In a notable departure from typical tactics, the Russian military did not launch a mass drone attack at Ukraine on the night of 1 April, marking the first such instance in 2025.
The previous such pause specifically in drone operations occurred on 10 December 2024.
However, Russian forces attacked Ukraine with two guided Kh-59/69 aviation missiles on 1 April, according to the Ukrainian Air Force Command.
This comes as the US under Trump negotiated a temporary ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia, which aimed to halt attacks on energy infrastructure and in the Black Sea. Despite this agreement, both countries accused each other of violating its terms, particularly regarding energy infrastructure strikes.
However, today’s pause in drone strikes does not signify a comprehensive ceasefire as the situation remains unpredictable.
“We continue to monitor, so far this doesn’t mean anything,” said Andrii Kovalenko, head of the Center for Countering Disinformation, who confirmed the absence of strike drones.
The missiles, launched from tactical aviation aircraft near the Zaporizhzhia Oblast, a part of which is occupied by Russia, were both intercepted by Ukrainian air defense systems.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces still issued several warnings throughout the night about potential aviation strike threats, maintaining their standard alert procedures.
This break in drone assault patterns follows a more substantial attack the previous night. On 31 March, Russian forces targeted Ukraine with two Iskander-M ballistic missiles alongside 131 Shahed-type strike UAVs and various decoy drones, with Ukrainian forces reporting 102 drones were shot down or lost tracking.
The strikes ignited a substantial fire at an enterprise in Kharkiv and damaged 13 buildings, including a children’s institution, with 120 windows broken in residential areas. Three male employees, aged 50-60, were injured, with one sustaining a knee injury and the others experiencing acute stress reactions.
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