Just hours before a proposed Easter ceasefire is expected to take effect, Russian drone strikes hit the Ukrainian port city of Odessa overnight Saturday, killing at least two people and wounding two others, local officials said.Officials said residential areas were attacked, damaging apartment buildings, homes and a kindergarten in the Black Sea city. The attack came amid intense air exchanges between Russia and Ukraine ahead of the Orthodox Easter period, the AP reported.
Ukraine’s Air Force said Russia launched 160 drones overnight, of which 133 were intercepted or destroyed. In a separate update, Russia’s Defense Ministry said 99 Ukrainian drones were shot down over Russian territory and occupied Crimea.The attacks came after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a 32-hour Easter ceasefire, ordering a halt to hostilities from Saturday evening to Sunday. The Kremlin described the move as a “humanitarian” gesture.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Kiev was ready to mirror any de facto ceasefire steps, but stressed earlier proposals, including a moratorium on attacks against energy infrastructure, had not been implemented by Moscow.Despite the announcement, both sides continued to report attacks.The Kremlin said it was committed to a comprehensive political solution based on long-standing demands, while Ukraine and its allies insisted on clear conditions and verification mechanisms.Separately, discussions have continued regarding a possible prisoner exchange over the Easter period. Russia’s human rights ombudsman Tatyana Moskalkova said the two sides were working on a possible swap, a rare area of progress in stalled U.S.-brokered talks that have so far failed to deliver broad breakthroughs in the conflict.