2 killed in Russian drone strikes at Ukraine's Odesa ahead of proposed Easter ceasefire

Russian drone strikes hit the Ukrainian port city of Odesa overnight into Saturday, killing at least two people and injuring two others, local authorities said, just hours before a proposed Easter ceasefire was expected to take effect.Officials said residential areas were struck, damaging apartment buildings, houses and a kindergarten in the Black Sea city. The attack came amid intensified aerial exchanges between Russia and Ukraine ahead of the Orthodox Easter period, reported AP.

Ukraine’s air force said Russia launched 160 drones overnight, of which 133 were intercepted or destroyed. In a separate update, Russia’s defence ministry said 99 Ukrainian drones were shot down over Russian territory and occupied Crimea.The strikes came after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a 32-hour Easter ceasefire, ordering a halt to hostilities from Saturday evening through Sunday. The Kremlin described the move as a “humanitarian” gesture.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Kyiv is ready to mirror any genuine ceasefire steps, but stressed earlier proposals, including pauses on attacks against energy infrastructure, had not been implemented by Moscow.Despite the announcement, both sides continued reporting strikes.The Kremlin said it remains committed to a broader political settlement based on long-standing demands, while Ukraine and its allies have pushed for clearer conditions and verification mechanisms.Separately, discussions have continued around a possible prisoner exchange over the Easter period. Russia’s human rights ombudswoman Tatyana Moskalkova said both sides were working on potential swaps, a rare area of progress in otherwise stalled US-brokered talks that have so far failed to produce a broader breakthrough in the conflict.