Russian drone strike kills two people in Odessa, Ukraine, ahead of proposed Easter ceasefire

At least two people were killed and two others wounded in a Russian drone strike in the Ukrainian port city of Odessa just hours before a proposed Easter ceasefire was expected to take effect, local authorities said.Residential areas of the Black Sea city were hit, with apartment buildings, houses and a kindergarten damaged, officials said. The attack comes as Russia and Ukraine intensify aerial exchanges ahead of Orthodox Easter, the Associated Press reported.The Ukrainian Air Force stated that Russia launched 160 drones at night, of which 133 were intercepted or destroyed. The Russian Defense Ministry said in a separate update that 99 Ukrainian drones were shot down over Russian territory and occupied Crimea.The attack came after Russian President Vladimir Putin declared a 32-hour Easter ceasefire, ordering a cessation of hostilities from Saturday night to Sunday. The Kremlin called the move a “humanitarian” gesture.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Kyiv was ready for any real ceasefire measures, but stressed that previous recommendations, including a moratorium on attacks on energy infrastructure, had yet to be implemented by Moscow.Despite the announcement, both sides continued to report strikes.The Kremlin says it remains committed to a broader political solution based on long-standing demands, while Ukraine and its allies have been pushing for clearer conditions and verification mechanisms.Separately, discussions surrounding a possible prisoner exchange over Easter continue. Russian human rights monitor Tatyana Moskakova said the two sides were studying a potential swap, a rare development amid stalled U.S.-brokered talks that have so far failed to lead to a broader breakthrough in the conflict.