The Ukraine Daily Brief Newsletter – Friday, April 8, 2022

The latest episode of the Ukraine Daily Brief Podcast is now live. Please be sure to listen and review (we know that many of you are receiving the podcast in our member feed, but reviews help with discoverability). Some notable links referenced in today’s podcast can be viewed here.

The War

Russian rocket strikes on a train station in the Donetsk region kill at least 50 and injure 100. An estimated 60 Russian paratroopers from Pskov refuse to deploy to Ukraine. 

Kuleba to NATO: ‘I think the deal that Ukraine is offering is fair. You give us weapons, we sacrifice our lives, and the war is contained in Ukraine.’ 

Economics

Divesting from Russia isn’t cheap for oil companies: BP and ExxonMobile join Shell in facing multi-billion dollar write-downs. World food prices reach a ‘record high.’ The largest steel producer in Ukraine, ArcelorMittal, will resume production by Monday. Belarus faces a technical default on its foreign debts. Switzerland has frozen more than $8 billion in Russian assets.  

Technology

Microsoft seizes Russian hacker domains, including those of Strontium, APT28 and Fancy Bear.  Russian social media influencers accuse Chanel of ‘Russophobia.’ 

Europe

Latvia will stop issuing ‘golden visas’ for Russian and Belarusian citizens. Ukraine seizes assets linked to pro-Russia Ukrainian politician, Viktor Medvedchuk. Novaya Gazeta’s editor-in-chief is attacked in Russia. 

U.S. and the World

The bill to strip Russia of ‘most favored nation’ trade status passes the House, 420-3; Biden’s signature is expected.

DSR Exclusives

On the latest episode of Deep State Radio, host David Rothkopf speaks with Felicia Wong and Norm Ornstein.

Our podcast resumes Monday. Tune in then for new and evolving stories.

The DSR Network Team (Chris Cotnoir, Grant Haver, and Katherine Hill)