Ceasefire Begins but Air Raid Sirens Sound in Kharkiv
An Orthodox Easter truce agreed upon by Russia and Ukraine took effect on Saturday afternoon. However, just 38 minutes after its commencement, air raid sirens were heard in the Kharkiv region in northeastern Ukraine.
Since the truce began, officials and military personnel have reported multiple violations of the ceasefire along the frontline, though there have been no long-range missile or drone strikes recorded.
The ceasefire is intended to last until Easter Monday, providing civilians and combatants a brief respite more than four years after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
"Easter should be a time of safety, a time of peace,"Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky posted on X, cautioning that Ukrainian forces would respond
"strictly in kind"to any provocations by Moscow.
Expectations and trust in the truce remain very low among the population.
Shortly before the 16:00 (14:00 BST) start of the truce, families gathered outside St John the Theologian Church carrying baskets filled with iced Easter cakes, painted eggs, and sausage to receive a blessing.
They formed a queue around the church building to be sprinkled with holy water by the parish priest.
The traditional Easter service, usually held just before midnight and including a procession around the church, was conducted in the mid-afternoon this year due to a curfew.
Local Perspectives on the Ceasefire
When asked about the significance of the Russian ceasefire, Fr Viktor expressed skepticism.
St John's Church itself sustained damage at the start of the full-scale war, with one side's windows still boarded up.
"Do you believe them?"Fr Viktor asked.
One parishioner, Larisa, suggested there might be a temporary pause but warned that Russia could intensify attacks afterward, citing past patterns.
"Maybe there will be a pause,"she said.
"But then Russia will only launch even more intense attacks. We've seen that before."
Drone Unit Prepares Amid Ceasefire
At a military training ground approximately 12 miles from the Russian border, members of the Yasni Ochi strike UAV unit, part of the Khartia corps, spent the weekend testing new equipment intended for frontline use.
The unit loaded new kamikaze drones with explosives and practiced diving maneuvers aimed at targets.
Their commander, Heorhiy, instructed his troops to remain inactive during the 32-hour ceasefire unless provoked, though he anticipates attacks will occur.
"Russia says one thing, then does the other. So you have to be ready."
Meanwhile, soldiers on rotation have used drones to deliver Easter cake and alcohol-free wine to comrades at the front.
The village used for training was occupied by Russian forces in 2022 before being retaken by Ukraine. Surrounding houses remain in ruins.
There is little discussion about reclaiming large areas of territory, such as the Donbas region just south of the training ground.
Heorhiy believes Ukraine must continue fighting until it can negotiate better terms with its allies in talks with Russia.
"We need real peace talks,"the commander stated.
He is encouraged by the fact that conflicts in the Middle East have led countries to seek Ukraine's drone technology and expertise, areas in which Ukraine has considerable capability.
However, the peace process initiated by the United States has stalled, partly due to US envoys being diverted to address tensions with Iran.
Ukraine continues to seek strong security guarantees from its allies, particularly assurances from the US regarding responses to any future Russian invasions.
"It's not our choice. I don't like war, my guys don't like it. We used to have good civilian life,"Heorhiy reflected, noting that several members of his unit were DJs involved in an underground electronic music scene in Dnipro before the war.
"Now we do what we need to do."
Kharkiv Region Remains Vulnerable
Returning to Kharkiv, the ring road is now covered with netting designed to trap and entangle Russian drones, preventing them from striking vehicles below.
Despite these defenses, there is little protection against missiles hitting residential buildings. The proximity of Russian forces leaves minimal time for air defenses to respond.
In one suburb of Kharkiv, several five-storey apartment blocks have been heavily damaged or destroyed. Many other buildings are boarded up and uninhabitable.
Last month, a missile strike in the early hours killed 11 people and destroyed an entire section of a building. Among the rubble, a red rug remains pinned to a living-room wall, and photographs of two victims lie nearby.
The victims' neighbor, Olha, recounted how she sheltered in a corridor with her elderly mother during the attack.
She shared video footage on her phone showing the building opposite engulfed in flames and her own apartment in ruins.
Olha expressed a desperate hope for a reduction in fighting.
"This truce is only 1.5 days. But at least we can rest a bit, because here, you expect to die every second,"she said.
"We really want peace. Not for 1.5 days. For good."
In quiet, emotional tears, she questioned the value of holding the last part of the Donetsk region still under Ukrainian control, given the human cost.
"There were children killed in that strike, wonderful people. Will it ever stop?"she asked.
Prospects for Lasting Peace
President Zelensky has proposed extending the temporary truce into a lasting ceasefire and continuing negotiations with Russia to achieve a permanent peace.
However, the Kremlin has rejected this offer, stating that military operations will resume fully on Monday.
