Ukraine Bolsters Drone Operations While Western Allies Push for Ceasefire Amid Continued Russian Strikes on Civilian Infrastructure
Summary of the Day — April 6, 2025
The day was defined by stark contrasts between Ukraine’s tactical successes and mounting strategic challenges on the diplomatic front. Ukrainian drones demonstrated increasing effectiveness in strikes against Russian oil refineries and military facilities, significantly disrupting the enemy’s logistical chain. Meanwhile, Western partners announced new aid packages, but mixed signals from the American administration have created tension in the international coalition. Against the backdrop of missile strikes on Kyiv and Kherson claiming civilian lives, President Zelensky continues to insist on the urgent need to strengthen Ukraine’s air defense systems and apply greater pressure on Russia to accept a genuine ceasefire.
A street vendor prepares items for sale at a flea market as smoke rises in the distance following a Russian missile attack, in Kyiv. (Photo by Roman Pilipey / AFP via Getty Images)
Drone Offensive: Ukraine Strikes Russian Oil Infrastructure
A large-scale Ukrainian drone operation targeting Russian oil refineries and fuel depots occurred overnight, with six facilities attacked simultaneously across different regions of Russia, including Rostov Oblast and Krasnodar Krai.
“This is the largest coordinated attack on Russian energy infrastructure since the beginning of the year,” confirmed Ukrainian military intelligence representative Andriy Yusov. “All targets were successfully hit, significantly reducing Russia’s ability to supply fuel to its military units in the occupied territories.”
Russian authorities confirmed attacks on the Novoshakhtinsk oil refinery and fuel storage facilities in Rostov-on-Don, where large-scale fires erupted, visible even from satellite imagery. Rostov Oblast Governor Vasily Golubev declared a state of emergency in the region and acknowledged “significant damage to critical infrastructure.”
Winter’s Last Gasp: Russia Escalates Strikes on Energy Facilities
A massive missile strike against Ukraine’s energy infrastructure occurred early in the morning. Russian forces launched 15 cruise missiles and 25 Shahed kamikaze drones, targeting energy facilities in Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, and Odesa oblasts.
“The enemy is trying to inflict maximum damage before the summer season when our energy capacities could recover,” noted Ukrainian Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko. “This is a cynical strategy — to make life impossible for millions of Ukrainians even far from the front line.”
According to Ukraine’s Air Force, air defense systems managed to intercept 11 cruise missiles and 18 drones, but four missiles and seven drones reached their targets. As a result, two thermal power plants sustained serious damage, while Odesa and the outskirts of Kharkiv experienced power outages affecting approximately 350,000 households.
Deadly Missile Barrage: Russia Conducts Largest Attack in Nearly a Month
Russian forces conducted the largest series of missile and drone strikes against Ukraine in nearly a month on the night of April 5-6. The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Russian forces launched nine Kh-101/Kh-55SM cruise missiles from Tu-95MS aircraft over Saratov Oblast airspace; eight Kalibr cruise missiles from the Black Sea; six Iskander-M ballistic missiles from Bryansk Oblast; and 109 Shahed and decoy drones from various launch points.
Ukrainian forces downed six Kh-101/Kh-55SM cruise missiles, six Kalibr missiles, one Iskander-M ballistic missile, and 40 Shahed drones, while 53 decoy drones were neutralized, likely due to electronic warfare interference. Russian strikes hit residential and civilian infrastructure in Kyiv, Sumy, Kharkiv, Kirovohrad, Khmelnytskyi, Cherkasy, and Mykolaiv oblasts.
Kyiv Under Fire: Missile Strike Kills One, Injures Three
An overnight Russian ballistic missile attack on Kyiv killed one person and wounded three others. The victim’s body was found on a street near the explosion epicenter in the capital’s Darnytskyi District. Two of the injured have been hospitalized.
Firefighters work at the attack site following the Russian ballistic missile attack on Kyiv. (Danylo Antoniuk/Anadolu via Getty Images)
The attack affected multiple districts, including Darnytskyi, Obolonsky, and Solomyansky. Fires broke out at several non-residential buildings, a furniture shop, and a warehouse. A five-story office building suffered “partial destruction” across several floors.
