In a shocking turn of events, Russian President Vladimir Putin has violated a self-imposed ceasefire during the Easter holiday, escalating tensions in the ongoing Ukraine conflict. On Sunday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported that Russian forces launched several strikes and assaults overnight, undermining the temporary truce intended for the Easter period.
President Zelenskyy took to his Telegram channel to address the situation, stating, “We can say that the Russian army is trying to create a general impression of a ceasefire, but in some places, it is still trying to make individual attempts to advance and inflict losses on Ukraine.” His remarks highlight the ongoing struggle Ukraine faces as it documents every violation of the ceasefire by Russia.
The Kremlin had proclaimed a unilateral ceasefire starting Saturday and set to last until midnight Sunday. However, reports from the Ukrainian army indicated that Russian attacks continued unabated, consistent with Moscow’s established pattern of breaching ceasefires.
“Between midnight and noon today, Russian forces have already carried out 26 assaults,” Zelenskyy revealed in a midday social media post. He emphasized that Ukraine is meticulously documenting every Russian violation of its self-declared commitment to a ceasefire during the Easter period. “In practice, either Putin does not have full control over his army, or the situation proves that in Russia, they have no intention of making a genuine move toward ending the war,” he added.
Zelenskyy reiterated Ukraine’s willingness to pursue peace, stating, “Ukraine, together with our partners, is ready to move towards peace as constructively as possible, but we need Russia’s readiness.” He called for Russia to adhere to the ceasefire and proposed extending it for an additional 30 days, urging for a genuine commitment to peace talks.
In response, Russia's defense ministry claimed that its forces had been “strictly observing” the ceasefire and accused Ukraine of violating the pause in fighting. According to their statement, Ukrainian forces allegedly shot at Russian positions 444 times during the night and executed over 900 drone attacks. “As a result, there were deaths and injuries among the civilian population and damage to civilian objects,” the ministry asserted, reflecting the deeply contentious narrative surrounding the conflict.
The United States has been actively working to broker a truce agreement between Ukraine and Russia for several weeks. However, Moscow recently rejected a proposal for a month-long full ceasefire, which Ukraine had already accepted. Although Putin had initially agreed to suspend attacks on energy facilities and civilian infrastructure, this agreement was violated just one hour after it was established.
The ongoing conflict remains a point of international concern, as both sides continue to navigate the complexities of warfare and diplomacy. The situation underscores the urgent need for a lasting resolution to the hostilities in Ukraine.
