On an unfortunate day marred by military aggression, Russia launched attacks on Ukraine, resulting in the tragic loss of two lives and the disruption of power services in the region.
“War does not determine who is right – only who is left.” – Bertrand Russell
The devastating Russian attacks were launched on a day when Ukraine was celebrating Easter, casting a dark shadow over the festivities.
In Lviv, one casualty was reported following a Russian cruise missile strike on the region’s infrastructure. The assault resulted in the demolition of a building and initiated a fire, as stated by Governor Maksym Kozytskyi on his social media platform. Rescue operations were immediately set into motion.
In the northeastern Kharkiv region, an air raid resulted in the unfortunate demise of a 19-year-old man when a projectile directly hit a gas station. The Governor of the region, Oleh Syniehubov, confirmed the incident.
In a related development, the Odesa region of Ukraine faced a significant power outage when debris from a downed Russian drone ignited a fire at an energy facility. Governor Oleh Kiper reported the incident.
According to DTEK, Ukraine’s leading private electricity operator, about 170,000 households experienced power outages as a consequence of the assault.
Ukraine’s Air Force managed to shoot down nine out of eleven Shahed-type drones that Russia had deployed overnight. Additionally, they also successfully intercepted nine out of the fourteen cruise missiles launched by the Russian forces.
In a recent announcement, Centrenergo, a Ukrainian energy company, declared that the Zmiiv Thermal Power Plant, one of the largest in the northeastern Kharkiv region, was completely destroyed due to Russian shelling last week.
As a result of the destruction, about 120,000 people are still following power outage schedules. Earlier, about 700,000 people had faced a power outage when the plant was struck on March 22.
In his Easter message, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy motivated the country to persist. He acknowledged the constant threat of Russian terror that the people of Ukraine are experiencing, but also emphasized on their indomitable spirit and their refusal to give up.
Ukraine’s Catholic, Protestant, and Greek Orthodox Christians celebrate Easter Sunday according to the Gregorian calendar, while the country’s religious majority, Orthodox Christians, follow the Julian calendar, which in 2024 places Easter on May 5.
Interestingly, many of Ukraine’s Orthodox Christians had started marking Christmas in line with the Gregorian calendar on Dec. 25 in 2023, a move adopted by some of the country’s churches to distance themselves from Russia. However, the dates for Easter and other religious holidays have remained unchanged.
In a shocking development, ten Czech-made Vampire rockets landed in the border region of Belgorod in Russia. Following the attack, a fire broke out, injuring one woman, as reported by the regional Governor, Vyacheslav Gladkov.
In a significant move, Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed orders initiating the country’s annual spring recruitment season, officially drafting 150,000 conscripts. This move came after Russia’s parliament increased the upper age limit for conscripts from 27 to 30 in July 2023, seemingly as part of efforts to expand the country’s military during the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
