Ukraine war latest: Russia kills at least 4, injures over 30 in mass daytime attack
on Google
Key developments on April 3:
- Over 400 Russian drones detected in Ukraine's airspace during mass attack, at least 4 killed, over 30 injured
- Russia suffers record losses in March, Zelensky says
- Ukraine's General Staff confirms strike on oil refinery in Russia's Ufa, targets in Russian-occupied Ukraine
- Russian Su-30 fighter jet crashes in occupied Crimea during training flight, Kremlin Defense Ministry claims
Russia carried out a mass daytime attack on Ukraine on April 3, deploying hundreds of drones and killing at least four people, and injuring over 30 others, local authorities said.
Drones were detected over Kirovohrad, Vinnytsia, Sumy, Cherkasy, Poltava, Zhytomyr, and Kyiv oblasts.
Ukraine's Air Force reported that from 6:00 p.m. on April 2 until 2:00 p.m. on April 3, Ukraine was attacked by more than 542 Russian drones, around 330 of which were Shahed-type drones, 25 Kh-101 cruise missiles, 10 Iskander-M ballistic missiles, and two Iskander-K cruise missiles.
According to preliminary data, air defense forces have intercepted 26 missiles and 515 drones. Eleven missiles and 27 drones bypassed defenses and struck 20 locations. Additionally, drone debris was found at 22 different sites.
At least one person was killed and eight others, including a child, were injured in Kyiv Oblast during the morning attack, according to the Kyiv Oblast Military Administration.
The strike damaged homes, high-rise apartment buildings, vehicles, administrative buildings, and other civilian infrastructure across three districts in the oblast. The Russian attack also targeted a veterinary clinic, killing around 20 animals.
During the day, Russian drones targeted the Shevchenkivskyi district of Kharkiv, injuring at least seven people, three of whom are in critical condition, Governor Oleh Syniehubov said.
A man and a woman died in hospital after being injured in the Russian April 3 attacks on Kharkiv, according to the governor.
Between 10:00 and 11:00 a.m. local time, Russia launched a series of missile and drone strikes against Zhytomyr Oblast, killing a 70-year-old woman and injuring at least ten others, Ukraine's Emergency Service said.
Russia suffers record losses in March, Zelensky says
Russia suffered its highest monthly losses since the start of the full-scale invasion, with more than 35,000 killed or wounded in Ukraine in March, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on April 3.
"Russian losses this March have reached their highest level since the start of the war," Zelensky said in a post on social media, adding: "Our drone strikes alone resulted in 33,988 Russian servicemembers killed or seriously wounded, while artillery and other strikes eliminated another 1,363 Russian occupiers."
"That means more than 35,000 Russian losses in just one month — and these are clearly verified losses."
The statement comes as Russian forces intensify their offensive on the southeastern front with the arrival of spring, as warmer weather creates more favorable conditions for active combat operations.
Zelensky said Ukraine has video evidence of each casualty among the more than 35,000 Russian soldiers reported killed or wounded.
"We have clear and verified reports on every front and across all categories of casualties. We are ready to provide the relevant data to our partners," Zelensky said after a meeting with Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov.
The president also highlighted units that have been particularly "effective" in drone warfare, including the Security Service of Ukraine's Special Operations Center "A," the "Madyar's Birds" unit, the "Phoenix" border guard special unit, Lazar's Group, and the 95th Separate Airborne Assault Brigade.
Speaking to journalists on April 3, Zelensky also said that, according to British intelligence, the battlefield situation is currently the most favorable for Ukraine in the past 10 months.
Ukraine's General Staff confirms strike on oil refinery in Russia's Ufa
Ukrainian drones struck several facilities inside Russia and Russian-occupied Ukraine on April 1–2, including an oil refinery in the Republic of Bashkortostan, Ukraine's General Staff confirmed on April 3.
The Bashneft-Novoil oil refinery in the Russian city of Ufa was hit, the General Staff said, adding that the attack caused a fire on the company's premises.
The Bashneft-Novoil oil refinery is one of the largest producers of high-quality lubricants in Russia, the General Staff said. Its crude oil refining capacity is approximately seven million tons per year.
"This refinery is a key component of Russia's fuel and energy complex and is used to meet the needs of the Russian military," the General Staff said. The extent of the damage is being assessed, it added.
In the attack, a residential building was also struck in Ufa and set on fire, an independent Telegram outlet, Astra, reported on April 2.
Regional governor Rady Khabirov claimed all the Ukrainian drones were shot down on their way to the refinery, and that only debris from the downed drones caused any damage.
There were no injuries or deaths as a result of the strike on the building, and the flames have been extinguished, local authorities said.
Ufa, the capital of Russia's republic of Bashkortostan, lies roughly 1,400 kilometers (870 miles) from the Ukrainian border.
In the Russian-occupied part of Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Ukraine struck the Kulikovsky training ground in Novopetrivka and an ammunition depot in Uspenivka, the General Staff said.
Ukraine also hit concentrations of Russian troops in Kotlyne and Shandryholove in Donetsk Oblast, and Berezove in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. The General Staff did not specify how many soldiers were killed or injured.
Russian Su-30 fighter jet crashes in occupied Crimea during training flight, Kremlin Defense Ministry claims
A Su-30 fighter jet went down in occupied Crimea during what was allegedly a training flight, Russia's Defense Ministry said on April 3.
The crash occurred at around 11 a.m. Moscow time. The aircraft was not carrying weapons, the minsitry claimed.
The crew ejected and was recovered by a search-and-rescue team. The pilots' lives are not in danger, the ministry said.
The Kyiv Independent could not independently verify these claims. Ukraine had not commented on the incident at the time of publication.
The Su-30 is a two-seat, multirole variant with longer range and upgraded avionics for air-to-air and air-to-ground missions.
Russia uses these fighter jets over Ukraine mainly for air patrols, intercepting Ukrainian aircraft, and supporting deadly strikes.
