Russian strikes on Ukraine’s Odesa kill two forward of Orthodox Easter ceasefire

Russian drone strikes killed a minimum of two individuals within the Ukrainian metropolis of Odesa in a single day into Saturday, native authorities reported, forward of a proposed ceasefire for Orthodox Easter.A neighborhood resident walks previous a destroyed home following an air assault in Odesa on April 11, 2026, amid the Russian invasion in Ukraine. (AFP)An additional two individuals have been wounded within the assault on the Black Sea port metropolis, when drones hit a residential space, damaging residence buildings, homes and a kindergarten.ALSO READ | Russia and Ukraine set for Easter truce: here is what we knowAccording to the Ukrainian Air Power, Russia focused Ukraine with 160 drones in a single day, of which 133 have been shot down or intercepted, hours earlier than a proposed Easter ceasefire was attributable to come into drive.Russia's Defence Ministry stated 99 Ukrainian drones have been shot down in a single day throughout Russia and occupied Crimea.ALSO READ | UK accuses Russia of covert submarine operations in British watersRussian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday declared a 32-hour ceasefire over the Orthodox Easter weekend, ordering Russian forces to halt hostilities from 4 pm Saturday till the tip of Sunday.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated Friday that Ukraine is able to mirror any ceasefire steps, having earlier proposed to Russia a pause in assaults on one another's vitality infrastructure over the Orthodox Easter vacation.Earlier ceasefire makes an attempt have had little influence, with either side accusing one another of violations.Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Friday described Putin's transfer as a "humanitarian" gesture, however stated Moscow stays centered on a complete settlement based mostly on its longstanding calls for - a key sticking level that has prevented the 2 sides from reaching an settlement.ALSO READ | Russia, China veto UN decision on reopening Strait of HormuzA attainable prisoner trade over the Easter vacation has additionally been mentioned.Russia's human rights ombudswoman, Tatyana Moskalkova, stated final week that either side have been engaged on exchanges of prisoners.Periodic prisoner exchanges have been one of many few optimistic outcomes of in any other case fruitless months-long US-brokered negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv. The talks have delivered no progress on key points stopping an finish to Russia's invasion of its neighbour, now in its fifth 12 months.