Poland mobilized its jets and air defenses in response to the massive Russian missile attack, according to a statement from the Polish Armed Forces.
Media Under Attack: Ukrainian TV Channel’s Newsroom Destroyed
The Russian missile attack destroyed the newsroom of the Ukrainian television channel Freedom TV in Kyiv, according to a statement from the channel. The strike hit an office building housing international broadcasting channels, with the three top floors “destroyed” and lower floors “significantly damaged.”
The building housed the state-owned International Multimedia Broadcasting Platform of Ukraine, which includes Freedom TV and other channels such as UATV English, UATV Español, UATV Arabic, UATV Portuguese, and The Gaze. Despite the attack, Freedom TV continues to operate from a backup studio.
“This is the second attack in less than two months,” said Yuliia Bin, CEO of the International Broadcasting Multimedia Platform of Ukraine, emphasizing that her team would find solutions to continue operations.
Tragedy in Kryvyi Rih: Death Toll Rises to 20, Including Nine Children
The death toll from Russia’s April 4 missile attack on Kryvyi Rih has risen to 20 people, including nine children, according to Oleksandr Vilkul, head of the city’s military administration.
“Unfortunately, the number of victims of the Russian terrorist attack on April 4 has increased to 20 people,” Vilkul reported. “A 57-year-old man died in the hospital from multiple wounds. Doctors were doing everything possible and impossible around the clock, but the injuries were incompatible with life.”
Another 75 people sustained injuries, with victims ranging from elderly individuals to a three-month-old infant. Thirty-seven wounded have been hospitalized, with two children aged 5 and 8 in critical condition, along with 15 other victims.
The attack damaged 34 apartment buildings and six educational facilities, as well as various shops, businesses, cars, and homes in Zelensky’s hometown.
Kherson Under Attack: Drone Strike Claims Civilian Life
A Russian drone attack killed a 59-year-old man in the city of Kherson in southern Ukraine, Kherson Oblast Governor Oleksandr Prokudin reported. The victim died on the spot after the attack at around 6:30 a.m.
Since Ukrainian forces liberated portions of territory on the western bank of the Dnipro River in Kherson Oblast in 2022, Russia has relentlessly continued its attacks on civilians remaining in the area.
According to Prokudin, around 66,000 people currently live in Kherson, which he estimated to be about 25 percent of the pre-war population. Approximately 145,000 people reside in Kherson Oblast, including about 12,000 children under the age of 14.
Zelensky’s Call to Action: “Pressure on Russia Still Insufficient”
President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that the number of Russian air attacks is increasing, indicating there is not enough international pressure on Moscow. “The pressure on Russia is still insufficient, and the daily Russian strikes on Ukraine prove it,” Zelensky stated.
He emphasized that Russia “intends to continue the war and the killing,” which is why “there can be no easing of pressure.” Over the past week, Zelensky noted that Russia has launched more than 1,460 guided aerial bombs, nearly 670 attack drones, and over 30 missiles of various types against Ukraine.
“Every Russian promise ends with missiles or drones, bombs or artillery. Diplomacy means nothing to them. And that’s why pressure is needed — sufficient pressure on Russia so they feel the consequences of every lie, every strike, every single day they take lives and prolong the war,” he added.
Russian Naval Tactics: Black Sea Moratorium Stalled to Preserve Strike Capability
Ukrainian officials highlighted that Russia is leveraging its naval vessels in the Black Sea to conduct missile strikes against Ukraine as Russia continues to stall the Black Sea moratorium on military operations jointly proposed by Ukraine and the United States.
President Zelensky stated that Russian forces launched missiles from the Black Sea during the April 5-6 overnight strike, with Ukraine’s partners identifying the Russian vessels and launch sites involved. “This is one of the reasons why Russia is distorting diplomacy, why it is refusing to agree to an unconditional ceasefire—they want to preserve their ability to strike our cities and ports from the sea,” he explained.
Ukrainian Navy Spokesperson Captain Dmytro Pletenchuk reported that Russia launched a total of 10 Kalibr cruise missiles from an unspecified frigate and submarine, marking the fourth time in the past four months that Russia has used ships to launch missiles at Ukraine.
