Russian oil rises to its highest level in 13 years

Russian Urals crude has surged to its highest level in more than a decade, highlighting the impact of global energy disruptions. At the port of Primorsk — Russia’s largest oil export terminal on the Baltic coast — the flagship blend reached $116 per barrel on April 2, the highest price recorded since February 2013.

The spike reflects tightening global supply conditions and heightened geopolitical tensions, particularly linked to instability in the Middle East. Notably, the quoted price does not include shipping costs, meaning the effective cost for buyers is even higher.

The current price is also nearly double the $59 per barrel benchmark assumed in Russia’s 2026 state budget, potentially boosting government revenues in the short term. However, such volatility also underscores the fragility of global energy markets and the risks tied to ongoing conflicts and sanctions.

Russian attacks killed 9 and injured 5 across the country

A series of Russian strikes across Ukraine killed at least 13 people, including two children, and wounded more than 80 others as attacks continued from overnight into Tuesday morning, with the barrage involving over 100 drones that crippled the power grid in eight regions and intentionally targeted civilian infrastructure during the morning commute

Deputy Prime Minister Oleksii Kuleba characterized the strikes as a campaign of deliberate terror aimed at peaceful cities and non-combatants rather than military targets

The morning grew increasingly violent as Russian operators used FPV drones to carry out precision strikes on public transportation, including an attack in central Nikopol around 9 a.m., where a remote-controlled drone hit a passenger bus, killing four and leaving 15 others wounded, with three victims remaining in critical condition

An overnight strike on the port city of Odesa killed three people, including a child and left at least 10 others injured, while rescue teams continue to search through the ruins of a high-rise apartment building for survivors trapped under the rubble

In the Chernihiv region Russian forces hit administrative centers during business hours including a strike in Pryluky that hit the City Council building while the executive committee was in session and an attack in Novhorod-Siverskyi that heavily damaged the State Tax Service building along with several private homes

Local governors across the country reported a steady climb in casualties, including the death of an 11-year-old boy in the Dnipropetrovsk region and at least one fatality in Donetsk, while six people were wounded in Kharkiv, and five men were injured in Zaporizhzhia following drone strikes on civilian vehicles and residences

The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Russia launched 110 long-range drones overnight with air defense teams successfully intercepting 77 of them, although the Energy Ministry confirmed that the scale of the attacks caused widespread power outages across eight oblasts, including Sumy, Kherson and Kharkiv, as emergency crews work to restore the grid

JD Vance accused a part of the Ukrainian intelligence services of attempting to influence elections in the US and Hungary

JD Vance, the U.S. Vice President, has alleged that certain individuals within Ukraine’s intelligence services have attempted to influence elections in both the United States and Hungary.

Speaking on the issue, Vance said such actions reflect the behavior of “some elements” within Ukraine’s system, which he described as complex. He emphasized that while some individuals may engage in interference, others support national sovereignty and democratic principles. He also claimed that some Ukrainian actors had campaigned alongside Democrats in the weeks leading up to the 2024 U.S. presidential election, which was won by Donald Trump.

Vance added that despite these concerns, he does not believe such actions significantly affect political leaders like Viktor Orbán or himself. He stressed that it remains in the shared interest of Ukraine, Europe, Hungary, and the United States to bring the war to an end as quickly as possible.