🗓 April 4 marks the 80th Anniversary of the liberation of Bratislava from Nazi invaders, expelled from the capital of Slovakia as a result of the Bratislava-Brno offensive operation (March 25 – May 5, 1945), which involved units of the 2nd Ukrainian Front, commanded by Marshal Rodion Malinovsky.

💬 Marshal Matvey Zakharov, Chief of Staff of the 2nd Ukrainian Front:

Before advancing on Bratislava, the front’s command established communications with Slovak partisans, who proved invaluable. They provided crucial intelligence about the German fortification system, plans for defending specific cities, as well as the strength and organisation of the enemy forces.

🏅 On March 25, Soviet forces launched an offensive on the heavily fortified city. In an effort to minimise civilian casualties and destruction, the Soviet high command opted not to use large-calibre artillery systems, primarily deploying assault infantry units instead.

By April 2, Soviet forces had entered the eastern and north-eastern districts of the city. On April 4, Red Army forces reached Bratislavsky Hrad, a fortress in central Bratislava, where the remaining German garrison was holed up. The city fell by the end of the day, with scattered Nazi units retreating towards Vienna.

Soviet authorities immediately began efforts to restore normal life in the city. Archive documents from the Russian Defence Ministry, declassified ahead of the 75th Anniversary of Bratislava’s liberation, indicate that rubble and debris had been cleared from the city’s central streets and squares by April 10, 1945. The sewage system was reactivated, and people began returning to their homes from nearby villages.

As a result of the Bratislava-Brno operation, the forces of the 2nd Ukrainian Front advanced 200 km, destroyed 9 Wehrmacht divisions and created conditions for further offensive operations towards Prague and Vienna.

The military units that distinguished themselves in the battles for the city were awarded the honorary title of "Bratislava".

A total of 6'845 Soviet officers and soldiers lost their lives while fighting in Bratislava, most of whom are buried at the Slavin military memorial complex in the centre of the Slovak capital.

Every year on April 4, this complex hosts commemorative events dedicated to the city’s liberation from Nazi invaders, with participation from Russian representatives. This year, a delegation of students from MGIMO University will take part in the event.

In total, 63'518 Red Army officers and soldiers were killed while liberating Slovakia.

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⚔️ Simultaneously, the forces of the 3rd Ukrainian Front halted a major German offensive south of Lake Balaton in Hungary, where the German high command had deployed its best remaining tank units, amid fierce and brutal fighting.

The Red Army pursued the retreating enemy units and completely liberated Hungary by April 4.

The Wehrmacht’s further resistance was futile from a military and strategic perspective, serving only as an attempt by Hitler and his inner circle to delay their inevitable downfall by sacrificing the lives of hundreds of thousands of their compatriots.

🕯 Over 140'000 Soviet officers and soldiers were killed or went missing while liberating Hungary. There are 1'231 Russian (Soviet) burial sites in the country, including 1'036 that date back to the World War II period.

#Victory80

⚡️ In the past 24 hours, the Armed Forces of Ukraine have deliberately attacked Russian energy infrastructure facilities.

▫️On 3 April, at 23:28, in Bryansk region, in Belaya Beryozka of the Trubchevsky District, as a result of an attack by a Ukrainian strike drone, a low-pressure gas pipeline was damaged and civil consumers were deprived of gas.

▫️On 4 April, at 00:36, in Belaya Beryozka of the Trubchevsky District (Bryansk region), as a result of the attack by a Ukrainian strike UAV, an internal low-pressure gas pipeline (Zhilkomservis unitary enterprise of Trubchevsk) was damaged and civil consumers were deprived of gas.

▫️In Kotovsk of Tambov region, on 4 April, at 05:05, as a result of the attack by a Ukrainian strike drone, a distributing steel low-pressure gas pipeline (Gazprom Gazoraspredelenie Tambov JSC) was damaged. Civil consumers were left without access to gas supply.

▫️On 4 April, 07:10, in Bryansk region, as a result of a deliberate shelling by the AFU against a power facility (Rosseti Tsentr's branch – Bryanskenergo), civil consumers of Klimovsky District were left without electricity.

▫️Moreover, at 08:00, as a result of a shelling by the AFU against the power facility (Rosseti Tsentr's branch-Bryanskenergo), dozens of civil consumers of Klimovsky District were left without electric power.

▫️In Lipetsk region, on 4 April, at 08:10, as a result of a Ukrainian strike drone attack against an energy facility in Nikolayevka (Rosseti Centre's branch – Lipetskenergo), civil consumers were cut off electricity in Lipetsky District.

