- Russia and Ukraine launched major overnight drone strikes on Monday, April 13, 2026, officially ending the 32-hour Orthodox Easter truce.
- The Ukrainian Air Force reported intercepting 87 out of 98 Russian drones, while Russia claimed to have destroyed 33 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) overnight.
- Both nations traded accusations of thousands of breaches during the short-lived ceasefire, though a temporary lull in long-range missile and “Shahed-type” drone strikes was observed.
The 1,200-kilometre front line in the Russia-Ukraine conflict returned to high-intensity warfare on Monday morning as both sides resumed large-scale drone operations.
Eko Hot Blog reports that following the end of the Orthodox Easter truce at midnight, the Ukrainian Air Force confirmed that Russia launched 98 drones.
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While air defense units successfully downed 87 of the aircraft, an infrastructure facility in the Dnipropetrovsk region was reportedly hit, with authorities still clarifying casualty figures.
Simultaneously, the Russian Defense Ministry reported the interception of 33 Ukrainian aircraft-type UAVs over its territory.
The expired truce, which ran from Saturday afternoon through Sunday, was characterized by a complex mix of relative calm and persistent skirmishing.
Ukraine recorded over 10,000 violations by the Russian army during the period, primarily localized front-line clashes. Conversely, Moscow accused Kyiv of nearly 2,000 breaches.
Despite the high frequency of small-arms fire and skirmishes, the Ukrainian military noted a significant absence of heavy missile strikes and “Shahed/Gerbera” attack drones during the designated hours of the ceasefire.
As the conflict reverts to its prior state of attrition, diplomatic prospects remain stalled.
The brief pause, mirroring a similar agreement from 2025, provided a momentary reprieve for frontline troops but failed to translate into a broader de-escalation.
International observers note that while the truce offered a symbolic nod to religious tradition, the immediate return to heavy drone strikes underscores the deep-seated lack of trust between the warring parties as the war continues into its fifth year.
