Russia strikes Kharkiv Oblast during Easter truce, injuries reported

A drone explosion sparked a fire at a grocery store. A man and a woman were injured.

Emergency crews worked to deal with the aftermath of the attack under the constant threat of repeated strikes, Ukraine’s State Emergency Service said.

On April 12, Ukraine’s Air Force detected the first Russian drone after a prolonged pause, despite an Easter ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia that has been in effect since midday April 11. Russian forces launched the drone toward Sumy Oblast.

Due to the absence of strikes, the Air Force did not publish its usual morning report on overnight Russian attacks on April 12.

However, on Easter night, Russian forces attacked an ambulance, injuring three medics. A Russian drone struck a medical vehicle in the Hlukhiv community. The injured medics received assistance, and their lives are not in danger.

At about 3:30 p.m. on April 11 — half an hour before the ceasefire announced by Vladimir Putin — Russian forces struck a trolleybus with a drone in Kherson’s Korabelnyi district, seriously wounding the driver, who later died in hospital.

On April 9, Putin announced an “Easter ceasefire” in Ukraine from 4:00 p.m. on April 11 until the end of April 12.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine was ready to respond symmetrically during the ceasefire and that Russia “has a chance not to resume strikes after Easter.”