Russian drone strikes killed at least two people and wounded two others in the Ukrainian city of Odesa overnight into Saturday, just hours before a proposed Orthodox Easter ceasefire was set to begin. The attack, which damaged residential areas, apartment buildings, houses, and a kindergarten, underscores the ongoing human cost of a conflict now in its fifth year, with ordinary nationals bearing the brunt of failed international negotiations.
Local authorities reported the fatalities and injuries in the Black Sea port city. The Ukrainian Air Force stated that Russia targeted Ukraine with 160 drones overnight, with 133 reportedly shot down or intercepted. Concurrently, Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed 99 Ukrainian drones were shot down overnight across Russia and occupied Crimea.
Russian President Vladimir Putin had declared a 32-hour ceasefire over the Orthodox Easter weekend, ordering Russian forces to halt hostilities from 4 p.m. Saturday until the end of Sunday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy promised Saturday to abide by the ceasefire, describing it as an opportunity to build on peace initiatives. However, Zelenskyy warned there would be a swift military response to any violations, stating in an online post, “Easter should be a time of silence and safety. A ceasefire (at) Easter could also become the beginning of real movement toward peace,” and adding, “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 each other’s energy infrastructure over the Orthodox Easter holiday.
Failed Elite Negotiations
Previous ceasefire attempts have consistently failed to hold, with both sides routinely accusing each other of violations. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov described Putin’s recent move as a “humanitarian” gesture, yet affirmed that Moscow remains focused on achieving a comprehensive settlement based on its longstanding demands. The ongoing conflict highlights the persistent failure of monthslong U.S.-brokered negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv, which have delivered no progress on key issues preventing an end to the invasion.
These negotiations, despite their high-level involvement, have yielded few positive outcomes beyond periodic prisoner exchanges. On Saturday, a prisoner swap brought home 175 Russian soldiers. Zelenskyy confirmed the exchange, stating that 175 service members and seven civilians were returned to Ukraine, with most having been held in captivity since 2022.
The Cost to Nationals
The human toll of the conflict is evident in the experiences of ordinary citizens. Svitlana Pohosyan, a mother waiting for her son’s return at an exchange site in northern Ukraine, expressed a widespread desire for peace. Asked about the ceasefire, she stated, “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 added, “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.” Her words underscore the deep personal cost of a conflict that continues to separate families and disrupt traditional life.
Sovereignty Breached
Separately, seven residents of Russia’s Kursk region returned from Ukraine Saturday after being captured by the Ukrainian army. They were greeted at the Belarusian-Ukrainian border by Russia’s human rights ombudswoman, Tatyana Moskalkova. According to Moskalkova, these returnees were the last of those taken to Ukraine from the Kursk region after Ukrainian forces took control of parts of the region in 2024. The Ukrainian incursion into Kursk in August 2024 marked the first time Russian territory was occupied by an invader since World War II, dealing a significant blow to the Kremlin and representing a direct breach of national sovereignty.