Two people were killed and 15 injured in a nighttime attack on Odessa; Ukraine expects the opening of negotiation clusters for EU accession “in the coming weeks”; the Ministry of Defense said that interceptor drones can now be controlled from a distance of a thousand kilometers; the Ukrainian ambassador to the US said that the EU's decision on a 90 billion euro loan opens up resources for the purchase of Patriot missiles; a film about Ukraine was selected for the Cannes Film Festival – Suspilne collected the main news on the morning of April 24.
Attack on Odessa
On the night of April 24, the Russian army launched a drone strike on Odessa. As a result of the attack, damage was recorded in residential buildings: two two-story buildings and a three-story building, said the head of the MVA Lysak.
The attack killed two people and injured 15 others. According to rescuers, one of the drones hit a three-story apartment building. The apartments were destroyed and a fire broke out. Six people were injured there.
Two two-story residential buildings were also destroyed. Rescuers evacuated 20 residents from them, including two children, and rescued one more person. Seven people were injured in these buildings. In addition, a drone hit another two-story building: a couple died in the attack – both were 75 years old.
Negotiation clusters for EU accession
Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Taras Kachka said that Kyiv expects the opening of negotiation clusters for accession to the European Union “in the coming weeks.” One of the bloc's officials confirmed in a comment to Suspilny that all conditions are in place for this.
Among other things, Kachka noted that he sees the meeting of ministers for European affairs, which will take place on May 26, as a reference point for opening the first negotiation cluster. However, although Brussels and Kyiv are already conducting informal negotiations, the decision on a formal step towards accession must be unanimously approved by all 27 member states.
Commenting on proposals by France and Germany for an interim, “symbolic” format of EU integration without access to the bloc's budget and voting rights, as reported by the Financial Times with reference to documents, the Deputy Prime Minister rejected this idea.
“The only accession model we seek is a full, classic, normal accession to the European Union in accordance with the methodology,” said Kachka.
He expressed confidence in Ukraine's ability to complete most of the steps necessary to join the EU by the end of 2027.
“2027 is really a good year, at least for closing most chapters. And, of course, also for even starting the preparation of the accession treaty,” the government official added.
Context: On January 30, Zelenskyy said that Ukraine “will be ready” to join the EU with all negotiation clusters by the end of 2026. Deputy Head of the Presidential Office Ihor Zhovkva said on February 5 that Ukraine is counting on a political decision on membership in the European Union as early as 2027. According to him, this is the basis of future security guarantees for Ukraine and Europe.
A new level of “small” air defense
The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine is implementing a new approach to air defense – remote control of interceptor drones at significant distances. The pilot is no longer tied to a position, but can control the UAV from a protected environment even abroad. This was reported by the press service of the department.
The technology has already proven its effectiveness in combat conditions: Russian air targets have been shot down at distances of hundreds and thousands of kilometers. More than 10 Ukrainian manufacturers have already integrated the technology into their systems.
“This increases the effectiveness of interception, minimizes risks for operators, and allows for the scaling of capabilities without being tied to the front,” said Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov.
EU decision on 90 billion euros loan opens up resources for Patriot missile procurement
Ukrainian Ambassador to the United States Olga Stefanishyna said that the European Union's decision to provide Ukraine with a 90 billion euro loan frees up resources to finance the purchase of PAC-3 missiles for Patriot systems. According to her, the lack of funding was one of the obstacles to the Pentagon's decision. Stefanishyna said this in a comment to a correspondent for Suspilny in Washington on April 23.
The ambassador noted that coordination of efforts is ongoing among Ukraine's partners to mobilize resources to obtain PAC-3 missiles, which are needed to protect Ukrainian skies.
“There is already a decision to allocate a loan of 90 billion. This means that a certain resource is being released that will allow financing this specific initiative, which concerns PAC-3,” Stefanishyna said.
She clarified that this is a large purchase initiated by Ukraine. According to the ambassador, due to the start of the operation in Iran and the lack of appropriate funding, the decision on it was not made earlier.
“Now, perhaps, the availability of financial resources will allow at least long-term commitment, because this is a decision made directly by the Pentagon,” she added.
A film about Ukraine was selected for the Cannes Film Festival
The film “Spring” by director Rostyslav Kyrpychenko has been included in the program of the 79th Cannes Film Festival. The film will be shown in the “Special Screenings” section. This is stated in the press release regarding the updates to the program of the 79th festival.
The film is an international co-production of Ukraine, Lithuania and France. A team of approximately 80 specialists participated in the creation of the film. The film is directed by Rostyslav Kyrpychenko.
The film takes place in occupied Ukraine, where Russian forces prohibit the burial of executed Ukrainian civilians.
The main character is a 35-year-old priest, Andriy, who is forced to store the bodies of the dead until they are transported to mass graves. At the same time, he secretly resists: he identifies the victims, returns their bodies to their families and tries to ensure a dignified burial. The plot focuses on the issues of human dignity, memory and silent resistance under occupation.
The film “Spring” became one of the important additions to this year's program, along with new works by such masters as James Gray (“Paper Tiger”) and Zachary Wigon (“Victorian Psycho”).
The Cannes Film Festival will take place from May 12 to 23, 2026.