Ukraine war latest: Russia launches mass daytime drone attack on western, central Ukraine

War Ukraine war latest: Russia launches mass daytime drone attack on western, central Ukraine April 1, 2026 9:26 pm • 9 min read Prefer on Google by The Kyiv Independent news desk Key developments on April 1: Russia launches mass daytime drone attack on western, central Ukraine Zelensky pitches Easter ceasefire to US negotiators as Russia continues attacks Russia tells Zelensky to withdraw Ukrainian troops from Donbas 'already today' Russia's new fiber-optic sea drone 'Skarlupa' deployed in combat, Kremlin media claims Russian An-26 transport aircraft crashes over occupied Crimea, killing 29 Russia launched a mass daytime drone attack on Ukraine's western and central oblasts, killing at least four and injuring nine others, local authorities and media said on April 1. Telegram channels monitoring Ukraine's airspace reported that over 80 drones were in the country's airspace at 1:43 p.m. local time. Air raid alerts were issued in much of Ukraine, with large numbers of drones heading toward western parts of the country, including Lviv, Ternopil, Ivano-Frankivsk, Chernivtsi, and Zakarpattia oblasts. Ukraine's Air Force reported that during the day on April 1, from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Ukraine was attacked by more than 360 Russian attack drones, around 250 of which were Shahed-type drones. "Throughout the day, the vast majority of drones flew in from the southeast, heading west. Unfortunately, as a result of the Russian terrorist attack, 14 strikes were recorded, and there are casualties," the Air Force said . Four people were killed in the Zolotoniskyi district, Cherkasy Oblast Governor Ihor Taburets reported on April 1. "It happened in an open area during an air raid alert. Law enforcement officials are currently investigating the circumstances," Taburets said. The Cherkasy Prosecutor's Office reported that around 1:00 p.m., a drone warhead that landed in an open area between settlements in the Zolotonosha district later detonated. The explosion killed four local re...