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RUSSIA has unleashed a fresh hell from above – launching a terrifying new wave of drone and missile attacks on Ukraine just hours after Vladimir Putin dangled the possibility of peace.
The brutal blitz saw Ukraine’s Black Sea port city of Odesa struck by dozens of military drones, including a terrifying new jet-powered variant of the Iranian-designed Shahed.
East2West
East2West
East2WestThe upgraded kamikaze drones, armed with “enhanced warheads,” made a horrifying wailing noise before slamming into targets, triggering fireballs across the city.
Three people were injured in the overnight attacks, which hit homes, vehicles, and an educational institution.
“Civilian infrastructure, residential buildings, an educational institution, and vehicles were damaged,” said the State Emergency Service of Ukraine.
Putin’s forces also struck the village of Petropavlivka in Kharkiv, killing two, while a hospital in Kostiantynivka, Donetsk, was hit in what has been branded a terror attack – terrifying doctors and patients still reeling from the so-called Easter ‘truce’.
Hopes of peace crumble
It comes just hours after the Russian president suggested he would “carefully study” Volodymyr Zelensky’s call for a full ceasefire on civilian targets.
“We are ready for any conversation on how to ensure this,” Zelensky had said.
“And we expect a clear answer from Moscow.”
Putin responded: “This is all a subject for careful study. Perhaps bilaterally, as a result of dialogue. We do not rule this out.”
The comment marked the first time Putin has publicly entertained the possibility of direct talks with Zelensky, raising flickers of hope that a ceasefire deal could be struck before Donald Trump’s milestone 100th day in office this week.
Russia also hit a hospital in Kostiantynivka, Donetsk regionEast2West
East2West
Even the building’s ceilings were left cracked and crumbling after the blitzEast2WestTrump, who has staked his presidency on brokering peace, added: “We’ll see how it works,” describing recent meetings as “very good”.
But hopes were short-lived.
Despite the Easter pause, Ukraine said Russia launched 96 Shahed drones and three missiles overnight, while Zelensky accused Moscow of violating its own ceasefire more than 2,000 times in just one day.
Putin’s chilling attacks
In a savage twist, Putin also made his most chilling admissions yet – confirming he ordered deadly strikes on civilian sites that killed dozens, including children.
“We are all well aware of the attack by our armed forces on the congress centre [at] Sumy University,” he said.
“Is it a civilian facility or not? Civilian… But there was an award ceremony there for those who committed crimes in the Kursk region.”
He added: “They received this retribution. It is a civilian facility. But the regime uses these civilian facilities…”
The missile strike killed at least 35 people – mostly civilians – and injured 125. Among the dead were children.
Putin also acknowledged a separate attack on a restaurant in Kryvyi Rih, Zelensky’s hometown, which killed 20 people including nine children.
He claimed it was a meeting place for “those who deserve the most severe punishment,” saying: “That happened too… Are these civilian objects? Civilian. But what is the target? Military.”
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APTower for Trump
As the bloodshed continued, Putin appeared to court Trump – with reports claiming Moscow is ready to revive plans for a towering Trump Tower in Moscow to win favour with the White House.
“Russian officials have discussed offering Donald Trump the chance to revive the Trump Tower project in Moscow,” reported The Moscow Times.
“Trump himself would be present at the laying of the first stone.”
A Kremlin source said: “Here, speed, impact and spectacle are important – everything that Trump intuitively values.”
AFP
GettyLondon talks planned
Zelensky, meanwhile, doubled down on his demand for a full ceasefire, calling the 30-hour Easter truce a sham and accusing Russia of prolonging the war.
On Easter Monday, the Ukrainian president spoke with UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who “reiterated his iron-clad support” for Ukraine and backed calls for a lasting truce.
“The UK supports Ukraine’s calls for Russia to commit to a full ceasefire and that now is the time for Putin to show he is serious about ending his brutal war,” a Downing Street spokesperson said.
Zelensky added that a Ukrainian delegation would be in London on Wednesday for further peace talks.
“We are ready to move forward as constructively as possible, just as we have done before, to achieve an unconditional ceasefire,” he said.
Yet on the same day, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said there was “no order” to extend the Easter ceasefire. Instead, he revealed the Kremlin was “satisfied” with US moves to bar Ukraine from NATO.
“We have heard from Washington at various levels that Ukraine’s membership in NATO is excluded,” he said.
“Of course, this is something that causes our satisfaction and coincides with our position.”
Reports also suggest the Trump administration is prepared to recognise Russian sovereignty over Crimea as part of a peace deal – though not the four other occupied Ukrainian regions.
The Kremlin is said to be angling for guarantees that Ukraine will never join NATO – one of the “root causes” of the war, according to Peskov.
Despite Trump’s bold claim that he could end the war “within 24 hours,” attacks have continued relentlessly. But he remains optimistic a deal is near.
“Hopefully Russia and Ukraine will make a deal this week,” Trump posted on Truth Social.
“Both will then start to do big business with the United States of America, which is thriving, and make a fortune!”
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