Kyiv, Ukraine — April 4, 2026 At least 14 people were killed in a wave of Russian drone and missile strikes across Ukraine on Good Friday, marking one of the deadliest attack days in recent months as Moscow escalates its bombardment during the Easter holiday period.
Escalation Amid Easter Observances
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of deliberately intensifying hostilities during the religious holiday, stating the attacks targeted civilians in multiple regions. The strikes spanned from front-line territories to northern areas far from active combat zones, including the Sumy, Zhytomyr, and Dnipropetrovsk regions.
The Ukrainian air force reported that Russia launched over 500 drones and dozens of rockets in the assault, the largest single-day drone deployment since the war began in February 2022. March had already set a grim record for drone attacks, with Ukraine enduring more strikes than in any previous month of the conflict.
Regional Breakdown of Casualties
Three civilians died in the Sumy region near Ukraine’s northern border with Russia, where shelling and drone incursions have become frequent. Two more fatalities were confirmed in Zhytomyr and Dnipropetrovsk, both west of the front lines, underscoring the reach of the attacks.
The heaviest toll came in Ukraine’s embattled southeastern regions, where eight people were killed across Kharkiv, Donetsk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia. These areas have faced relentless artillery and aerial strikes as Russian forces attempt to advance. Separately, one person died in the Kyiv region, though details of the strike were not immediately disclosed.