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KYIV – Despite a ceasefire declared for the Easter holiday, tensions between Russia and Ukraine remained high as both sides accused each other of breaching the truce, which began less than a day earlier.
In a move intended to honor the Orthodox Easter, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a 32-hour ceasefire, instructing Russian troops to cease all military actions from Saturday at 4 p.m. until the end of Sunday.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed his commitment to uphold the ceasefire but emphasized that any violations would be met with a prompt military response. This cautious approach underscored the fragile nature of the temporary peace.
By early Sunday morning, Ukraine’s Armed Forces General Staff reported an alarming 2,299 breaches of the ceasefire, which included attacks, shelling, and the launch of small drones. However, they noted that there had been no use of long-range drones, missiles, or guided bombs during this period.
Further heightening the situation, a Ukrainian military official informed The Associated Press on Saturday that Russian forces had persisted in targeting Ukrainian positions, casting doubt on the effectiveness of the ceasefire from its onset.
Russia’s Defense Ministry also said Sunday it had recorded 1,971 ceasefire violations by Ukrainian forces, including drone strikes on Russia’s Kursk and Belgorod regions that injured civilians.
Previous attempts to secure ceasefires have had little or no impact, with the two sides blaming each other for violations.
Putin unilaterally declared a 30-hour ceasefire last Easter, but each side accused the other of breaking it.
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