Russia Violates Easter Ceasefire Amid Ongoing Conflict in Ukraine
Despite a ceasefire declared by Russian President Vladimir Putin for the Easter holidays, Russia has continued its military operations in Ukraine, failing to honor the truce. Putin stated that military activities would be suspended from 5 PM on Saturday to 11 PM on Sunday, Italian time. However, throughout this period, reports indicated that the Russian army conducted multiple air raids and ground attacks.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky revealed that from the start of the declared ceasefire at 6 PM local time until midnight, Russia undertook at least 387 artillery bombardments, deployed over 290 drones, and executed 19 ground operations, particularly in the regions of Kursk and Belgorod, which the Ukrainian army had occupied in the previous August, but are now being reclaimed by Russian forces. The assault continued into Sunday, with another 59 bombardments recorded in the first six hours.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin was seen alongside Putin at a ceremony in an Orthodox Cathedral, illustrating the Kremlin’s focus on the religious holiday while simultaneously orchestrating military actions. President Zelensky and his administration expressed skepticism to Putin’s announcement, drawing on previous experiences where similar ceasefire declarations were disregarded. For instance, in January 2023, a ceasefire was proclaimed for Orthodox Christmas, yet it was also violated by Russian military operations.
The backdrop of this latest announcement likely stems from recent missile strikes in Kryvyi Rih and Sumy, which caused significant civilian casualties. Observers note that Putin's intentions may have included sending a signal to U.S. President Donald Trump, who had threatened to halt negotiations over the war if an agreement wasn’t reached shortly, anticipating progress within days.
Zelensky reiterated Ukraine's desire for a genuine and prolonged ceasefire, contrasting Russia's brief commitments. Earlier in March, after Ukraine accepted a U.S. proposal for a 30-day ceasefire—focused primarily on energy infrastructure—Russia opposed it, insisting on terms that Ukraine found unacceptable, all while deliberately extending mediated negotiations.
Commenting on the inconsistencies in ceasefire duration, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha noted that Putin's proposed 30-hour ceasefire starkly contrasted with the prolonged 30-day ceasefire that Russia obstructed.
In another development over the weekend, a prisoner exchange occurred, wherein 277 Ukrainian soldiers were released in exchange for 246 Russian soldiers, revealing the ongoing complexity of the conflict amid the broken truce.
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