Mass daytime Russian drone attack on western, central Ukraine kills 4, thousands without power

(Updated:  April 1, 2026 6:32 pm) • 3 min read Prefer on Google by Yuliia Taradiuk The site of the attack in Zakarpattia Oblast, April 1, 2026. (Ukraine's State Emergency Services / Telegram) Editor's note: This is a developing story and is being updated. Russia has launched a mass daytime drone attack on Ukraine's western and central oblasts, killing at least four and injuring nine others, local authorities and media said on April 1. Telegram channels monitoring Ukraine's airspace reported that over 80 drones were in the country's airspace at 1:43 p.m. local time. Air raid alerts were issued in much of Ukraine, with large numbers of drones heading toward western parts of the country, including Lviv, Ternopil, Ivano-Frankivsk, Chernivtsi, and Zakarpattia oblasts. Ukraine's Air Forces reported that during the day on April 1, from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Ukraine was attacked by more than 360 Russian attack drones, around 250 of which were Shahed-type drones. "Throughout the day, the vast majority of drones flew in from the southeast, heading west. Unfortunately, as a result of the Russian terrorist attack, 14 strikes were recorded, and there are casualties," the Air Forces said . The map of air alerts across the country as of 1:42 p.m. local time, April 1, 2026. (Ukraine alarm map / Screenshot) Central Ukraine Four people were killed in the Zolotoniskyi district, Cherkasy Oblast Governor Ihor Taburets reported on April 1. "It happened in an open area during an air raid alert. Law enforcement officials are currently investigating the circumstances," Taburets said. The Cherkasy Prosecutor's Office reported that around 1:00 p.m., a drone warhead that landed in an open area between settlements in the Zolotonosha district later detonated. The explosion killed four local residents who had gathered near the crash site. A pre-trial investigation has been launched into the commission of a war crime. Taburets later added that the other four civilians were injured in air attacks on the Cherkasy district. "Three of them were passengers on the bus that was damaged by debris from a Russian drone," Taburets said . In Poltava Oblast, four people, including a child, were injured as a Russian drone crashed onto private property, Vitalii Diakivnych, head of the Poltava Oblast Military Administration, reported . Suspilne reporters said the explosions were heard in Poltava at around 3 p.m. local time. The site of the attack in Cherkasy Oblast, April 1, 2026. (The National Police of Ukraine) Western Ukraine Svitlana Onyshchyk, the Ivano-Frankivsk Governor, reported that at 12:22 p.m. local time, air defense was active in the Kolomyisky district. She later added that critical infrastructure facilities were damaged. In the Kolomyia district of Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast, around 11,000 customers have been temporarily left without power due to the attack, Onyshchyk said . Suspilne journalist on the ground reported hearing explosions in the cities of Burshtyn and Sniatyn, Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast. In Chernivtsi Oblast, Andrii Dranchuk, the Mayor of the city of Khotyn, reported that air defense was active. In Zakarpattia Oblast, critical infrastructure facilities were hit in the Khust and Uzhhorod districts, Myroslav Biletskyi, head of the Zakarpattia Oblast Military Administration, reported . Biletskyi added that, according to preliminary information, one person was injured and on-site assistance was provided. Explosions were reported in Lviv , Ternopil , and Khmelnytskyi oblasts. Hours earlier, overnight on April 1, Russia attacked western Ukraine's cities of Khmelnyskyi and Lutsk, damaging residential buildings and commercial sites, including a Nova Post terminal, authorities and media reported.