Massive Russian aerial strikes hit residential buildings in several Ukrainian cities, leaving at least one dead and more than two dozen injured, including several children, in attacks President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called "deliberate terror."
Two guided aerial bomb strikes hit the city of Zaporizhzhya on April 22, killing one woman and injuring 38 others -- four of whom were children and a pregnant woman, regional Governor Ivan Fedorov said.
Drone attacks were also seen in the city of Kharkiv, though casualty figures were unknown.
The daytime strikes came after a drone attack overnight sparked massive fires in the Ukrainian port city of Odesa, where a a housing block in a densely inhabited area was hit. The attack left one woman dead and at least three other residents injured.
The attack came amid ongoing diplomatic activity to secure a cease-fire in the Ukraine war, following Russia’s unprovoked full-scale invasion of its neighbor in February 2022.
"All of this is absolutely deliberate Russian terror that can be stopped by a single order, an order in Russia and for the Russian Army," Zelenskyy said in a post on Telegram.
"Our proposal for a cease-fire regarding civilian buildings also remains in force. Russia needs to be seriously prepared to talk about this. There are no obstacles on the Ukrainian side and there will be none."
Across the country, the Ukrainian Air Force reported dozens of drone attacks overnight.
Odesa Mayor Hennadiy Trukhaniv wrote on social media on April 22 that many apartments had been damaged and that “the residents are in shock.”
Emergency services posted photos and videos of fire crew battling blazes at what they said was civilian infrastructure.
The renewed attacks came a day after Russian President Vladimir Putin admitted that his forces were attacking civilian targets in Ukraine.
Speaking on April 21 about an attack on the northern city of Sumy last week, in which 35 people were killed, he said the target was a civilian building –- but that soldiers were present there, making it a legitimate target.
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Sumy Mourns Victims Of Deadly Russian Missile Strike
After the attack, the head of the local Ukrainian military administration was fired following accusations that he had organized a military award ceremony in the city.
Sumy was again targeted by Russian drone strikes overnight on April 22 which damaged some buildings.
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Deadly Russian Strikes Hit Zaporizhzhya; Sumy Region And Odesa Also Struck
Authorities in Kyiv also reported damaged houses and cars following overnight Russian attacks. But the head of the regional military administration, Mykola Kalashnyk, said no critical infrastructure was hit.
“Six private houses, four cars, three outbuildings, and three garages were damaged as a result of an enemy attack. There was also a fire at a construction site,” he wrote on Telegram.
Later, air raid sirens sounded again amid renewed sightings of Russian drones.
Meanwhile, the governor of Russia's Vladimir region, Aleksandr Avdeyev, said on April 22 that an explosion occurred in the region's Kirzhach district.
Avdeyev did not provide details but said emergency services were on site. Telegram channels reported the blast happened in the village of Barsovo, near military unit 11785, also known as the 51st arsenal of Russia’s Defense Ministry, which stores ammunition.
Residents reported several explosions. A "powerful attack" was reported, prompting evacuations in Barsovo and nearby villages within a 5 km radius. Roads to Kirzhach from Moscow were blocked.
Local authorities announced a state of emergency in the area.
Russia also launched large-scale missile strikes on Easter Monday on April 21, following the expiry of a self-declared 30-hour Easter truce. Kyiv claimed Russian forces violated the truce 3,000 times.
On April 22, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot dismissed the truce as a “marketing operation” by Putin aimed primarily at US President Donald Trump, who has expressed frustration at continuing Russian attacks as he pushes diplomatic efforts to achieve a cease-fire.
SEE ALSO: Ukraine Stands By Proposal To End Attacks On Civilian Targets, Zelenskyy Says"The Easter truce, which he announced somewhat unexpectedly, was a marketing operation, an operation of charm, aimed at preventing President Trump's impatience and anger," Barrot was quoted by the AFP news agency as saying on FranceInfo television.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha said he spoke to Barrot the previous evening to coordinate positions ahead of a meeting in London on April 23.
The London meeting was set to bring together Britain, France, Germany, Ukraine, and the United States, following a gathering in Paris on April 18 -- the first joint talks in this format since Trump took office.
Barrot told FranceInfo that the European countries used that meeting to tell Washington what their red lines were for a deal. Trump has said he’s hopeful an agreement can be wrapped up this week, which feels ambitious to many observers.
But in another sign that diplomacy is picking up steam, Putin said on April 21 that he was ready for direct talks with Zelenskyy -- something that he had until recently refused.
This was met with skepticism by Ukrainian political analyst Ihor Reiterovich, who told RFE/RL's Current Time that it was "standard manipulation -- an attempt to portray Russia in a peace-making light, which frankly looks extremely cynical."