After a brief lull, Russia has once again intensified its attacks in eastern and southern Ukraine, launching a wave of drone and missile strikes overnight on Monday across several regions, according to Ukrainian authorities.
Ukraine’s Air Force confirmed the use of Iranian-made Shahed drones, which caused explosions and property damage in key areas of the country. In the Dnipropetrovsk region, Governor Sergiy Lysak reported that the attacks damaged a residential home and a commercial building, though no casualties were reported.
Further south, Mykolaiv Governor Vitaliy Kim stated that at 4:57 a.m. on April 21, the city was targeted by Russian missiles. Despite the severity of the strike, there were no confirmed casualties or significant damage.
The renewed bombardment comes just days after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of violating the Easter ceasefire more than 2,000 times. The truce, which began on April 15, was intended to offer a temporary pause in hostilities.
Zelensky noted that, despite the breaches, no nationwide air raid alerts were issued during the truce, providing citizens with a brief moment of relief. He has since proposed extending the pause in drone and missile attacks for at least 30 days in an effort to reduce violence and support the country’s reconstruction.
Russia’s use of Shahed drones has drawn sharp criticism from Ukrainian officials due to their destructive capacity. These drones have been used in long-range attacks against both civilian and military infrastructure, raising fears of further escalation if the Kremlin continues this aggressive tactic.
State news agency Ukrinform reported explosions in the regions of Mykolaiv, Kherson, and Cherkasy—areas deemed strategic in Ukraine’s defense.
Meanwhile, in the United States, President Donald Trump expressed hope that Russia and Ukraine would reach an agreement this week, following the 30-hour “Easter truce” announced by Moscow on Saturday.
“I hope Russia and Ukraine reach a deal this week. Then both will start doing big business with the United States of America, which is thriving, and they’ll make a fortune!” Trump wrote on his social media platform, Truth Social.
On Friday, Trump warned he may withdraw from the peace mediation process if no progress is made by April 30, marking the 100th day of his current term, during which he pledged to resolve the conflict.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio caused unease in Europe this week with remarks in Paris suggesting that Washington might step aside if progress is not made “soon.” It remains unclear whether this would also mean ending military support for Kyiv.
During the brief Easter truce, both Russia and Ukraine reported reduced activity along the front lines but accused each other of violating the ceasefire. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russian agency TASS that Moscow had no plans to extend the truce, rejecting Zelensky’s proposal for a 30-day extension.
Analysts view the ceasefire as a diplomatic move aimed at gaining favor with Washington, as both warring sides seek to position themselves as proponents of peace in the eyes of Trump.
Also expiring this week was a 30-day energy truce between Russia and Ukraine, with neither party showing interest in renewing the agreement.
