Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Moscow of choosing 'Easter escalation' over an Easter ceasefire after Russia carried out another deadly large-scale drone and missile attack on Ukraine. Six civilians were killed and 40 others injured as Russia launched hundreds of drones and missiles across the country. Major daytime attacks, which were once rare, have been increasing. It's happening as efforts to end the war, led by the US, have stalled since US President Donald Trump and his team shifted focus to the conflict in the Middle East.
Meanwhile, Zelensky agreed with a British intelligence assessment that the situation on the frontline in the east was the 'most favorable' for Ukraine in 10 months, as the advance of Russian troops appears to have slowed. But there has been no let-up in the air raids. In the Zhytomyr region, west of Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, rescuers had to search for survivors beneath the rubble of their homes as a whole line of houses was destroyed. In the Kyiv region, a drone was filmed careening towards a block of flats before slamming into its side and starting a fire. In Kharkiv, a woman was killed, with other people critically injured in the day of strikes described by the mayor as 'one of the biggest' on the city so far.
Zelensky described the barrage as Russia's response to his proposal of a temporary truce for the holidays: Orthodox Christians celebrate Easter next weekend both in Ukraine and in Russia. 'The Russians have only intensified their strikes, turning what should have been silence in the skies into an Easter escalation,' he wrote on X.
In recent days, Ukraine has launched multiple deep strikes of its own, targeting energy facilities on the northern coast of Russia in particular, with one port, Ust-Luga, hit multiple times, forcing Russia to suspend exports. On Saturday, an adviser to the defense ministry in Kyiv confirmed an industrial plant in Togliatti, southern Russia, producing rubber products used in military equipment had been struck. Ukraine also reported an attack on a substation in Taganrog on the Sea of Azov, which resulted in debris hitting a vessel.
Local authorities in Russia acknowledged a 'drone attack' in Togliatti, injuring one worker. Despite the ongoing violence, Zelensky maintains his offer for a holiday truce is still on the table if Moscow agrees, having relayed the message in a call to Trump's envoys. However, further in-person talks, mediated by the US, have been postponed twice, with Moscow stating they are 'on hold.' Meanwhile, as the war continues, broader concerns have arisen regarding the impact of the conflict on energy prices and the availability of US defensive missiles for Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Zelensky agreed with a British intelligence assessment that the situation on the frontline in the east was the 'most favorable' for Ukraine in 10 months, as the advance of Russian troops appears to have slowed. But there has been no let-up in the air raids. In the Zhytomyr region, west of Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, rescuers had to search for survivors beneath the rubble of their homes as a whole line of houses was destroyed. In the Kyiv region, a drone was filmed careening towards a block of flats before slamming into its side and starting a fire. In Kharkiv, a woman was killed, with other people critically injured in the day of strikes described by the mayor as 'one of the biggest' on the city so far.
Zelensky described the barrage as Russia's response to his proposal of a temporary truce for the holidays: Orthodox Christians celebrate Easter next weekend both in Ukraine and in Russia. 'The Russians have only intensified their strikes, turning what should have been silence in the skies into an Easter escalation,' he wrote on X.
In recent days, Ukraine has launched multiple deep strikes of its own, targeting energy facilities on the northern coast of Russia in particular, with one port, Ust-Luga, hit multiple times, forcing Russia to suspend exports. On Saturday, an adviser to the defense ministry in Kyiv confirmed an industrial plant in Togliatti, southern Russia, producing rubber products used in military equipment had been struck. Ukraine also reported an attack on a substation in Taganrog on the Sea of Azov, which resulted in debris hitting a vessel.
Local authorities in Russia acknowledged a 'drone attack' in Togliatti, injuring one worker. Despite the ongoing violence, Zelensky maintains his offer for a holiday truce is still on the table if Moscow agrees, having relayed the message in a call to Trump's envoys. However, further in-person talks, mediated by the US, have been postponed twice, with Moscow stating they are 'on hold.' Meanwhile, as the war continues, broader concerns have arisen regarding the impact of the conflict on energy prices and the availability of US defensive missiles for Ukraine.
