Russia has launched one of its largest air assaults on Ukraine this year, firing nearly 700 drones and dozens of missiles in a massive overnight attack. According to the Ukrainian Air Force, a total of 659 drones and 44 missiles were launched, targeting major cities including Kyiv, Odesa, Dnipro, Kharkiv, and Zaporizhzhia. At least 18 people were killed and over 100 injured as buildings were destroyed and fires broke out across multiple regions. A child was among the victims, highlighting the devastating human toll of the strikes.

Russia’s Vladimir Putin has announced a 32-hour Easter ceasefire in the Ukraine war, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signalling support for the temporary pause. The truce is expected to begin Saturday evening and last until Sunday midnight during Orthodox Easter. The ceasefire comes even as intense fighting continues across the front lines. Ukraine claims Russian forces lost more than 1,100 troops in just 24 hours, while Moscow says it captured two villages in eastern Ukraine. Both sides previously accused each other of violating a similar Easter truce last year, raising doubts about whether this pause will hold.