Russian Drone Strike on Odesa Kills Three, Injures 15

At least three people were killed and 15 injured after Russian drone strikes hit Odesa, damaging residential buildings and infrastructure. Ukraine intercepted most of the drones but also faced power outages in the Chernihiv region, while President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for stronger air defense support. Meanwhile, Ukraine continued strikes on Russian oil facilities, as both sides intensify attacks amid the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine.

At least three people have been confirmed dead and 15 others injured following a wave of Russian drone strikes on the southern Ukrainian port city of Odesa early Monday morning, according to local authorities.
Among the fatalities were a 30-year-old woman and her 2-year-old daughter, as well as a 53-year-old woman. They were killed when a drone hit a multi-story residential building.
Regional military governor Oleh Kiper stated that law enforcement agencies are currently documenting what he described as the aggressor state's latest war crimes against civilians.
He added that residential buildings, critical infrastructure, and administrative facilities were all targeted in the attack. Rescue efforts remain ongoing, with fears that more victims could still be trapped beneath the rubble.
Ukraine’s air defense forces reported that Russia launched a total of 141 drones during the latest assault, of which 114 were successfully intercepted.
In a separate development, strikes in the northern Chernihiv region left approximately 340,000 people without electricity, according to authorities.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized the need for stronger international cooperation on air defense systems. He said Ukraine’s partners must work together to improve interception rates for both drones and missiles.
With peace efforts led by the United States currently stalled—partly due to ongoing tensions linked to the Iran–Israel conflict escalation—Zelenskyy stressed that Russia has shown no intention of halting its ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, now entering its fifth year.
At the same time, Ukraine has continued its own offensive operations, targeting Russian oil export infrastructure in an effort to limit Moscow’s ability to benefit from rising global demand. This demand has been influenced by reduced supply from the Middle East amid the broader regional conflict involving Iran.
Over the Easter weekend, Ukrainian drone strikes were reported at oil facilities in Primorsk, located in Russia’s Leningrad region, as well as in Kstovo near Nizhny Novgorod, roughly 450 kilometers east of Moscow. Additional strikes were reported at the Black Sea port of Novorossiysk, where Ukrainian forces claimed to have successfully hit a Russian warship.
On Sunday evening, at least one person was killed in Russia’s Belgorod region, which borders Ukraine. Authorities also reported Ukrainian attacks in Sevastopol, located in Russian-occupied Crimea, as well as on a cargo vessel transporting wheat in the Sea of Azov.
According to the Russian military, nearly 150 Ukrainian drones were intercepted within a three-hour period on Sunday night. Despite this, authorities reported that close to half a million households across Russia were temporarily left without electricity.
The Washington-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW) noted that Russian military bloggers have warned that damage to oil export facilities and energy infrastructure will be both costly and time-consuming to repair. The ISW further stated that such bloggers have previously criticized Russia’s inability to restore damaged facilities due to sanctions affecting parts supply, as well as weaknesses in air defense systems.
Speaking from Damascus on Sunday, where he met with interim Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, Zelenskyy warned that Russia is benefiting economically from the ongoing conflict involving Iran. He pointed specifically to the partial easing of U.S. sanctions on Russian oil as a contributing factor.
“Russia gets additional money because of this,” Zelenskyy said, reiterating his call for sustained delivery of air defense munitions to Ukraine.
He also acknowledged a shift in global attention, stating, “We have to recognize that we are not the priority for today,” and expressed concern that a prolonged conflict involving Iran could reduce international support for Ukraine.
Meanwhile, on the eastern frontline, Ukraine’s commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrskyi reported that Ukrainian forces have regained 480 square kilometers of territory since late January.
However, he noted via Telegram that Russian troops continue efforts to establish a buffer zone in the Dnipropetrovsk region. The ISW also reported that Ukrainian counterattacks are disrupting Russian advances near Pokrovsk in the Donetsk region.