Zelensky Accuses Russia of Intensifying Attacks After Call for Easter Truce

Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, has accused Russia of escalating its military campaign instead of observing a proposed Easter ceasefire, following a wave of drone and missile strikes across Ukraine that killed several civilians and injured dozens more.

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The attacks, which involved hundreds of drones and missiles, left at least six civilians dead and about 40 others wounded, according to Ukrainian officials. Large-scale strikes carried out during daylight hours — once relatively uncommon earlier in the war — have been occurring more frequently in recent weeks.

The renewed assault comes as diplomatic efforts to halt the conflict appear to have stalled. Attempts led by the United States to broker progress have slowed after Donald Trump and his administration shifted attention toward the escalating conflict in the Middle East.

Civilian Areas Hit Across Ukraine

Emergency crews were deployed to multiple regions after residential areas were struck.

In the Zhytomyr region, west of the capital Kyiv, rescue workers searched through the debris of homes destroyed in the strikes. Officials said an entire row of houses had been reduced to rubble.

In the surrounding Kyiv region, video circulating online showed a drone veering toward a residential apartment building before crashing into its side and igniting a fire.

Further east, the city of Kharkiv was also targeted. Local authorities reported that a woman was killed and several others were critically injured. The city’s mayor described the bombardment as among the most extensive the city has experienced since the war began.

Zelensky Links Attacks to Truce Proposal

Zelensky said the strikes came shortly after Ukraine proposed a temporary ceasefire to coincide with Orthodox Easter, which will be observed next weekend in both Ukraine and Russia.

Writing on social media, he said Moscow had responded to the initiative by intensifying air strikes rather than pausing hostilities.

“The Russians have only intensified their strikes, turning what should have been silence in the skies into an Easter escalation,” he said.

Despite the attacks, Zelensky said the proposal for a holiday truce remains open if Moscow agrees to it. He added that the message had been conveyed to US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner during recent discussions.

Peace Talks and Strategic Pressures

Plans for additional in-person negotiations between Ukraine and Russia, mediated by the United States, have been postponed twice. Russian officials say the talks are currently “on hold.”

Zelensky suggested American representatives could travel to Kyiv and then on to Moscow to help sustain diplomatic momentum.

At the same time, the broader geopolitical environment is shifting. Rising global energy prices linked to the Middle East conflict could have mixed consequences for the war.

Ukraine is concerned that higher fuel prices and potential supply shortages may strain its military logistics, particularly as frontline forces rely heavily on diesel to operate tanks and vehicles.

For Russia, however, higher energy prices may increase revenues from oil and gas exports, potentially providing additional funding for military production and troop payments.

Frontline Situation Remains Stable

Despite the intensifying air campaign, Zelensky said the ground situation in eastern Ukraine has stabilised.

He cited British intelligence assessments suggesting battlefield conditions are the most favourable for Ukraine in roughly ten months, with Russian advances appearing to have slowed.

Even so, Kyiv remains concerned about the availability of defensive systems. Large numbers of US-made Patriot missile systems are currently deployed in the Middle East conflict, raising fears that fewer may be available to defend Ukrainian cities from Russian ballistic missile attacks.

“The longer the war in the Middle East continues, the greater the risk that we will receive less weaponry,” Zelensky told journalists in Kyiv.

While Ukrainian forces have made limited territorial gains in some areas and lost ground in others, the government’s current strategy appears focused on holding defensive positions rather than launching major new offensives.

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Adapted by ASEAN Now. Source 4 April 2026

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