President Volodymyr Zelensky has condemned Russia’s overnight drone attack on Ukraine, saying the use of 339 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) was effectively Moscow’s “response to diplomatic efforts.”
In a Telegram statement, Zelensky said emergency crews were battling fires in Lutsk, a regional center of the western Volyn region, after strikes by Russian Shahed drones.
“There were hits on purely civilian objects: the Russians destroyed food warehouses and the Nova Poshta terminal. A residential building was also damaged,” he said.
According to Zelensky, multiple regions came under attack overnight, including Dnipro, Zhytomyr, Poltava, Odesa, Kharkiv, and Khmelnytsky.
“Today will be a rather busy diplomatic day – many contacts have already been planned, and this night attack is actually Russia’s response to diplomatic efforts. We proposed a ceasefire for Easter – in response we get Shaheds,” he said.
He added that Ukraine had also proposed a ceasefire specifically covering energy infrastructure, but Russia continues to ignore it and is again attempting to target substations and transformers.
“Ukraine is working with partners to expand joint capabilities to protect lives, while Russia continues to drag out the war in Europe and openly invests its intelligence in supporting the Iranian regime in fomenting conflict in the Middle East and the Gulf,” Zelensky said.
He stressed that Russia remains a global threat, arguing that its disregard for life and peace continues to undermine diplomatic efforts.
“The higher our percentage of shooting down Russian drones and missiles – and the more we restrict Russian oil, trade, and production – the faster security will be guaranteed and peace will be established,” he added.
Zelensky said Monday that Ukraine is open to a ceasefire over Easter, including a halt on energy infrastructure attacks. While he prefers a long-term truce, he said short-term compromises could work as long as Ukraine’s “dignity and sovereignty” are respected.
“We are ready for a ceasefire for the Easter holidays. Normal people who respect life talk about ending the war, not just a few days of peace,” Zelensky said. “We are open to a complete ceasefire – on missiles, drones, food, and energy – across all sectors. If Russia is ready, we are ready.”
Most of Ukraine will be observing Orthodox Easter on April 12.