On Friday, Russia attacked Ukraine with almost 500 drones and missiles, intensifying the daily shelling of the country, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha announced. Attacks were also reported from the vicinity of Kyiv and, according to the Ukrainian energy operator, caused power outages in several areas of the country. TASR informs about it according to the AFP agency.
“Nearly 500 drones and cruise missiles attacked Ukraine,” Sybiha said on the X platform. “Terrorist Russia attacks in broad daylight deliberately – to maximize civilian casualties and damage,” he declared. The governor of the Kyiv region, Mykola Kalashnyk, confirmed on Friday that the region around the Ukrainian capital was also the target of a large-scale Russian attack. According to him, he claimed at least one victim.
Ukrainian grid operator Ukrenergo confirmed that “as a result of the massive missile and drone attack, emergency power outages have been implemented” across the country. “This is how Moscow responds to Ukraine’s proposals for an Easter ceasefire – with brutal attacks,” added Sybiha. AFP explains that President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that Ukraine is ready for a ceasefire during the holidays. However, the Kremlin said it had not received any proposals.
Ukraine accuses Russia of deliberately prolonging the war in order to occupy more Ukrainian territory and says Moscow has no real interest in peace. Negotiations between the two sides have stalled as a result of the war in the Middle East. In a statement published on Friday, Zelensky confirmed that he had invited American negotiators to Kyiv with the aim of resuming trilateral negotiations.
