Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that his forces would comply with a surprise Easter truce declared by Russian President Vladimir Putin, which is expected to last until midnight, despite air-raid sirens ringing in Kyiv.
This 30-hour truce marks the most significant pause in fighting during the ongoing three-year conflict.
However, just a few hours after the truce was set to begin, air-raid sirens echoed through the capital, prompting Mr. Zelensky to accuse Russia of continuing its artillery fire and assaults on the frontline.
“Kursk and Belgorod regions – Putin’s Easter statements did not extend to this territory,” Mr. Zelensky mentioned in a social media update, referring to two Russian border areas where Ukrainian forces have made incursions. “Fighting persists, and Russian strikes continue unabated.”
Additionally, Russia and Ukraine conducted a substantial prisoner exchange yesterday, with both sides stating they returned more than 240 captured combatants.
The directive to cease all hostilities over the Easter weekend followed months of efforts by U.S. President Donald Trump to broker a ceasefire between Moscow and Kyiv. On Friday, Washington even warned of withdrawing from negotiations if no advancements were made.
“Today, from 1800 (3pm Irish time) to midnight Sunday (9pm Irish time), the Russian side announces an Easter truce,” Mr. Putin stated during a televised meeting with the Russian Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov.
President Vladimir Putin announced the truce yesterday
In response, Mr. Zelensky stated that Ukraine would reciprocate and suggested extending the truce beyond Sunday. However, the Ukrainian leader also accused Russia of previously violating its commitments.
‘Give peace a chance’
Yesterday evening, air-raid sirens blared in Kyiv and several other regions.
“Russian assault operations are ongoing across multiple frontline areas, and Russian artillery fire has not diminished,” Mr. Zelensky reported.
Mr. Putin claimed the truce for the Easter holiday, celebrated today, was prompted by “humanitarian reasons.” While he anticipated Ukrainian compliance, he instructed Russian troops to “be prepared to counter any breaches of the truce and provocations from the enemy.”
In a social media post, Mr. Zelensky remarked: “If Russia is now genuinely ready to engage in a format of complete and unconditional silence, Ukraine will act correspondingly, reflecting Russia’s actions.”
He further added: “Should a complete ceasefire genuinely take effect, Ukraine proposes extending it beyond the Easter day of April 20.”
He suggested that “30 days could give peace a chance,” while noting that Putin had earlier rejected a proposed 30-day full and unconditional ceasefire.
People gather as their baskets of Easter cakes are blessed in Lviv, Ukraine
‘Attacks continue’
“The fighting continues, and Russian assaults are ongoing,” Ukraine’s military command, Chief of Staff, reported yesterday evening.
“In certain frontline areas, Russian artillery can still be heard despite the promise of silence from the Russian leader. Russian drones are in operation. It is quieter in some locations.”
Soldiers in the eastern city of Kramatorsk, near the front line, expressed skepticism about the truce announcement.
Mr. Putin “might be doing this to instill some hope or display humanity,” explained Dmitry, a 40-year-old soldier. “But either way, we don’t trust (Russia).”
Mr. Putin mentioned that the latest truce initiative would demonstrate “how sincere Kyiv’s regime is in its readiness, willingness, and ability to adhere to agreements and engage in peace talks.”
Russia commenced its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Previous attempts to establish ceasefires for Easter in April 2022 and for Orthodox Christmas in January 2023 were unsuccessful as both sides failed to reach an agreement.
Captives swapped
“For millions of Ukrainians, Easter is one of the most significant holidays, and many will attend church,” Mr. Zelensky stated in his evening address.
“Throughout the years of this full-scale war, Russian strikes have destroyed or damaged over 600 churches, prayer houses, and places of worship.”
In Kramatorsk, a soldier named Vladislav, 22, commented, “I feel like it’s going to resume after a while, and it will just go on endlessly.”
On the streets of Moscow, Yevgeny Pavlov, 58, expressed that he believed Russia should not allow Ukraine any respite.
“There is no need to give them a break. If we press, it means we should press until the end,” he conveyed to AFP.
Earlier, Ukraine and Russia each announced the return of 246 soldiers held as prisoners of war in a swap facilitated by the United Arab Emirates.
Mr. Zelensky stated that the total number of returned POWs now stands at 4,552.
The UAE’s foreign ministry confirmed that 31 injured Ukrainians and 15 injured Russians were also part of the exchange.
The UAE emphasized its commitment to “finding a peaceful solution” to the conflict and “mitigating the humanitarian impacts.”
Russia stated it had recaptured the second-to-last village still under Ukrainian control in its Kursk frontier region.
Kyiv had aimed to leverage its control of the region as a negotiating point in discussions.
