Victory Chronicles-DAY 1147

Ukraine’s National Guard has officially established two new military corps as part of sweeping defense reforms that seek to increase battlefield effectiveness amid the ongoing war with Russia’s invading forces, the service announced on April 15.

The newly formed corps will be headed by prominent and battle-hardened field commanders: Col. Denys “Redis” Prokopenko, commander of the 12th Azov Brigade, and Col. Ihor “Kornet” Obolenskyi, commander of the 13th Khartia Brigade.

Brig. Gen. Oleksandr Pivnenko, Commander of the National Guard, said the appointments are designed to improve unit cohesion by placing trusted leaders in charge of forces they know personally.

The reform aims to enhance flexibility, resilience, and battlefield coordination, reflecting lessons learned from Ukraine’s ongoing war with Russia. The move follows President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s approval in February of a broader military reorganization transitioning from brigade- to corps-level command structures.

Number of civilians injured in Russian missile strike on Sumy rises to 125, including 18 children. The number of people injured in a Russian missile strike on the northeastern Ukrainian city of Sumy has risen to 125, local authorities said on April 15.

According to the Sumy City Council, 107 adults and 18 children were wounded when two ballistic missiles struck the city’s center on April 13. As of April 15, 44 people remain hospitalized, including 10 children. Seven patients are in serious condition.

The attack is part of a broader pattern of intensified Russian strikes on urban areas in recent weeks, targeting civilian infrastructure and population centers that are considered war crimes, according to the Geneva Conventions.

Ukrainian teams clear anti-personnel minefield in Kharkiv Oblast. In Kharkiv Oblast’s Izium district, Ukrainian emergency service crews uncovered and destroyed a field of anti-personnel mines while working to open access routes to forested areas, authorities reported .

According to the State Emergency Service, the sappers were clearing roads and areas designated for firebreaks when they located a minefield containing Russian POM-3 anti-personnel mines. These motion-activated devices are considered extremely dangerous due to their high sensitivity and potential lethality.

The operation is part of a broader effort to secure areas affected by the war in eastern Ukraine where landmines and unexploded ordnance continue to pose a significant threat.

Year 2025 so far: Ukraine says over 11,000 Russian military vehicles destroyed. Ukrainian forces have destroyed more than 11,500 Russian vehicles and specialized equipment since the start of 2025, Ukraine’s top military commander said Monday.

Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander-in-Chief of Ukraine’s Armed Forces, said in a post on Telegram that Russia has lost a total of 11,583 vehicles so far this year. Since the beginning of 2024, more than 35,000 Russian vehicles have been hit, he added.

Syrskyi credited Ukrainian drone strikes and coordinated defensive operations with disrupting Russian supply chains and preventing large quantities of ammunition, fuel, and equipment from reaching frontline units.

Key Takeaways:

• Russian forces appear to be leveraging redeployed elements of the 8th Combined Arms Army to close the Ukrainian pocket southwest of Toretsk and level the frontline as part of ongoing Russian efforts to attack Kostyantynivka from the south.
• Russian forces appear to be intensifying their use of armored vehicles throughout the theater after mainly relegating armored vehicles to fire support roles and relying on infantry assaults to advance in late 2024 and early 2025.
• A Russian military court recently decided to keep former 58th Combined Arms Army (CAA) Commander Major General Ivan Popov in custody after reports that Popov would command a penal assault detachment in Ukraine.
• Ukrainian forces recently advanced near Siversk and Toretsk and Russian forces recently advanced near Kupyansk, Siversk, Toretsk and Pokrovsk.

In Memoriam: Ukrainian soldier Yevhenii Shapoval, a hero of Ukraine’s defense forces. Yevhenii Shapoval, 24, a soldier with the 117th Separate Territorial Defense Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, was killed in action Dec. 13, 2024, near the hamlet of Kruhlenke in the Sudzha district of Russia’s Kursk Oblast. He died from fatal injuries sustained during an artillery strike while carrying out a combat mission. His father, Anatolii Shapoval, a fellow soldier, was also killed in the same attack.

Born in the village of Vyazivok in Poltava Oblast, Shapoval graduated from Lubny Secondary School No. 4 in 2015. He went on to study at the Lubny Forestry College and the National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine. Before the war, he worked as a forest ranger at the Lubny Forestry Enterprise. He had a deep love for the forest and enjoyed riding motorcycles and cars, fishing, mushroom picking and hiking.

In 2020, Shapoval signed a contract to join the Ukrainian military and served alongside his father. He was assigned to a unit based in the Lubny region. After Russia’s full-scale invasion began, he fought in the 117th Territorial Defense Brigade. He served as a flamethrower operator in the fire support company of the 154th Battalion, military unit A7320.

“I’ve known Zhenia since childhood,” said family friend Iryna Spiridonova. “He was outgoing, full of life, always reliable and kind. He never turned away from a challenge and was always ready to help.”

Shapoval was laid to rest in his native village of Vyazivok, alongside his father. He is survived by his wife, brother and extended family and friends.

*Yevhenii’s story on the Heroes Memorial – a platform for stories about the fallen defenders of Ukraine.

• NATO adopts Palantir artificial intelligence system, which is already in use in Ukraine
• Vance expresses outrage after Zelenskyy accused him of justifying Putin’s actions
• WSJ: Trump advisers push for tougher stance on Russia, but he is siding with special envoy Witkoff
• Trump says he won’t impose additional sanctions on Russia for Sumy strike
• EU warns European leaders: Don’t go to Russia’s WWII victory day celebrations
• Reuters: US lawmakers introduce bill on support for Ukraine and sanctions against Russia