UN Reaction: High Commissioner for Human Rights “Shocked” by Kryvyi Rih Attack
Volker Türk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, expressed shock at Russia’s April 4 missile strike on Kryvyi Rih, which killed nine children.
“It’s an unimaginable horror — nine children killed, most while playing in a park, as a military weapon exploded into shrapnel above them,” Türk stated. “The use of an explosive weapon with wide area effects by the Russian Federation in a densely populated area — and without any apparent military presence — demonstrates a reckless disregard for civilian life.”
The local UN team visited the attack site on April 5 to document the damage and identify the children killed in the strike.
Diplomatic Maneuvers: New US-Russia Contacts on the Horizon
Kremlin negotiator Kirill Dmitriev announced that new contacts between Russia and the United States could take place as early as next week. In an interview with Russia’s state-controlled TV Channel One, Dmitriev expressed “cautious optimism” about renewed diplomatic engagement.
“Of course, the big focus is on restoring Russian-American relations, I have been busy with this for a long time, for many years. Of course, the focus is on economic and investment cooperation… We see the beginning of a respectful, good dialogue,” he said.
Dmitriev played a significant role in backchannel diplomacy between Moscow and Trump when he was first elected in 2016. The official was later appointed by Putin as his representative for foreign economic relations and was involved in early U.S.-Russian negotiations in Riyadh in February.
Ukraine-US Mineral Resources Agreement: New Talks Planned
Ukraine will send a delegation to Washington next week to begin talks on a new draft agreement that would grant the U.S. access to Ukraine’s mineral resources, Economy Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko announced. The Ukrainian delegation will consist of representatives from the economy, foreign affairs, justice, and finance ministries.
“What we have now is a document that reflects the position of the U.S. Treasury legal team,” Svyrydenko said, noting that it represents only one side’s position at this stage. “This is not a final version, it’s not a joint position.” Ukraine plans to assemble a technical team to define its red lines and core principles ahead of talks with the U.S.
Ukraine’s mineral wealth includes strategically important resources such as titanium, lithium, and uranium, all crucial for U.S. industries like aerospace and nuclear power.
Tariff Tensions: Russia Excluded from US Tariff List
White House National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett revealed that Russia was excluded from the U.S. tariff list due to ongoing peace negotiations with Ukraine.
“It’s not appropriate to throw a new thing into these negotiations right in the middle of it. It’s just not,” Hassett stated, arguing that introducing new tariffs during peace talks would risk disrupting diplomatic progress.
Trump’s new tariff policy imposed duties on nearly every major U.S. trading partner, including Ukraine, which was hit with a 10% tariff. Russia, Belarus, North Korea, and Cuba were notably not included in the list.
European Divisions: Estonia Criticizes Hungary’s Russia Stance
Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said Hungary is on “Putin’s team” in a notable diplomatic rebuke. “To be divided, you would need two major parties. We have Hungary, a very weak country, that’s on Putin’s team. Not on our European team,” Tsahkna stated.
Hungary maintains positive relations with Russia in contrast with other EU members. Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto visited Moscow on March 26 to discuss continued economic cooperation between the two countries.
Tsahkna called for the “coalition of the willing” to be established so that Hungary could not abuse its voting power in institutions that require unanimous consent, suggesting that stripping Hungary of its voting power in the EU “is getting closer and closer.”
Underwater Espionage: Russian Sensors Discovered in UK Waters
Russian sensors, believed to be part of an effort to spy on the UK’s nuclear submarines, have been discovered concealed in the waters surrounding Britain, according to reports. The UK military has discovered several of these sensors after they washed ashore, with more identified by the Royal Navy.
These devices are believed to have been planted by Moscow to gather intelligence on the UK’s four Vanguard submarines, which carry nuclear missiles as part of Britain’s continuous at-sea deterrent.
“There should be no doubt, there is a war raging in the Atlantic. This is a game of cat and mouse that has continued since the ending of the Cold War, and is now heating up again. We are seeing phenomenal amounts of Russian activity,” a senior serving British military official stated.
Strategic Tech Strikes: Ukrainian Drones Target Key Russian Factories
Ukrainian deep-strike drones hit Russian fiber-optic and explosives factories on the night of April 4. The strikes targeted facilities in Samara and Mordovia oblasts, with a source from the Ukrainian State Security Service (SBU) confirming they were behind at least the strikes in Samara Oblast.
