Ukraine war latest: Russia announces 'resumption' of hostilities after Easter ceasefire as Kyiv reports 3,000 violations

Key developments on April 21:

• Ukraine, US, UK, France to meet in London on April 23 for peace talks, Zelensky says
• Russia announces ‘resumption’ of hostilities after Easter ceasefire as Kyiv reports violations
• Ukraine strikes Russian drone launch site in Kursk Oblast, killing up to 20 operators, General Staff says
• Russia intensifies push in Kursk, Sumy border areas as Ukraine holds line, Syrskyi says

Representatives from Ukraine, the United Kingdom, France, and the United States will meet in London on April 23 to continue talks on a potential ceasefire in Russia’s war against Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on April 21.

“We are ready to move forward as constructively as possible, just as we have done before, to achieve an unconditional ceasefire, followed by the establishment of a real and lasting peace,” Zelensky posted on X following a call with U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

The meeting comes as Ukraine allegedly faces mounting pressure to respond to a controversial U.S. proposal that includes provisions for recognizing Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea and barring Ukraine from joining NATO, the Wall Street Journal reported on April 20.

A source in the President’s Office told the Kyiv Independent that no such proposal exists.

U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters on April 21 that there is a “very good” chance of reaching a peace deal, citing recent talks as productive. Washington has previously signaled it may end its mediation efforts in the coming days if no meaningful progress is made.

“I will be giving you full details over the next three days, but we had very good meetings on Ukraine, Russia,” the U.S. president said. “There is a very good chance (to reach a ceasefire)."

Despite Trump’s push for a ceasefire, Moscow has rejected a proposed 30-day truce and continues offensive operations. On April 19, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a one-day Easter ceasefire, which Zelensky said was violated around 3,000 times.

Kyiv has proposed a separate 30-day ceasefire focused on halting long-range drone and missile attacks on civilian infrastructure. Putin said the Kremlin needs to “look into” the proposal.

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The Kyiv IndependentAsami Terajima

Russia announces ‘resumption’ of hostilities after Easter ceasefire as Kyiv reports violations

Russia’s Defense Ministry announced on April 21 that Russian troops resumed hostilities after the supposed Easter ceasefire, even as Ukraine accused Moscow of repeated violations while the truce was allegedly in effect.

The Russian ministry claimed its forces had struck Ukrainian forces near the village of Khmelivka in Sumy Oblast, the town of Kupiansk in Kharkiv Oblast, the villages of Novodanylivka in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Poniativka in Kherson Oblast, and near several settlements in Donetsk Oblast.

Russia’s temporary ceasefire was said to start at 6 p.m. Moscow time on April 19 and end at midnight on April 21. President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of nearly 3,000 ceasefire breaches during that period.

Russia’s violations included 96 Russian assaults on Ukrainian positions, 1,882 instances of shelling, and 950 uses of Russian first-person-view (FPV) drones during the truce, Zelensky claimed, citing a briefing from Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi.

According to Kyiv, the Russian military was most active in the Pokrovsk and Siversk directions in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk Oblast.

The Ukrainian military warned in early April that Russia was preparing a new offensive in Kharkiv Oblast.

The press service of Ukraine’s 13th National Guard Khartiia Brigade said on April 20 that Russia also used the Easter truce to reinforce positions and prepare for renewed assaults in Kharkiv Oblast.

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The Kyiv IndependentChris York

Ukraine strikes Russian drone launch site in Kursk Oblast, killing up to 20 operators, General Staff says

Ukraine’s Air Force struck a Russian drone launch site near the village of Tetkino in Russia’s Kursk Oblast on April 19, Ukraine’s General Staff reported on April 21.

The attack killed up to 20 drone operators, the statement read. Russian forces reportedly used the facility to prepare, equip, and launch reconnaissance, strike, and FPV (first-person-view) drones.

Russian forces launch hundreds of drones against Ukraine almost every night, targeting civilian areas and critical infrastructure.

“Our strike is a tangible response to (Russia’s) actions against the Ukrainian army,” the General Staff said. “No war crime will go unpunished."

The drone attacks come as Moscow continues to reject a U.S.-backed proposal for a 30-day ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine.

President Volodymyr Zelensky proposed on April 20 to implement a 30-day ban on long-range drone and missile strikes against civilian infrastructure. The Kremlin did not support Kyiv’s proposal.

Russia intensifies push in Kursk, Sumy border areas as Ukraine holds line, Syrskyi says

Russian forces are intensifying efforts to push Ukrainian troops out of Kursk Oblast and capture border areas of Sumy Oblast, Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said in a Facebook post on April 21.

“Intense fighting continues in Sumy Oblast in areas near the state border, as well as on the territory of the Russian Federation,” Syrskyi wrote.

Sumy Oblast, in northeastern Ukraine, borders Russia’s Kursk, Bryansk, and Belgorod oblasts, making it a critical front line in Russia’s full-scale war.

Syrskyi said that Ukrainian forces “have once again thwarted the enemy’s offensive in this area with their active actions,” preventing Russian troops from executing their operational objectives.

The general reported visiting front-line brigades shortly before Easter, meeting with commanders, headquarters officials, and military service chiefs.

He said all necessary decisions had been made to support ongoing operations and replenish military equipment and ammunition.

Syrskyi emphasized that Ukraine’s ability to counter Russia’s numerical advantage depends on advancing in high-tech warfare.

“Only by staying ahead of the enemy in the use of high-tech weapons, increasing the number and quality of robotic platforms and remotely controlled modules, and introducing artificial intelligence into weapons will Ukraine be able to destroy the Russian forces effectively,” he said.

The statement follows warnings that Russia has launched its expected spring offensive. Syrskyi said on April 9 that Moscow’s campaign “has actually already begun,” with Russian attacks surging across the front line.

Zelensky warned in March that Russia was preparing new assaults on Sumy and Kharkiv oblasts following Moscow’s rapid advances in Kursk Oblast.

Ukraine initially captured 1,300 square kilometers (500 square miles) of Russian territory during a cross-border operation but has since come under intense pressure from a Russian counteroffensive bolstered by North Korean forces.

According to the DeepState monitoring group, as of April 21, Ukrainian forces hold approximately 30 square kilometers (about 323 square feet) of territory in Russia’s Kursk Oblast.

Note from the author:

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