Ukraine War Latest News Today – Key Events and Casualties This Week

The war in Ukraine entered its fourth year with no sign of a breakthrough. In the week of 19–25 April 2025, Russian forces unleashed a wave of long-range strikes, killing at least 49 civilians according to the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED). The deadliest single event was a 24 April attack on Kyiv that left 13 people dead and more than 90 wounded. A short-lived Easter ceasefire briefly reduced aerial attacks, but ground fighting continued and a major prisoner exchange offered a rare humanitarian bright spot.

The period also saw the largest prisoner swap since the start of the full-scale invasion, with Ukraine recovering 277 of its captured personnel on 19 April. Diplomatic efforts, including a Ukrainian proposal to extend the truce into a 30-day long-range ceasefire, were rejected by Russia. Meanwhile, drone and missile strikes reached as far west as Khmelnytskyi and Zhytomyr, hitting industrial sites, energy infrastructure, and civilian areas.

What is the latest breaking news in Ukraine this week?

The following key insights emerge from the week’s documented events:

• Civilian casualties were spread across seven regions – Kyiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, Kharkiv, Kherson, Sumy, and Zaporizhia.
• A paramedic hub in Pavlohrad was struck on 25 April, killing 3 and wounding 18.
• Ukraine observed the 30-hour Easter truce announced by Putin, but Russia later rejected an extension.
• Russian forces occupied two settlements southwest of Toretsk and reoccupied Katerynivka near Lyman.
• On 22–23 April, Russia launched 134 drone and decoy drones in a single major attack.
• The POW exchange on 19 April was the largest since February 2022.

What is the Russia-Ukraine war latest news today?

Civilian casualties and strike pattern

According to ACLED, Russian shelling, missiles, and drones killed at least 49 civilians during the week. The deaths were dispersed across multiple regions rather than concentrated along the front line. The 24 April attack on Kyiv, which hit residential areas, was the deadliest single event. ACLED notes that its figures represent documented minimums; the true toll may be higher.

Ceasefire and escalation dynamics

On 19 April, Putin announced a 30-hour Easter truce. Ukraine said it would observe the ceasefire if Russia reciprocated. ACLED confirms that no long-range strikes occurred during that window, consistent with the absence of air-raid alerts. However, ground clashes continued in Donetsk and elsewhere. After the truce expired, Russia rejected Ukraine’s proposal to extend it into a 30-day long-range ceasefire and resumed intensive strikes on Ukrainian cities.

Battlefield developments

ACLED reports that Russian forces occupied two settlements southwest of Toretsk and reoccupied Katerynivka in the direction of Lyman. ISW assessed continued Russian ground activity on multiple axes, including around Pokrovsk, Borova, and Kursk Oblast. Localized Ukrainian advances were also noted. ISW cited a Ukrainian brigade claim that Russian losses during a mechanized assault near Pokrovsk on 17 April included 229 killed and 34 wounded, along with heavy vehicle losses – a claim that has not been independently verified.

Air and missile attacks

ACLED recorded at least 29 Russian long-range missile and drone strikes in the period, with attacks reaching western regions such as Khmelnytskyi and Zhytomyr. On 22–23 April, the Ukrainian Air Force reported that Russia launched 134 strike and decoy drones, many of which were downed or lost to electronic warfare. Ukrainian officials said the drones and missiles damaged industrial sites, energy infrastructure, commercial enterprises, and civilian infrastructure across several oblasts.

Who is winning the war in Ukraine?

The data from the week of 19–25 April 2025 points to a stalemate rather than a clear advantage for either side. Russia made incremental territorial gains near Toretsk and Lyman, while Ukraine conducted localized counterattacks. The pattern of high-intensity Russian long-range strikes on urban centers caused significant civilian casualties, but did not break Ukrainian defenses. The prisoner exchange showed a willingness to negotiate on humanitarian issues, but no progress was made on a political ceasefire. Both sides continued to suffer heavy losses, though exact figures remain disputed. Most independent analysts assess that neither side is on the verge of a decisive victory.

Where can I find Ukraine war news on YouTube?

Several major news organizations provide regular coverage of the conflict on YouTube. BBC – Ukraine War News offers live updates and analysis. Reuters – Ukraine War Coverage publishes wire-style summaries with timestamps. For a local Ukrainian perspective, Kyiv Independent provides on-the-ground reporting and casualty figures. Al Jazeera – Ukraine Crisis offers coverage from a regional angle. These channels typically run live streams and recorded videos with minimal editorializing.

What happened on each day of the week? (19–25 April 2025)

1. 19 April – Putin announces a 30-hour Easter truce. Ukraine agrees to observe it. The largest prisoner exchange since the full-scale invasion takes place, with Ukraine recovering 277 POWs.
2. 19–20 April – No long-range strikes are recorded during the truce window, but ground clashes continue in Donetsk and elsewhere.
3. 22–23 April – Russia launches a major drone attack with 134 strike and decoy drones. Ukrainian air defenses engage; industrial and energy infrastructure is damaged across several oblasts.
4. 24 April – Russian missile strike on Kyiv kills 13 civilians and injures at least 90. It is the deadliest single event of the week.
5. 25 April – A strike on Pavlohrad hits a Hospitallers paramedic hub, killing 3 civilians and wounding 18. Russia rejects Ukraine’s proposal for a 30-day long-range ceasefire.

What we know vs. what remains unverified

What does this escalation mean for the broader war?

The reporting from ACLED and ISW shows a pattern of high-intensity Russian long-range strikes on urban centers, followed by clustered civilian casualties in cities and infrastructure hubs rather than isolated frontline losses. This suggests that Russia is prioritizing attrition through stand-off attacks while maintaining pressure on the ground. The brief Easter truce and subsequent rejection of an extended ceasefire indicate that Russia is unwilling to freeze the conflict on terms that do not favour its strategic objectives. The large prisoner exchange shows that humanitarian channels remain open, but political negotiations are stalled.

For a broader overview of the conflict, see our Ukraine War Overview. For detailed casualty statistics, visit Ukraine War Casualties & Statistics.

Which sources were used for this report?

“The numbers in ACLED and ISW likely understate the full human toll if all wounded, missing, or unreported local incidents are not captured in open-source reporting; ACLED’s figures are best read as documented minimums.”

ACLED, Ukraine War Situation Update, 19–25 April 2025

This article draws on the ACLED Ukraine War Situation Update for detailed casualty data and event timelines, and the Institute for the Study of War’s Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment for military analysis. Both organizations rely on open-source intelligence and official statements.

What’s next in the Ukraine war?

Based on the trajectory of the past week, further Russian long-range strikes on Ukrainian cities are likely. Ukraine may continue to develop its long-range drone capabilities to strike targets inside Russia. Diplomatic efforts mediated by Turkey and Saudi Arabia have stalled, but prisoner exchanges could continue. No active peace talks are confirmed as of April 2025.

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