Ukraine and Russia renew drone strikes after Orthodox Easter truce

Kyiv, Ukraine - Ukraine and Russia renewed overnight drone strikes on Monday, after the end of a 32-hour Orthodox Easter truce marred by accusations of mass violations, both countries said.

Emergency personnel work at the site of a Russian drone strike, as Russia and Ukraine accused each other of breaching the 32-hour ceasefire, in the town of Zolochiv in an image released on April 12, 2026.
Emergency personnel work at the site of a Russian drone strike, as Russia and Ukraine accused each other of breaching the 32-hour ceasefire, in the town of Zolochiv in an image released on April 12, 2026.  © State Emergency Service of Ukraine/Handout via REUTERS

The Ukrainian air force said Russia had launched 98 drones, adding that its air defense units had downed 87 of them.

An infrastructure facility was hit in the central-eastern Dnipropetrovsk region, Ukrainian authorities said, adding that information about casualties was being clarified.

Russia, meanwhile, reported that "on April 13, air defense forces on duty intercepted and destroyed 33 Ukrainian aircraft-type unmanned aerial vehicles."

Xi declares China and Taiwan will reunite during visit from island's opposition leader
China Xi declares China and Taiwan will reunite during visit from island's opposition leader

Last week, Moscow and Kyiv agreed to observe the ceasefire, which lasted from 4:00 PM on Saturday until the end of the day on Sunday.

But as with a similar agreement last year, only relative calm reigned along the 745-mile front line.

The Ukrainian army said it had counted more than 10,000 violations by the Russian army, most of which were front-line skirmishes.

However, it said that "during the declared ceasefire period, no missile strikes, air strikes, or attack drone strikes (of the Shahed/Gerbera type) were recorded."

Russia's defense ministry accused Kyiv of nearly 2,000 breaches of the truce.

Cover photo: State Emergency Service of Ukraine/Handout via REUTERS

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