Russian drone strikes kill five across Ukraine as frontline tensions escalate

KATHMANDU. Ukrainian officials reported that Russia launched hundreds of drone strikes across Ukraine overnight and throughout Wednesday, resulting in at least five deaths. The attacks reportedly destroyed a postal company office.

Following the strikes, the Ukrainian postal company Nova Poshta published images showing a fire at a warehouse in the western city of Lutsk, with thick smoke billowing from the roof.

The assault occurred one day after the Kremlin rejected a Ukrainian proposal for a temporary ceasefire during the Easter holiday.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated on Facebook, "We proposed a ceasefire for Easter. In response, we are receiving 'Shahed' attacks."

The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Russia launched over 339 drones on Tuesday night and more than 360 during the day.

In the central Cherkasy region, Russian drones claimed four lives, while a drone strike on a car in the frontline Kherson region killed one woman and left two others seriously injured.

Meanwhile, Russia has increased pressure on the border, claiming on Wednesday to have captured two villages in eastern Ukraine and to have fully seized the Luhansk region. Russian forces had already occupied a large number of villages in this area.

In a separate social media post, Zelenskyy described the situation on the frontline as "extremely tense."

It is reported that Ukrainian leader Zelenskyy is scheduled to hold a video call late Wednesday with U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, aiming to restart talks that had stalled due to the war in Iran.