Apr11, Kathmandu - A Russian drone strike in the Ukrainian city of Odessa, hours before a temporary ceasefire announced for Orthodox Easter was due to take effect, has raised serious questions about peace efforts. At least two people were killed and two others were injured in the attack on Saturday night.

The drone strike hit a residential area in the strategic port city of Odessa on the Black Sea coast. Local authorities said the attack damaged apartment buildings, private homes and a kindergarten, raising concerns about public safety.

The Ukrainian Air Force said Russia had launched 160 drones across the country overnight. Of those, 133 were shot down or disabled. The attacks came before a proposed 32-hour Easter ceasefire was due to take effect.

Meanwhile, Russia’s Defense Ministry said it had shot down 99 drones overnight, claiming Ukrainian forces had attacked its territory. This suggests that tensions between the two sides remain high.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday declared a 32-hour ceasefire for the Easter weekend, ordering a halt to all military activity from 4 p.m. Saturday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said his country was ready to mirror the move.

But past experience has cast doubt on the effectiveness of such a ceasefire. In previous attempts, both sides have accused each other of violations. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov described Putin’s announcement as a “humanitarian initiative,” but made clear that Russia’s main demands for a long-term solution remained.

Meanwhile, the possibility of a prisoner exchange over the Easter weekend is also being discussed. Russia’s human rights ombudsman Tatyana Moskalkova said both sides were working on the issue. Regular prisoner exchanges are seen as a rare positive in long-simmering relations between Moscow and Kiev.

The US-brokered talks have yet to make any tangible progress. As the war enters its fifth year, the prospects for a lasting peace remain uncertain as the core issues remain unresolved.