Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy expressed skepticism over the Easter ceasefire declared by Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying it was a mere facade. Zelenskiy pointed out that while Putin’s announcement of a one-day halt in military activity may have been made to create an impression of peace, the reality on the ground told a different story.
“In the early hours of Easter morning, we can confidently say that the Russian army is trying to give the impression of a ceasefire. But in many areas, they have continued to carry out attacks, seeking to cause more harm to Ukraine,” Zelenskiy wrote in a social media post.
The ceasefire, announced by Putin just hours before attending an Orthodox Easter service on Saturday, was intended to be a one-day pause in hostilities along the front lines, effective from 6 p.m. Moscow time on Saturday until midnight Sunday.
The announcement followed increasing pressure from the United States, which warned that peace talks could collapse within days unless both Russia and Ukraine demonstrated a genuine commitment to dialogue.
Despite Putin’s call for peace, Zelenskiy reported ongoing shelling and attacks. On Saturday evening alone, Ukrainian forces counted hundreds of shelling incidents. By Sunday morning, Ukrainian troops reported 59 instances of shelling and five separate assault attempts along the front line.
“Russia must fully adhere to the ceasefire conditions,” Zelenskiy insisted, underscoring Ukraine’s demand for a real cessation of hostilities.
Zelenskiy reaffirmed that Ukraine was open to extending the ceasefire for 30 days, but made it clear that if Russia chose to continue fighting, Ukraine would respond in kind.
“Ukraine will mirror Russia’s actions,” Zelenskiy declared, sending a clear message that Ukraine would not stand down in the face of aggression.
(Reporting by Lidia Kelly in Melbourne; Editing by William Mallard)
