Ukraine-Russia Easter Truce Fails as Both Sides Accuse Violations

A temporary ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia for Orthodox Easter quickly unraveled as both sides accused each other of violations within hours. The truce, announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin and confirmed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, was set to last 32 hours from 4 p.m. local time on Saturday until midnight on Sunday.

According to Ukraine's military command, there were 2,299 ceasefire violations recorded by early Sunday morning. These included assault actions, shelling, and drone strikes. The Ukrainian military reported that the use of long-range Shahed drones, guided aerial bombings, or missile strikes had not been reported.

Russia's Defense Ministry accused Ukrainian forces of committing 1,971 violations. Moscow claimed Kyiv fired artillery or tanks 258 times, carried out 1,329 FPV drone strikes, and dropped various types of munitions on 375 occasions. The Russian ministry also alleged that the Ukrainian military launched three nighttime attacks against Russian positions and made four attempts to advance along the front line.

Despite the ceasefire, Russian forces continued to use drones to strike Ukrainian positions. In northeastern Ukraine’s Kharkiv region, Lieutenant Colonel Vasyl Kobziak of the 33rd Mechanised Brigade reported a relative calm but noted that the truce was not fully observed. The lull allowed his soldiers to attend an Easter Sunday mass outside in the freezing forest chill.

In Russia's Kursk region, Governor Alexander Khinshtein accused Kyiv of breaking the ceasefire by attacking a petrol station in Lgov with a drone, injuring three people, including a baby. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy called for a longer ceasefire, insisting that Moscow must take responsibility.

Prior to the ceasefire, Russian drone strikes killed at least two people in Odesa and injured five others in residential areas. The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Russia targeted Ukraine with 160 drones overnight, of which 133 were shot down or intercepted. Additionally, Ukraine and Russia exchanged 175 prisoners of war each on Saturday, according to officials from both sides.

Outside Kyiv, thousands gathered at an open-air national heritage park to celebrate Easter despite skepticism that a truce would hold. Worshipers clustered outside wooden churches to take part in the annual blessing of baskets for the holiday table. Families carried dyed eggs and paska cakes baked the night before, while many women wore colorful scarves.

Irena Bulhakova expressed her doubts over prospects for peace, especially as previous attempts to secure ceasefires have had little or no impact. “Every time a ceasefire is announced for a holiday, the shelling continues regardless,” she said. But she still reflected on the holiday’s meaning: “Good triumphs over darkness, and we hope for that very much.”

Father Roman, a Ukrainian army chaplain who led the blessing ceremonies, described Easter as a moment of faith shared by Ukrainians in their identity and future. “We are defending our borders. We are defending our identity,” he said. “We are a free people who live on this territory. We have faith, deep traditions and historical heritage. It’s all about the identity of Ukrainians.”