Coronavirus
Kyiv will introduce even stricter restrictions as of 5 April due to the coronavirus spread. They will remain in place at least until 16 April, according to mayor Vitaliy Klitschko. Schools and kindergartens will close down while public transport, including the subway, will only carry passengers travelling on special permits, i.e. those employed at critical infrastructure. Other companies are advised to let staff work remotely or take leaves. Cafes and restaurants can only offer takeaways.
As of 31 March, 86% oxygen-supplied hospital beds in Kyiv have been taken and the general hospital occupancy rate is nearly 80%.
Ukraine reported 407 Covid-19 deaths in 24 hours, the highest figure since the start of the pandemic. Also, 5,558 patients were hospitalized, breaking another "record". Overall, there were 11,226 new cases registered in 24 hours after running 61,839 tests.
Donbas
The trilateral contact group on Donbas settlement has failed to agree a ceasefire as of 1 April, the Ukrainian delegation has said. While the OSCE representatives were in favour of Ukraine's initiative, the Russian side ignored it. The group will next meet on 14 April.
No ceasefire violations by pro-Russian militants have been registered since last midnight. Yesterday there were eight truce breaches.
Progress in the political and diplomatic settlement of the Russian-Ukrainian armed conflict can be achieved with the political will and involvement of all participants in the Normandy format,
Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman Oleh Nikolenko has said, commenting on yesterday's video conference between the leaders of Germany, France and Russia.
"Following the talks with the president of the Russian Federation, our European partners have sent telling signals: the Russian side must fulfill its obligations to adhere to the ceasefire, and they have highlighted the need to continue negotiations between the leaders of the Four," he said.
Russia
The Cabinet of Ministers has expanded the list of Russian goods whose import to Ukraine is banned by including wheat, sunflower oil, detergents, newsprint, toilet paper, napkins and paper towels, cardboard boxes, drilling tools, railway axis and wheels.
Ukraine has withdrawn from the tourism cooperation agreement with Russia signed on 16 July 1999 due to its armed aggression.
President's wealth
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has published his income statement for 2020. He and his family earned 22,747,791 hryvnyas (around 817,000 dollars), including 13,470,600 hryvnyas from the sale of their land plot and house in the village of Ivankovychi in Kyiv's suburbs.
Security
The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has blocked a network of bot farms which distributed fake news about vaccination and promoted the separatist self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk people's republics. They were financed from Russia, the SBU added. The scheme was run by four residents of Khmelnytskyy.
Human rights
The Kyiv court of appeal has left in custody musician and serviceman Andriy "Riff" Antonenko, a suspect in the murder case of journalist Pavel Sheremet. Antonenko has been held in custody for 15 months already and will stay there at least until 21 May.