Ukraine war briefing: EU sanctions officials for child abductions; Kyiv under drone attack as ceasefire expires

Key Points:

• Kyiv experienced a drone attack on Tuesday following the end of a three-day truce with Russia, with Ukrainian authorities urging residents to stay safe amid ongoing hostilities despite the ceasefire.
• The EU imposed sanctions on 16 officials and seven centers linked to the forced abduction, assimilation, and indoctrination of over 20,500 Ukrainian children taken to Russia or occupied territories since 2022, accusing Russia of attempting to erase their Ukrainian identity.
• Ukrainian anti-corruption agencies issued an official notice of suspicion to President Zelenskyy’s former chief of staff, widely identified as Andriy Yermak, in connection with a major corruption investigation following his resignation amid scandal.
• EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas highlighted shifting war dynamics favoring Ukraine due to Russian losses and strikes on Russian targets, while European governments rejected Vladimir Putin’s proposal for Gerhard Schröder to represent them in future talks with Moscow.
• Russia downgraded its economic growth forecast for 2026 and subsequent years despite stable oil price projections, as its economy contracted by 0.3% in Q1 amid the impact of the Ukraine war, sanctions, and high interest rates.