KYIV, Ukraine — Russia unleashed a wave of drone and missile strikes across Ukraine overnight, just hours after the end of a 30-hour “Easter truce” declared by Moscow.
Ukraine’s military reported drone attacks in multiple regions, including Kyiv, Kherson, Dnipropetrovsk, Cherkasy, Mykolaiv, and Zaporizhzhia. Air raid alerts were issued throughout the night, urging residents to seek shelter immediately. In the southern city of Mykolaiv, explosions were heard, though no casualties were initially reported.
Russia’s Defence Ministry confirmed the resumption of hostilities, stating its forces had “strictly observed the ceasefire and remained at the previously occupied lines and positions” during the truce. The truce, initiated by President Vladimir Putin, expired at midnight Moscow time (21:00 GMT) on Sunday.
However, both Ukraine and Russia accused each other of multiple violations during the ceasefire, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reporting 1,882 incidents of Russian shelling, including 812 involving heavy weaponry.
The Ukrainian Air Force said Russia launched 96 drones overnight, along with several missiles targeting the Mykolaiv and Kherson regions. Local officials in Kyiv confirmed that air defense systems were actively engaging aerial threats.
Vitaliy Kim, head of the Mykolaiv region, later confirmed missile attacks on the city but stated that there were no casualties or significant damage.
Earlier on Sunday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov announced that President Putin had no plans to extend the truce. Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump, who has recently advocated for an end to the conflict, expressed hope that a peace deal might be reached “this week,” though he provided no specifics.
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion began on February 24, 2022, the war has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives, with Moscow maintaining control over roughly 20% of Ukrainian territory, including Crimea.
Tensions remained high as Zelensky criticized Putin’s truce announcement as a “PR” move, calling it “empty” and accusing Russia of attempting to create a false impression of peace. He emphasized that Ukraine would respond proportionally to Russian actions.
Russian officials, in turn, accused Ukraine of violating the ceasefire, alleging the use of U.S.-supplied HIMARS missile systems during the agreed pause.
Despite the flare-up, Washington reiterated its commitment to pursuing a “full and comprehensive ceasefire,” stressing that “it is long past time to stop the death and destruction and end this war.”