Fighting Resumes in Ukraine as Russian Forces Advance and Strikes Intensify

Combat operations in Ukraine escalated Tuesday following a brief Easter ceasefire and ongoing—but reportedly strained—peace discussions. The Russian Ministry of Defense announced the capture of Sukha Balka, a town north of Toretsk positioned at a strategic junction along the H-20 highway.

Russian drone strikes also intensified overnight, with widespread attacks reported across Ukraine. In Poltava, power outages were confirmed after electrical substations were hit, alongside strikes on industrial facilities. Additional attacks were reported in Odessa and Kharkov, according to footage shared online.

If substations were indeed targeted, it would mark the apparent end of the 30-day moratorium on strikes against energy infrastructure, initially agreed to by both sides in March. Russia maintains Ukraine failed to uphold the truce, citing over 90 attacks on Russian energy targets in the past month.

While President Donald Trump continues to push for a ceasefire—threatening to withdraw from talks if progress isn’t made—developments on the ground, and Moscow’s rhetoric, suggest peace remains elusive. Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, is expected to return to Moscow this week for a fourth meeting with Russian officials.

Earlier, it has been reported that the U.S. will unveil its peace plan to allies in London tomorrow which will reportedly conceded recognition of Crimea belonging to Russia and take Ukraine’s NATO aspirations off the table.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday rejected the idea of making territorial concessions to Russia, including over Crimea. Speaking earlier in the day, Zelensky also addressed speculation that Ukraine could be asked to abandon its aspirations to join NATO as part of a peace deal.

“If America asks us to abandon NATO, I will ask ‘and what in return?’” Zelensky would say.