Zelenskyy: Russia Answers Easter Ceasefire Proposal with Massive Drone Assault

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has strongly condemned Russia's latest large-scale drone assault, describing it as Moscow's direct and violent response to Kyiv's recent proposal for an Easter ceasefire. According to the president, the nighttime bombardment clearly demonstrates the Kremlin's disregard for diplomatic efforts and human life.

Massive Overnight Drone Assault

In the early hours of April 1, Russian forces launched a staggering 339 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) against Ukrainian territory. The swarm included approximately 200 Iranian-designed Shahed drones, alongside “Gerbera” and “Italmas” models. The assault targeted multiple regions, including Dnipropetrovsk, Zhytomyr, Poltava, Odesa, Kharkiv, and Khmelnytskyi.

The city of Lutsk in the Volyn region suffered significant damage to purely civilian infrastructure. Emergency responders from the State Emergency Service (DSNS) and municipal services were rapidly deployed to extinguish fierce fires after strikes destroyed food storage warehouses and a “Nova Poshta” postal terminal. A residential building was also damaged in the attack.

Rejection of Diplomatic Initiatives

President Zelenskyy emphasized that this assault was a deliberate rejection of recent peace initiatives. “We proposed a ceasefire for Easter—in response, we receive Shaheds,” Zelenskyy stated on social media. He further noted that despite Ukraine's offer for a specific truce regarding energy infrastructure, Russian forces ignored the proposal and continued their attempts to destroy Ukrainian electrical substations and transformers.

Zelenskyy warned that Russia continues to prolong the war in Europe, acting as a global threat whose contempt for peace fundamentally obstructs any diplomatic progress.

Background on the Ceasefire Proposal

The escalation follows President Zelenskyy's March 30 announcement, in which he declared Ukraine's readiness for a ceasefire during the upcoming Easter holidays, as well as a mutual halt to strikes on energy facilities. However, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov quickly dismissed the initiative, signaling that Moscow would not support the proposal under the pretext that it lacked “clear formulation.”