“SBU strike drones attacked ‘Promsintez’ in Chapayevsk, in Samara Oblast. The factory is one of the leading manufacturers of explosives in the Russian Federation and the Commonwealth of Independent States,” said an SBU source, adding their drones hit the factory 20 times. “As a result, the leadership of the factory have stopped their technological processes.”
The other target, a facility belonging to “Fiber Optic Systems” in Saransk, Mordovia Oblast, is reportedly the main producer of optical fiber in Russia. Fiber-optic drones are resistant to electronic warfare interference, and Russia’s mass production of such drones has greatly enhanced its military capabilities.
Battlefield Developments: Russian Advances Slowing Since November
The rate of Russian advances in Ukraine has been steadily declining since November 2024, in part due to successful Ukrainian counterattacks in eastern Ukraine. According to the UK Ministry of Defense, Russian forces advanced 143 square kilometers in Ukraine in March 2025, compared to approximately 730 square kilometers in November 2024.
The monthly rate of Russian advances has decreased each month: from 730 square kilometers in November 2024 to 393 square kilometers in December 2024, 326 square kilometers in January 2025, and 195 square kilometers in February 2025.
Ukrainian forces have conducted localized counterattacks in the Pokrovsk and Toretsk directions in recent weeks, regaining lost positions in these areas and contributing to slowing Russian advances in Ukraine.
Territorial Changes: Recent Advances on Both Sides
Ukrainian forces recently advanced near Borova, while Russian forces recently advanced in Kursk and Sumy oblasts and near Kupyansk, Toretsk, Pokrovsk, and Kurakhove.
Geolocated footage published on April 5 indicates that Ukrainian forces recently advanced west of Makiivka, southeast of Borova. Meanwhile, Russian forces have made confirmed advances in northeastern Guyevo (Kursk Oblast), southern Basivka (Sumy Oblast), southern Kamyanka (near Kupyansk), along Enhelsa Street in northern Toretsk, along Skhidna Street in northeastern Udachne (southwest of Pokrovsk), and north of Andriivka (west of Kurakhove).
The spokesperson of a Ukrainian brigade operating in the Siversk direction reported that Russian forces are using artillery, aviation, and drone strikes as well as small infantry group attacks to try to find weak spots in Ukrainian defenses. They also noted that Russian forces occasionally use motorcycles or civilian vehicles and are deploying fewer armored vehicles because they are more difficult to replace than manpower losses.
World Rally for Ukraine: Washington DC Demonstration Shows Support
Representatives from U.S. civil society organizations, activists, and citizens gathered for a mass rally near the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC to show support for Ukraine.
The event was held under the slogan “We stand for American values, we support Ukraine,” and kicked off the Ukraine Action Summit, which will continue in Washington until April 9. Nearly 600 delegates from different states are expected to reach out to the offices of congressmen and senators about the need for further assistance to Ukraine.
“Americans understand that our values are the same — they are universal. These are the values of freedom, democracy, and human rights. So here we would like to underline the fact that Ukraine is currently fighting for them in a challenging confrontation,” noted the event’s co-organizer, President of United Help Ukraine Maryna Baydyuk.
Call for Global Action: The Path Forward Amid Continued Violence
As diplomatic efforts continue with mixed results, the reality on the ground remains dire for Ukrainian civilians. Trump has reiterated his call for a ceasefire in the Russia-Ukraine war, urging Putin to stop the violence. “We are talking to Russia. We would like them to stop,” Trump told reporters. “I don’t like the bombing, the bombing goes on and on, and every week thousands of young people being killed.”
French President Emmanuel Macron also joined the push for a ceasefire: “While Ukraine accepted President Trump’s proposal for a complete and unconditional ceasefire for 30 days nearly a month ago, while we are working with all our partners on ways to secure peace, Russia continues the war with renewed intensity, showing no regard for civilians,” Macron stated.
“These Russian strikes must stop. A ceasefire must be reached as soon as possible. And strong action must follow if Russia continues to stall and reject peace,” he added.
The coming days will be critical in determining whether diplomatic initiatives can translate into meaningful progress on the ground, as Ukraine continues to defend against Russian aggression while pushing for stronger international support.