Kyiv: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russia Sunday of creating a false appearance of honouring an Easter ceasefire, saying Moscow continued to launch attacks overnight after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a unilateral temporary truce in Ukraine.
“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,” Zelenskyy said in a post on X.
Despite Putin’s declaration of an Easter ceasefire Saturday, Zelenskyy said Ukrainian forces had recorded 59 instances of Russian shelling and five assaults by units across various areas along the front line, as well as “dozens” of drone strikes.
Zelenskyy emphasised 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 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) 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.
AP
