You are invited to join us for Global Crisis Watch 329, on Thursday, April 17th at 10:00 BST.
The highlighted topics will include:
Deadliest 2025 Strike Hits Ukraine Days After Trump Envoy Meets Putin
On Sunday, April 13th, Russian ballistic missiles struck the northeastern Ukrainian city of Sumy, killing at least 35 people and injuring 117 in the deadliest single attack of the year. The double missile strike hit a bustling central area during the late morning, targeting a university building and a busy street just 200 metres apart. Ukrainian officials say the second missile likely carried cluster munitions, designed to detonate mid-air for maximum human casualties.
Among the dead were children, civil servants and cultural workers, including an artist from the Sumy National Theatre’s orchestra. More than 20 buildings, including residential complexes, shops and a district court, were damaged in the blasts. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the attack as “terrorism,” urging a stronger international response and insisting that “talks never stopped ballistic missiles and bombs.”
The Kremlin denied civilian targeting, claiming the missiles aimed at military personnel present in the area. But footage of destroyed homes and a blown-out trolleybus with bodies inside painted a markedly different picture. One local woman, stepping through the rubble of her apartment, asked, “Where is the military base here?”
The strike came just two days after Donald Trump’s foreign envoy Steve Witkoff met with Vladimir Putin in Russia. Trump later described the strike as “a mistake,” but also blamed Zelenskyy and Biden for “starting a war they couldn’t win.” His comments drew widespread criticism for downplaying Russian aggression and echoing Kremlin narratives.
As Russian forces advance toward Sumy from nearby Kursk and Ukraine warns of artillery shortages ahead of an anticipated Russian offensive in May, the attack drew attention to Moscow’s escalating agression and deepened concern that the Kremlin is stalling diplomacy to gain more ground.
Israeli Strike Shuts Down Gaza City’s Last Functional Hospital
On April 14th, an Israeli airstrike hit the Al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City, the last fully functional hospital in the northern part of the Strip, leaving it out of service. The hospital, run by the Anglican Church in Jerusalem, served hundreds of patients daily and was also sheltering many displaced civilians. The strike severely damaged the emergency room, surgery unit and a two-storey genetics lab. Surrounding structures, including St. Philip’s Church, were also impacted. Though no immediate casualties were reported from the explosion itself, a child with a head injury died during the rushed evacuation, reportedly due to a lack of oxygen and exposure to cold.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated they targeted a Hamas command center allegedly operating within the hospital compound. Hamas denied these claims, and no evidence has been made public. The IDF said it issued an advance warning and used precision munitions, but staff and patients were only given 20 minutes to evacuate in the middle of the night.
The World Health Organization confirmed the hospital’s pharmacy was destroyed, 50 patients were relocated and 40 critically ill patients were left behind. WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus emphasized that hospitals are protected under international humanitarian law and called for an end to attacks on healthcare facilities.
Al-Ahli had already been hit four times since October 2023. The attack has drawn international condemnation, especially given its timing on Palm Sunday and the hospital’s Christian affiliation. The Archbishop of York and UK officials labeled the incident deplorable and unacceptable.
This strike comes as the IDF expands operations across Gaza, pushing deeper into the territory, occupying zones like the Morag corridor in the south and displacing hundreds of thousands. Israel claims these moves are aimed at pressuring Hamas to release hostages still held since the October 7th attacks, when 1,200 Israelis were killed and 251 taken hostage.
According to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry, over 50,900 people have been killed since the war began, with more than 1,500 deaths recorded since Israel resumed its offensive on March 18th.
Beijing Seeks Strategic Alignment with Vietnam as Tariff Pressures Mount
Chinese President Xi Jinping’s recent visit to Vietnam marks a strategic push to present China as a stable and cooperative trade partner amid intensifying tensions between the US and China. Xi urged Vietnam to reject “unilateral bullying” – a clear reference to US trade policies – while promoting deeper bilateral economic ties. His Southeast Asia tour, including stops in Malaysia and Cambodia, seeks to position China as a defender of global free trade in contrast to US protectionism.
The trip follows President Trump’s imposition of sweeping tariffs on Chinese goods – some as high as 145% – with China responding in kind. Although Trump recently paused proposed tariffs on Vietnam, they were initially set at 46%, fueling concern in Southeast Asia over being caught in the US-China trade crossfire. Trump dismissed Xi’s outreach as a coordinated attempt to “screw the United States.”
Xi’s message was that small nations like Vietnam can weather global turbulence better by aligning with China. He highlighted China’s market openness and promised mutual benefits through industrial and supply chain cooperation. Vietnam, China’s largest trade partner in Southeast Asia, is expected to sign forty agreements with China, including joint infrastructure and green economy projects. A new $8.3 billion railway linking northern Vietnam to China, partly funded by Beijing, is already planned.
However, analysts note Vietnam’s balancing act: it seeks stronger trade with China while avoiding alienation of the US, a crucial economic and strategic partner. Southeast Asian countries remain wary of overdependence on China and fear an influx of cheap Chinese goods amid rising Chinese surpluses.
Xi’s charm offensive also aims to soften China’s image during a period of ongoing territorial tensions, such as those in the South China Sea. His narrative seeks to shift global perception – portraying the US as unpredictable and China as the steady alternative.
A Nation in Ruins: Sudan’s Third Year of Civil War Shatters Lives and Futures
Sudan is currently enduring what the UN and NGOs describe as the largest humanitarian crisis in the world, as the country’s brutal civil war enters its third year. Since April 2023, conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has devastated the population, resulting in more than 15 million people displaced and over 150,000 killed. Almost half the country’s 51 million people now face food insecurity, with famine declared in several regions.
The war erupted following years of political turmoil. The overthrow of longtime dictator Omar al-Bashir in 2019 led to the creation of a joint civilian-military Transitional Sovereignty Council. That was overthrown in 2021 by a military junta, led by SAF leader Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and RSF commander Gen Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti), a former warlord, Their increasing rivalry escalated into full-scale war, with the RSF – tracing its roots to the notorious Janjaweed militias – accused of committing genocide, including mass killings and sexual violence, particularly in Darfur.
El Fasher, the last Darfur state capital not under RSF control, has become the latest epicentre of violence. Attacks on displacement camps have killed over 400 people and displaced hundreds of thousands more. UN officials warn that the violence, particularly targeting ethnic groups, amounts to war crimes.
Despite the scale of suffering, Sudan receives little global attention. The war in Ukraine and conflict in Gaza have dominated diplomatic agendas, sidelining Sudan’s crisis. Aid access is severely restricted, and international response remains fragmented. Allegations that the United Arab Emirates has armed the RSF – denied by the UAE – raise concerns about foreign involvement prolonging the conflict.In neighbouring Chad, over 720,000 Sudanese refugees have fled across the border, straining already fragile local communities. Aid groups stress that both refugees and hosts are now at breaking point. Humanitarian needs are vast – but without greater international focus, Sudan’s crisis risks deepening even further.
Plus, all the stories that are catching our attention wherever we live in the world. Feel free to join us and add your voice to the conversation.
