Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russia of not truly upholding the Easter ceasefire, alleging that Russian attacks persisted despite Russian President Vladimir Putin’s announcement of a temporary truce in Ukraine.
Zelenskyy stated, “As of Easter morning, we can say that the Russian army is trying to create a general impression of a ceasefire, but in some places, it does not abandon individual attempts to advance and inflict losses on Ukraine.”
Despite Putin’s declaration of a ceasefire, Zelenskyy reported that Ukrainian forces had documented 59 instances of Russian shelling, five assaults by units in various front line areas, and “dozens” of drone strikes.
Zelenskyy emphasized that Russia must fully adhere to the ceasefire conditions and reiterated Ukraine’s offer to extend the truce for 30 days, starting Sunday midnight.
He said the proposal “remains on the table” and that “we will act in accordance with the actual situation on the ground.”
Late on Saturday, Russia-installed officials in the partially occupied Ukrainian region of Kherson said Ukrainian forces continued their attacks.
“Ukrainian troops continue to strike peaceful cities in the Kherson region, violating the Easter truce,” Moscow-appointed governor Vladimir Saldo wrote on his Telegram channel.
Just hours after the Russian president announced the ceasefire, he attended an Easter service late Saturday at Moscow’s Cathedral of Christ the Saviour led by Patriarch Kirill, head of the Russian Orthodox Church and a vocal supporter of Putin and the war in Ukraine.
Putin announced the temporary ceasefire, citing humanitarian reasons. According to the Kremlin, the ceasefire will last from 6 p.m. Moscow time (1500 GMT) on Saturday to midnight (2100 GMT) following Easter Sunday.
Putin offered no details on how the ceasefire would be monitored or whether it would cover airstrikes or ongoing ground battles that rage around the clock.
His ceasefire announcement came after U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday negotiations between Ukraine and Russia are “coming to a head” and insisted that neither side is “playing” him in his push to end the grinding three-year war.
Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
