Day 1,500: Russia Launches Mass Missile & Drone Strikes Killing 14+ Civilians in 'Easter Escalation'

Day 1,500 of Russia's full-scale invasion. Russia launched a major combined missile and drone attack on Ukraine on April 4, killing at least 14 civilians and wounding dozens more in what President Zelensky condemned as an 'Easter escalation.' A separate subsequent wave killed at least 5 more people. The strikes hit residential areas and civilian infrastructure across multiple Ukrainian cities and oblasts. Zelensky called on Western partners to respond to Russia's deliberate targeting of civilians around the Orthodox Easter holiday period (April 20, 2026). The attacks come as the Trump-led peace process remains paused amid U.S. engagement in the Iran conflict, and Russia continues its attritional air campaign with no meaningful diplomatic brake. Ukrainian air defenses engaged the incoming missiles and drones, but multiple strikes penetrated defenses resulting in civilian deaths and infrastructure damage.