Mutual Accusations of Ceasefire Violations
Ukraine and Russia have each accused the other of committing hundreds of violations during a brief ceasefire that coincided with Orthodox Easter celebrations.
The Ukrainian military reported on Sunday morning that Russian forces had carried out 2,299 violations since the truce began at 16:00 local time (13:00 GMT) on Saturday.
Conversely, the Russian defence ministry stated that Ukrainian forces had committed 1,971 violations, including three attempted counter-attacks in the Dnipropetrovsk region.
Statements from Leadership and Ceasefire Intentions
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky declared that his nation's forces would respond "symmetrically" to any Russian attacks during the ceasefire, referring to Easter as "a time of peace."
"A time of peace"
He expressed hope that the truce could be extended beyond Easter to facilitate peace negotiations, which have largely stalled due to the outbreak of war in the Middle East. However, Russia rejected the proposal, announcing that its attacks would resume on Monday.
Military Activity During the Ceasefire
According to Ukraine's military, Russian troops conducted 28 attacks and nearly 2,000 drone strikes but refrained from using bombs or missiles.
In Ukraine's northern Sumy region, which borders Russia, local authorities reported that a Russian drone struck an ambulance overnight, injuring three medics.
Russia's defence ministry claimed that Ukraine launched three overnight attacks on positions in the Pokrovsk area and Otradne in the Dnipropetrovsk region.
The ministry also stated that four attempts by Ukrainian troops to advance in Sumy and Donetsk were "thwarted."
Background on the Ceasefire and Previous Agreements
Russian President Vladimir Putin unilaterally announced the Easter ceasefire earlier this week, having previously resisted repeated calls from Ukraine for a temporary cessation of fighting. Zelensky affirmed that his forces would respond in kind.
Earlier this year, Putin agreed to a US request to halt strikes on energy infrastructure as Ukraine prepared for harsh winter conditions.
Both Ukrainian and Russian sources reported limited violations during the initial hours of the truce on Saturday before escalating their claims.
Prisoner Exchange and Public Sentiment
On Saturday, Ukrainian and Russian authorities announced a prisoner swap involving 175 prisoners of war each, including seven civilians per side.
Ukrainian civilians and soldiers on the frontlines of the conflict—which has been ongoing since 2022—expressed low expectations regarding the ceasefire.
Kyiv has consistently advocated for a more comprehensive ceasefire, which it and its European allies consider a necessary step toward achieving a lasting end to the full-scale invasion.
However, Moscow has insisted on negotiating a peace deal first, leading to accusations that it is not genuinely committed to ending the fighting.