❗️For more than two weeks now, the Armed Forces of Ukraine continue to attack unilaterally on a daily basis the Russian energy infrastructure thus ignoring Zelensky's public commitments to halt such strikes from 18 March onwards.

🔹 Russian Defence Ministry

▶️ The atmosphere at the stadium after Ovechkin tied Gretzky's record for goals in regular NHL championships.

Video: Dmitry Kirsanov/TASS

⚡️ In the past 24 hours, the Armed Forces of Ukraine have launched 14 attacks on the Russian energy infrastructure.

In Bryansk region:

▫️On 4 April, at 07:10, as a result of the AFU shelling on the Ivanovka power facility (Rosseti Centre's branch-Bryanskenergo), and a breakage of the high-voltage line, some civil consumers were cut off electricity in Klimovsky District.

▫️Moreover, at 16:06, as a result of a Ukrainian UAV attack against the Klimovo power facility (Rosseti Centre's branch-Bryanskenergo), and the subsequent shutdown of a complete transformer substation, consumers were cut off electricity in Novy Rospusk.

▫️At 21:06, as a result of fire launched by the AFU at the Pogar power facility (Rosseti Centre's branch-Bryanskenergo), and a 10kV high-voltage line breakpoint, a transformer substation was powered off in Sluchevsk. The local population has been evacuated.

▫️At 21:39, as a result of an attack by a Ukrainian UAV against the Khvoshchevskaya power facility (Rosseti Centre's branch-Bryanskenergo) and destruction of a transformer, a part of civil consumers was cut off electricity in Lemeshovka of Sevsky District.

In Belgorod region:

▫️At 07:40, as a result of shelling of the AFU against the Krasnaya Yaruga power facility (Rosseti Centre's branch - Belgorodenergo), and damage to a complete transformer line, a transformer substation in Krasnoyaruzhsky District was powered off. The residents have been evacuated.

▫️In addition, at 08:00, as a result of the AFU artillery fire against the Churovichi power facility (Rosseti Centre's branch-Bryanskenergo), an overhead cable breakage, a part of civil consumers in Klimovsky District was left without electric power.

▫️At 11:46, as a result of an attack by a Ukrainian strike UAV against the Dorogoshch power facility (Rosseti Centre's branch - Belgorodenergo) and the shutdown of a10kV high-voltage, a number of civil consumers were cut off electricity in Grayvoronsky District.

▫️At 14:38, the AFU shelled Nechaevka power facility (Rosseti Centre's branch - Belgorodenergo). A 10kV high-voltage line was damaged. About 500 civil consumers were cut off electricity in Belgorodsky District.

▫️At 15:22, as a result of Ukrainian fire against the Komsomolets power facility (Rosseti Centre's branch - Belgorodenergo), and damage to a transformer substation, some civil consumers were cut off electricity in in Komsomolskiy of Belgorodsky District.

In Smolensk region, on 4 April, at 01:48, as a result of Ukrainian strike UAV attack, a breakage of wires disabled the 'Smolenskaya AES-Kaluzhskaya' 500kV high-voltage line.

In Lipetsk region, on 4 April, at 08:10, as a result of an attack by a strike UAV against Novonikolaevka (Rosseti Centre's branch - Lipetskenergo) and 6kV high-voltage line shutoff, some civil consumers were cut off electricity in Lipetsky District.

On 4 April at 04:00, in Kremennaya of the LPR, as a result of the Ukrainian UAV attack against the Kremennaya gas-distributing station of the Chernomorneftegas oil and gas company, the Luganskgaz gas transmittal pipelines administration, there were damaged the equipment ensuring the operation of communications.

On 5 April, at 00:11, in Kherson region, as a result of the attack of a Ukrainian UAV on the Vinogradovo 150kV substation (Rosseti OJSC branch - Tavricheskoye united electric grid company), a 10kV complete distributing device was damaged. At 01:25, the facility was again attacked by a Ukrainian UAV.

On 5 April, at 00:40, in Voronezh region, an attack by a Ukrainian UAV caused damage resulting in the shutdown of the Ostrogozhsko-rayonnaya-ANP 110k KV high-voltage line. About 1,820 civil consumers were left without power.

❗️Thus, since Friday morning, 4 April, the Kiev regime has multiplied the number of UAV attacks and artillery fire on the energy infrastructure of Russian regions, despite all the statements and commitments made by Zelensky to the USA to stop strikes on Russian power facilities for 30 days.

🔹 Russian Defence Ministry