From: Transform Ukraine By Douglas Landro / April 8, 2025
As Kremlin Denies Ukrainian Government’s Legitimacy and Reports No Long-Range Strikes, Zelensky Confirms Ukrainian Troops in Belgorod While Seven Civilians Injured Across Ukraine
Summary of the Day — April 7, 2025
The Kremlin returned to familiar rhetoric, denying Ukraine’s legitimacy as a negotiating partner on the same day that no Russian long-range missile or drone strikes were reported for the first time since December 2024. President Zelensky confirmed Ukrainian forces are operating in both Russia’s Kursk and Belgorod oblasts, declaring “the war must return to where it came from,” while Russian forces continued tactical advances across multiple sectors. European support flowed with Norway pledging $454 million for artillery ammunition and Pope Francis donating four ambulances for frontline use. Meanwhile, darker currents appeared beneath the surface: U.S. security agencies reportedly suspended cooperation with European partners on countering Russian hybrid activities, Ukrainian military technology developers faced sophisticated cyberattacks, and intelligence revealed India’s first component in Russian weapons systems.
Legitimacy Denied: Kremlin Claims Ukraine’s Government Lacks Control
Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov claimed on April 7 that while Russian President Vladimir Putin supports the idea of a ceasefire in Ukraine, several issues remain “hanging in the air”—most notably the alleged “lack of control” over the Ukrainian government and its purported inability to control “extremist and nationalist units” that “simply do not obey” Kyiv’s orders.
Voice of Ukraine 