Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russia of an “Easter escalation” after at least five people were killed in strikes.
Officials said two people died after residential and civilian infrastructure in central Zhytomyr and Kyiv regions was attacked on Friday. The governor of the eastern Donetsk region also said a Russian bomb strike killed three people in Kramatorsk.
The Ukrainian president had proposed a halt in strikes for Easter, telling Russia it would reciprocate if it stopped attacks on the energy sector.
In a post on social media, Zelensky said: “Not a single hour of peace for our people, and this is Russia’s response to our proposal for an Easter ceasefire. Essentially, the Russians have only intensified their strikes, turning what should have been silence in the skies into an Easter escalation.”
It follows earlier comments from Zelensky that Vladimir Putin’s advances have stalled, and the frontline situation for Ukraine was the best it has been in 10 months.
"The offensive they were planning for March was thwarted by the actions of our armed forces. That is why the Russians will now simply step up their assault operations," he said.
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Watch: Seven injured in Russian drone strike on Sumy as Zelensky warns of ‘Easter escalation’
Rebecca Whittaker4 April 2026 09:15
Sixteen Kenyans missing in Russia after joining its army, minister says
Sixteen Kenyans are missing in Russia after joining its army, Kenya's foreign affairs minister Musalia Mudavadi told a Senate committee, adding that the number had risen from 10 to 16 within 24 hours. It remains unclear whether they are dead or alive.
Thirty-eight others are in Russian hospitals under restricted access, 47 have returned home and two are being held by Ukraine as prisoners of war. Mudavadi estimated 165 Kenyans are actively involved in military operations, bringing the total who have participated in the conflict to more than 250.
The minister said recruits had been lured by promises of salaries of up to $2,700 (£2,040) a month, signing bonuses of up to $23,000 (£17,400) and the possibility of Russian citizenship. "Contrary to prevailing reports, the majority of Kenyans enlisted with full knowledge and willingly," he said.
Kenya and Russia agreed to halt the recruitment following talks between Mudavadi and Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow last month. Ukrainian intelligence has estimated more than 1,700 people from 36 African countries have been recruited to fight for Russia.
Stuti Mishra4 April 2026 09:00
Ukrainian drone and missile attack kills one in southern Russia
A Ukrainian drone and missile attack on southern Russia killed at least one person and injured four others on Saturday, Rostov region governor Yuri Slyusar said. Commercial infrastructure was damaged in the city of Taganrog, where a fire broke out at a logistics company warehouse.
A foreign-flagged vessel was also struck and caught fire in the Sea of Azov. The city of Togliatti was separately attacked by Ukrainian drones, though it was not immediately clear what was hit. Ukraine has previously targeted the TogliattiAzot chemical fertiliser plant there.
Stuti Mishra4 April 2026 08:15
Russia records near-zero territorial gains in Ukraine for first time since 2023
Russia's army seized just 23 sq km of territory in Ukraine in March — its smallest advance since September 2023 and almost nothing compared to 319 sq km in January — according to analysis of Institute for the Study of War data by AFP.
The ISW attributed the slowdown to Ukrainian counteroffensives, Russia's ban on Starlink terminals in Ukraine, and Kremlin restrictions on Telegram, which is widely used by Russian troops at the front. Russia lost ground in some areas, particularly on the southern section of the frontline between the Donetsk and Dnipropetrovsk regions.
Meanwhile, Russian strikes killed 14 people in Ukraine on Friday in a daytime barrage using more than 500 drones and dozens of missiles. Ukrainian drone attacks have also left Russia's Baltic oil export hubs at Ust-Luga and Primorsk unable to handle shipments, forcing refineries to seek alternative export routes.
Stuti Mishra4 April 2026 07:14
Ukraine rescues eight children from occupied territories
Ukraine has brought back eight children and teenagers from occupied territories, a Ukrainian humanitarian NGO has announced.
Mykola Kuleba, the founder of Save Ukraine, said they had all been living in conditions of pressure and fear, and their lives were under constant threat.
One 14 year old, Zoryana, was among those rescued. Mr Kuleba said she had been separated from her father by Russians, who was stripped of his documents and deported.
The girl was forced to study in a Russian school, where she was told about the greatness of Russia and taught to use weapons, he said.
Mr Kuleba wrote: “They are all in our Hope and Recovery centers and are receiving psychological support, documentation assistance, housing, and care — everything to help them regain a sense of security and start building a future.
