WEB DESK: Russia has launched a series of missile and drone strikes against Ukraine, resuming hostilities following a brief and partially observed Easter ceasefire that has now ended.
The rapid escalation of conflict occurred just after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a 30-hour ceasefire on Saturday. Both nations quickly accused each other of violating the temporary truce.
“Military action has resumed,” Putin stated during an interview with state television on Monday, following reports from Ukraine’s air force of an overnight assault involving 96 drones and three missiles across eastern and southern Ukraine.
The strikes specifically targeted the Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, and Cherkasy regions. Ukrainian air defense units successfully intercepted 42 of the drones and redirected another 47, they reported on Telegram.
So far, there have been no immediate reports of casualties or significant damage, although officials in the southern port city of Mykolaiv confirmed that several missiles had struck the area.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy remarked that the resumption of fighting highlights Russia’s role in prolonging the conflict. He made this statement via a post on X, while announcing Ukraine’s plans to send a delegation to London for talks on Wednesday, continuing attempts to find a resolution to the ongoing war that has lasted over three years.
