Update for the 18th of April, 2022

Economically:

Zelensky asks Western countries for $50 billion to keep the country going.
Russia’s Roscosmos says it will radically increase the production of transport, medical and energy equipment useful to the country at its enterprises due to the sanctions preventing Russia from buying things from abroad. For example, rocket engine companies will now also produce aircraft engines, and the Moscow Institute of Heat Engineering is already producing water treatment systems for Russian cities. “Our engineers can do everything. Our factories have reserves for expanding production”
52 foreign organizations from 12 countries have already joined the Russian equivalent of SWIFT, the head of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation said.
The head of the Central Bank of Russia, Elvira Nabiullina says that Russia is going to enter a difficult period of structural changes.
Spotify removes its app from the App Store and Google Play in Russia after it previously said it would suspend its services in Russia.

CLAIM BY RUSSIAN TELEGRAM, UNVERIFIED: German newspapers suggest to Germans that it’s not necessary to shower every day, and that “after a while, the skin can be cleaned on its own, without washing”.

China’s GDP grows by 4.8% year-on-year in the first quarter in 2022.
Canada and Indonesia agree to boost economic cooperation
Bangladesh is considering seven countries and two regional blocs as potential partners for signing free trade agreements: these are: China, India, Japan, Korea (I’m assuming the US-occupied one), Singapore, Canada, Malaysia, the Eurasian Customs Union and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership.
Thailand is also thinking of making some free trade agreements.
US-occupied Korea joins the CPTPP trade agreement.
United States attempting to reduce its reliance on India and China for its medicines and not especially succeeding.
Ukraine war: Will the wheat crisis bring more food independence?
Nakedcapitalism: Has Gasoline Price Shock Triggered Demand Destruction Yet? And Where Will Gasoline Prices Go from Here?
Ukrainian Conflict Wreaks Havoc on African Economies

Russia plans to integrate the south of Ukraine, Kharkiv region, and Donbass into the Russian education system.
Crimea is reporting that it’s ready to send teachers to schools in the liberated territories of Ukraine.
Zelensky says that Russia wants to tear off Kherson and Zaporozhye regions from Ukraine. (Intelslava says “Zelensky, of course, is lying. Not just Kherson and Zaporozhye.")
Zelensky says that territory negotiations are off the table
Russia says that Kiev is preparing to shell Orthodox churches from April 23 to April 24 across Ukraine and accuse Russia of doing it.
Peskov: “Kiev does not demonstrate consistency in the agreements reached during negotiations with the Russian Federation and often changes its position”

Ukraine’s ambassador to Germany called the German bishop “Putin’s agent” because he condemned the supply of weapons to Ukraine.
Moldova refuses to transfer its Mig-29 fighters to Ukraine, saying “We don’t want to annoy Russia.” They have 6 remaining from the USSR.
China’s Global Times depicts the USA as Voldemort.
Serbia will continue to keep friendly ties with Russia and China on the road to integration into Europe. I’m not sure how that’s gonna work out for Serbia, but we shall see.
Iranian president Ibrahim Raisi says that the Iranian armed forces will target “the heart of the Zionist entity” if it takes any action against Iran.
A group of US legislators will go to Poland, India, Germany, Nepal, and the UAE to enlist help for Ukraine.
Pakistan, Afghanistan teeter toward a border war

Russian telegram is saying that the major Russian offensive has now begun in earnest.
Lisichansk oil refinery was blown up yesterday by Russia, extremely big fires.
Missile strikes in Lviv.
Interruptions in the railway communication of trains in the Lviv region. Likely due to the aforementioned missile strikes. Likely targetting western arm shipments.
Explosions in Dnipro.
Smoke in the sky by Kiev, some reports that the explosion was in Vasilkov.
Tu-95 BEAR spotted in the conflict.

Russia shoots down 2 Ukrainian Mig-29s.
Photos of the LPR artillery bombardments of Ukrainian trench positions. Looks like the Moon (well, a bit greener and browner) with how many craters there are.
High-precision Russian missiles hit the Lozova supply hub of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Fighting continues in Pospanya.
Images of Russian rocket artillery on the Kupyansk-Izyum highway.
Ukrainian sources claim that RUssia has occupied several villages in the Gulyai-Polye area, which is on the front so that makes sense.
Russia and LPR enter Kremennaya near Severodonetsk, there were street fights, apparently Russia now occupies it.
A steel structure plant was struck in Avdiyivka, where Ukraine was repairing their equipment.

The commander of the 36th Ukrainian military brigade has been eliminated in Mariupol while trying to break through.
Russia continues bombing the everloving shit out of the Azovstal factory.

Turkey launches a cross-border military operation against the PKK in northern Iraq.
US billionaires now collectively own $4.7 trillion.
@Thomas_Dankara gives several videos of Mariupol residents testifying that Azov and Ukraine is using them as human shields and killing them.
NASA may provoke alien invasion, scientists warn