“But thousands of children still remain under occupation. They are forced to be silent, conformed, and prepared for war. But we are not stopping.”
Harriette Boucher4 April 2026 04:00
Zelensky urges lawmakers to act as Ukraine funding hangs in balance
Volodymyr Zelensky called on lawmakers to pass key legislation next week to avert a funding crisis, help Ukraine fight the war against Russia, and enact key reforms required for European Union accession.
Due to lagging reforms and slow legislative progress in late 2025 and early 2026, Ukraine missed deadlines to unlock billions from its key lenders, economists said.
With the need for external financing standing at $52 billion this year – equivalent to around a quarter of annual economic output – the budget situation is desperate.
Zelensky said: “I have a list of key draft laws that are critical for securing funding.” They range from strengthening the court system to reforming energy sector procedures.
“I believe that members of parliament from all parties must understand the importance of these bills for Ukraine's budget,” said Zelensky.
David Arakhamia, head of the ruling Servant of the People faction, said lawmakers planned to meet on Monday to discuss the legislation with the key ministers. Voting is planned for 7 and 8 April.
Ukraine depends on Western financial support as it fights a bigger and better-equipped enemy. Since the 2022 invasion, Kyiv has received about $174 billion in economic aid.
But this year, key funding has been stalled after Hungary's prime minister Viktor Orban, who maintains close ties with Moscow, blocked a 90 billion euro loan to Ukraine. By contrast, Russia will benefit from the surge in global oil prices due to the war in Iran.
Harriette Boucher4 April 2026 03:00
Russian gymnast turns back during Ukrainian national anthem after Ukraine’s victory
Harriette Boucher4 April 2026 02:00
Russia warns citizens not to travel to states that have extradition treaties with US
Russia has issued a stark warning to its citizens, advising them against travel to countries with extradition treaties with the United States.
In a travel advisory on Wednesday, the Foreign Ministry stated that "the intensity of Washington's punitive justice" has increased since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. It cautioned that individuals risk lengthy prison sentences if extradited to the US.
"With numerous extraterritorial sanctions targeting strategic segments of the domestic economy, many Russians, without even realising it, risk finding themselves in the crosshairs of American law enforcement and intelligence agencies," the ministry said.
It said, without providing evidence or examples, that "U.S. intelligence agencies often engage in fraudulent schemes to lure Russian citizens abroad with lucrative commercial or tourist offers".
Russia warns citizens not to travel to states that have extradition treaties with US
Russia said that individuals risk lengthy prison sentences if extradited to the USHarriette Boucher4 April 2026 01:00
Recap: Russia made no frontline gains in Ukraine during March
- Russia made no frontline gains in Ukraine during March, marking the first time in two and a half years, with Ukrainian forces recapturing 9 square kilometres.
- The slowdown in Russian advances is attributed to Ukrainian counteroffensives and communication issues, including Russia's ban on Starlink terminals and attempts to restrict Telegram.
- Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk stated that Donald Trump's threat to withdraw from NATO, citing a lack of support for his war in Iran, appears to be 'Putin's dream plan'.
- Trump indicated he was 'seriously considering' Washington's withdrawal from the military alliance, claiming members 'were not there for us' during his conflict in Iran.
- Ukraine's military has refuted Russia's assertion of having taken complete control of the eastern Luhansk region, reporting no significant changes on the battlefield.
Harriette Boucher4 April 2026 00:00
Zelensky accuses Russia of 'Easter escalation' as massive daytime attack kills five
A large-scale daytime Russian strike killed at least two people in Ukraine on Friday, officials said, in what President Volodymyr Zelensky denounced as an "Easter escalation," as Moscow shifts tactics to avoid Ukrainian air defences.
Since the beginning of the war more than four years ago, Russia has mainly carried out major drone and missile strikes at night. In recent weeks, it has repeatedly sent hundreds of drones and missiles during the daytime, setting a record for the number of weapons used in one such strike on March 24.
On Friday, drones struck residential and civilian infrastructure in central Zhytomyr and Kyiv regions, killing one person in each, their governors said on the Telegram app.
"Essentially, the Russians have only intensified their strikes, turning what should have been silence in the skies into an Easter escalation," Zelensky said on X.
On Friday evening, the governor of the eastern Donetsk region, Vadym Filashkin, said a Russian bomb strike killed three people in Kramatorsk, a frequent target in four years of conflict.
Harriette Boucher3 April 2026 23:48NewerOlder