Drone Attacks in Odesa
Russian drone strikes killed at least two people in Odesa overnight into Saturday, according to local authorities. The drones hit a residential area, damaging apartment buildings, houses, and a kindergarten, and wounded two more people. In Poltava, a "hostile drone attack" killed one person and injured another in a strike that hit a shop and cafe.
Ceasefire Agreement
Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a 32-hour ceasefire for Orthodox Easter, beginning Saturday at 4 p.m. and lasting until the end of Sunday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy promised to abide by the ceasefire, but warned of a swift military response to any violations. Zelenskyy stated that a ceasefire at Easter could become the beginning of real movement toward peace. The Ukrainian army said it was ready to "immediately" respond if Russia violated the truce.
Ceasefire Violations
Russia continued to strike Ukrainian positions with drones after the ceasefire took effect, according to Serhii Kolesnychenko, a communications officer for the 148th Separate Artillery Brigade. Kolesnychenko said artillery fire had paused in his sector, at the junction of the Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk, and Zaporizhzhia regions, but Russian forces continued to use drones. According to the Ukrainian Air Force, Russia targeted Ukraine with 160 drones overnight, of which 133 were shot down or intercepted. Russia's Defense Ministry claimed 99 Ukrainian drones were shot down overnight across Russia and occupied Crimea.
Prisoner Exchange
A prisoner swap occurred on Saturday, with Russia's Defense Ministry reporting the return of 175 soldiers. Zelenskyy confirmed the exchange, stating that 175 service members and seven civilians were returned, most of whom had been held in captivity since 2022. At the exchange site in northern Ukraine, Svitlana Pohosyan awaited her son's return, saying she wanted to believe in the ceasefire and hoped for peace in Ukraine and the whole world. Seven residents of Russia's Kursk region also returned from Ukraine Saturday after they were captured by the Ukrainian army, according to Russian state media.
Attacks on Russian Territory
Ukraine struck a fuel pumping station in Russia’s Krasnodar region overnight, hours before the start of the ceasefire. The Krymskaya facility was hit, according to Ukraine’s General Staff. Local authorities reported a drone attack caused a fire at a fuel depot, which was extinguished by morning.
Regional Conflict in Lebanon
Israeli strikes have killed at least 18 people across southern Lebanon, according to Lebanese authorities. The overall death toll from the war that began last month between Israel and Hezbollah has surpassed 2,000. The Health Ministry reported at least 2,020 people have been killed and 6,436 others wounded since Lebanon was drawn into the US-Israel war on Iran on March 2.
While leaders negotiate ceasefires, families like Svitlana Pohosyan's hope for the safe return of loved ones and lasting peace.
The sources also report that in Sumy, a Russian drone attack injured 14 people, including a 14-year-old and an 87-year-old.