Children amongst those killed in Russian pre-Easter attacks on Ukraine

By Stefan J. Bos 

Video footage released by Moscow showed two Russian soldiers deploying a “killer” or “kamikaze” drone. 

Russia’s Defence Ministry said they destroyed an American howitzer on one of the battlefields of Ukraine. 

The footage comes as Kyiv says Russian forces used weaponized drones, ground- and air-fired missiles and rocket launchers to bomb the east and south of the war-raved nation.

The attacks since Thursday focus on provinces of Ukraine Russia has annexed but doesn’t fully control. Besides causing casualties, there were also widespread building damage and power outages. 

Ukrainian authorities say Russia concentrated most of its offensive operations in Ukraine’s industrial east, focusing on the cities and towns such as Bakhmut and Lyman, Avdiivka, and Marinka in the Donetsk region. 

At least a handful of civilians were killed. But Russia’s defense ministry reported inflicting dozens of casualties on Ukrainian forces, although those claims could not be independently verified.

Attacks were also reported in Ukraine’s partially occupied Kherson province over the last 24 hours. Kyiv said that among those injured were a 10-year-old girl, a three-year-old boy, and a 30-year-old woman. 

Easter warnings

People have been warned not to gather in large groups this Easter when authorities expect Russia to continue attacks. 

However, despite the strikes, Britain’s Defence Ministry says Russia’s campaign to break down Ukraine’s unified energy system within the past winter period has “highly likely failed.” 

It claims that Ukraine’s energy situation “will likely improve” with the arrival of warmer weather.

And as clashes continue, Russia faces mounting international pressure: 

Russia lost elections to three United Nations bodies this week: The country was overwhelmingly defeated by Romania for a seat on the Commission on the Status of Women which is part of the 54-member United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)

Russia also lost to Estonia to be a member of the executive board of the U.N. children’s agency, UNICEF

And it was defeated by Armenia and the Czech Republic in secret ballot votes for membership in the Commission on crime prevention and criminal justice.