The Real Russia. Today.

Blasts in Transnistria raise tensions

Tuesday, April 26, 2022

For ongoing coverage of the invasion of Ukraine and its consequences back in Russia, follow Meduza’s live updates. Please note that the authorities are now blocking our website in Russia, and we’re turning to you, our global audience, for financial support.

In today’s newsletter:

• Journalists tally Russian losses in Ukraine
• Putin meets with the UN Secretary General
• Moldova on alert after explosions in Transnistria

🧮 Mediazona journalists investigate open data on Russian troop losses in Ukraine (3-minute read)

The independent Russian outlet Mediazona has published a new report analyzing available data on Russian military casualties in Ukraine. Using open Russian sources, the journalists found 1,744 reports of Russian military fatalities — a number noticeably higher than the official death toll (1,351) reported by the Russian Defense Ministry on March 25. According to Mediazona’s report, Russia has lost at least 317 officers and roughly 500 combatants from “elite units.” However, the majority of the known fatalities are among young servicemen from poor regions.

🇺🇳 Snapshot: UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres meets with Putin in Moscow

United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres met with President Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin on Tuesday. According to the UN’s readout, Guterres and Putin discussed proposals for humanitarian aid and the evacuation of civilians from conflict zones in Ukraine, including besieged Mariupol. “[Putin] agreed, in principle, to the involvement of the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross in the evacuation of civilians from the Azovstal plant in Mariupol,” the statement says.

🚨 Moldova steps up security following blasts in breakaway Transnistria (4.5-minute read)

The authorities in Moldova’s breakaway region of Transnistria have reported a number of explosions in the last 24 hours, deeming them terrorist attacks. The blasts occurred just days after a senior Russian commander said that capturing southern Ukraine would provide Moscow with a land bridge to Transnistria. Moldovan President Maia Sandu condemned the explosions following an urgent meeting of the country’s Security Council on Tuesday. In turn, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Moscow is “closely monitoring” the situation in Transnistria.

Yours, Meduza