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 favourable' 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 were searching for survivors beneath the rubble of homes that were destroyed. In the Kyiv region, a drone crashed into a block of flats, starting a fire.
In Kharkiv, a woman was killed and others were critically injured in what the mayor described as 'one of the biggest' strikes on the city.
Zelensky described the barrage as Russia's response to his proposal of a temporary truce for the holidays, with Orthodox Christians celebrating Easter next weekend in both Ukraine and Russia. 'The Russians have only intensified their strikes, turning what should have been silence in the skies into an Easter escalation,' he wrote on social media.
Ukrainian forces have also conducted multiple deep strikes of their own, targeting Russian energy facilities on the northern coast, including attacks on ports that disrupted exports. However, there are concerns about a potential shortage of US defensive missiles and the implications of increased energy prices due to the war on Iran, further complicating Ukraine's war effort.
Despite these challenges, Zelensky has kept the option for a holiday truce on the table, expressing willingness to engage in discussions to maintain peace initiatives, though skepticism remains about Russia's intentions amid shifting global circumstances.
