Russia and Ukraine blame one another for breaking the ceasefire during Orthodox Easter

Ceasefire Between Russia and Ukraine Fails to Hold

On Sunday, Russia and Ukraine exchanged serious accusations regarding numerous attacks, leading many to doubt the Kremlin’s declared Easter ceasefire, which barely lasted a day.

Russian President Vladimir Putin had announced a 32-hour ceasefire intended to coincide with the Orthodox Easter holiday, instructing troops to stop fighting from Saturday afternoon until Sunday evening. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy agreed to this pause but cautioned that Ukraine would respond rapidly to any breaches.

However, it seems the holiday truce was short-lived.

Ukrainian military officials reported 2,299 ceasefire violations as of early Sunday, which included assaults, shelling, and small drone incidents, although they noted there were no long-range drone strikes, missiles, or guided bombs used.

A Ukrainian officer mentioned to the Associated Press that, despite the supposed ceasefire, Russian forces continued their offensive against Ukrainian positions.

In response, Russia’s Ministry of Defense accused the Ukrainian military of committing 1,971 violations, including drone strikes that affected civilians in the Kursk-Belgorod border area.

The head of Russia’s Belgorod region, Vyacheslav Gladkov, indicated on Sunday that two civilian bodies were recovered following an alleged Ukrainian attack the previous day.

The mutual accusations underscore a profound mistrust between the two nations and highlight the challenges of reaching even a temporary halt in hostilities.

Past ceasefire efforts have quickly deteriorated, with blame typically being placed on both sides. This current ceasefire mirrors an Easter ceasefire declared last year by President Putin, which also fell apart amid ongoing allegations of violations.

Irena Bulkhakova shared her sentiments at a holiday rally outside Kyiv, expressing skepticism about the ceasefire’s sincerity as the prolonged war continues. “Whenever a ceasefire is called for a holiday, the shelling carries on regardless,” she stated.