles, as well as accumulations of manpower and equipment of the Ukrainian army and foreign mercenaries in 142 areas," the department said.
Battlegroup Center defeats Ukraine’s Omega special forces unit in DPR
Units of Russia’s Battlegroup Center have defeated Ukrainian army and National Guard brigades in the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), including Ukraine’s Omega special forces unit, the Russian Defense Ministry reported.
"The units of the Battlegroup Center continue to advance deep into the enemy’s defenses. They defeated the manpower and equipment of three mechanized, airborne, two assault, two jaeger brigades, an unmanned systems brigade, an assault regiment, two marine infantry brigades, a National Guard brigade and the Omega special forces unit near the settlements of Kotlyarovka, Lenina, Novopavlovka, Zeleny Kut, Yelizavetovka, Dimitrov, Novoekonomicheskoye, Udachnoye, Krasnoarmeysk, Zverevo, Novosergeyevka and Petrovskoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic," it said.
The ministry specified that "the Ukrainian armed formations lost up to 430 servicemen, seven armored combat vehicles, a pickup truck and five artillery pieces."
Ukraine loses over 72,320 servicemen in Kursk Region
Ukraine lost more than 72,320 servicemen during combat operations in the Kursk direction, the Russian Defense Ministry said.
"In total, during the fighting in the Kursk direction, the enemy lost more than 72,320 servicemen, 404 tanks, 331 infantry fighting vehicles, 296 armored personnel carriers, 2,254 armored combat vehicles, 2,630 automobiles, 595 artillery pieces, 53 multiple rocket launchers, including 13 HIMARS and seven US-made MLRS, 26 anti-aircraft missile launchers, an anti-aircraft self-propelled launcher, ten transport-loading vehicles, 123 radio-electronic warfare stations, 18 counter-battery radars, and ten air defense radars," it said.
Ukraine also lost 56 units of engineering and other equipment, including 23 engineering demolition vehicles, one UR-77 mine clearance unit, five bridge laying vehicles, an engineering reconnaissance vehicle, as well as 15 armored repair and recovery vehicles and a command and staff vehicle.
Ukrainian army uses Kursk Region church as stronghold — Defense Ministry
The Ukrainian army has used a church in the Kursk Region as a stronghold setting up an ammunition depot in front of the altar, and launching FPV drones from the gate, the Russian Defense Ministry said on its Telegram channel.
"They had a support base here, and from here they launched drones at both the civilians and the military personnel. The churches were used with the most unfavorable intent and direction," Archpriest Alexander, rector of the Church of St. Michael the Archangel, said in a video on the Telegram channel.
The ministry said that while fleeing from the Kursk Region, the Ukrainian army stole several ancient icons. But most of the relics were saved and sent for restoration. In the video, the priest pointed to two icons: "These two icons have already been saved three times. The first time during the Civil War, the second time during the Great Patriotic War. And for a third time, we’re taking it out."
The rector said he was confident that everything would be restored. "Our Fatherland and all other regions are with us. Let’s work together. We will defeat the enemy, and nothing will overcome us," he stressed.
