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Russian Drone Strikes Hit Odesa as Orthodox Easter Ceasefire Begins
Russian drone strikes killed two people in the Ukrainian port city of Odesa early Saturday, just hours before a proposed Orthodox Easter ceasefire was set to begin, according to local Ukrainian authorities.
The overnight attack damaged apartment buildings, houses, and a kindergarten in a residential area, leaving two additional people wounded. Ukrainian Air Force officials reported that Russia launched 160 drones across Ukraine during the night, with Ukrainian forces intercepting or shooting down 133 of them. Meanwhile, Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed it shot down 99 Ukrainian drones over Russian territory and occupied Crimea during the same period.
The violence preceded a 32-hour ceasefire announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin for Orthodox Easter weekend. The temporary truce, ordered to begin at 4 p.m. Saturday and continue through Sunday, represents a rare pause in the conflict that has now entered its fifth year.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy responded on Saturday by pledging to honor the ceasefire while warning of swift military response to any violations. “Easter should be a time of silence and safety. A ceasefire at Easter could also become the beginning of real movement toward peace,” Zelenskyy wrote online, adding cautiously: “We all understand who we are dealing with. Ukraine will adhere to the ceasefire and respond strictly in kind.”
Ukraine had previously proposed a pause in attacks on energy infrastructure during the Orthodox Easter holiday. However, past ceasefire attempts during the conflict have typically collapsed quickly, with both sides accusing each other of violations.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov described Putin’s ceasefire declaration as a “humanitarian” gesture on Friday, but emphasized that Moscow remains committed to a comprehensive settlement based on its long-standing demands—conditions that have been major obstacles to reaching any agreement between the warring parties.
Amid the temporary truce, both countries conducted a prisoner exchange on Saturday. Russia’s Defense Ministry announced the return of 175 Russian soldiers, while Zelenskyy confirmed that 175 Ukrainian service members and seven civilians were returned to Ukraine.
“Most had been held in captivity since 2022. And finally, they are home,” Zelenskyy wrote on the social media platform X.
At the exchange site in northern Ukraine, Svitlana Pohosyan waited for her son’s return, expressing cautious hope about the ceasefire. “I want to believe it. God willing, may it be so. We will believe and hope that everything will be fine, that a ceasefire will come on such a holy day, and that there will be peace—peace in Ukraine and peace in the whole world,” she said.
She added emotionally: “My celebration will come when my son returns. I will hold him in my arms—and that will be the greatest celebration for me. And for every mother, every family.”
These prisoner exchanges represent one of the few positive developments from the otherwise unproductive U.S.-brokered negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv. The talks have failed to yield progress on key issues that might end Russia’s invasion.
In a separate development, Russian state media reported that seven residents of Russia’s Kursk region returned from Ukrainian custody on Saturday. Russia’s human rights ombudswoman, Tatyana Moskalkova, greeted them at the Belarusian-Ukrainian border. According to Moskalkova, these individuals were the last of those taken to Ukraine after Ukrainian forces gained control of parts of the Kursk region in 2024.
The Ukrainian incursion into Kursk in August 2024 marked one of Ukraine’s most significant battlefield successes in the war. The operation represented the first time since World War II that an invading force had occupied Russian territory, delivering a significant blow to the Kremlin’s military prestige.
Whether this Easter ceasefire will hold—or potentially lead to more substantive peace discussions—remains uncertain as both sides maintain their strategic objectives in a conflict that has devastated large portions of Ukraine and resulted in hundreds of thousands of casualties on both sides.
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10 Comments
This is a tragic development during a religious holiday meant to be a time of reflection and peace. I hope the ceasefire is respected, but the continued drone attacks are concerning. Civilians should not be caught in the crossfire of this conflict.
Tragic news. My heart goes out to the families of the victims in Odesa. This senseless violence during a religious holiday is deeply troubling. I hope the ceasefire holds and a path to peace can be found soon.
Agreed. The timing of these attacks is particularly disturbing. Both sides must honor the ceasefire and prioritize humanitarian needs over military objectives.
The drone strikes are a troubling escalation of the conflict, especially as Russia and Ukraine attempt a temporary ceasefire. I’m curious to see if this will be a genuine pause in hostilities or simply a brief respite before renewed fighting.
Agreed. The ceasefire announcement seems like a public relations move more than a sincere effort at peace. The continued attacks on civilian areas are deeply concerning and undermine any claims of goodwill.
The drone strikes are a tragic reminder of the human cost of this conflict. I hope the ceasefire will be respected, but the continued violence raises doubts about the willingness of both sides to truly compromise. Civilians deserve peace and security.
Absolutely. The ceasefire announcement seems like a hollow gesture if the attacks on civilian areas continue unabated. True progress will require genuine concessions and a commitment to protecting innocent lives.
This is a devastating blow to the people of Odesa during a religious holiday. The drone strikes highlight the ongoing challenges in resolving the conflict and the need for sustained diplomatic efforts to achieve a lasting peace.
The drone strikes highlight the ongoing challenges of the conflict and the difficulties in establishing lasting peace. I’m curious to see if the proposed ceasefire will be respected by both sides or if it will be quickly broken.
A temporary ceasefire is a positive step, but lasting peace will require significant diplomatic efforts and concessions from all parties. It remains to be seen if the warring sides can find common ground.