Ukraine and Russia accuse each other of hundreds of ceasefire violations

Ukraine and Russia accuse each other of hundreds of ceasefire violations

Russian and Ukrainian forces have exchanged accusations over numerous breaches of a brief truce aligned with Orthodox Easter. According to Ukrainian military reports, Russian troops exceeded 2,299 violations since the pause began at 16:00 local time on Saturday, involving attacks on four unarmed soldiers. Meanwhile, Russia’s defense ministry claimed Ukrainian forces disrupted the ceasefire with 1,971 breaches, including counter-attacks in the Dnipropetrovsk region.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described the Easter holiday as “a time of peace,” while stating his troops would retaliate “symmetrically” against Russian strikes. He expressed hope the agreement could last beyond the holiday to aid peace talks, which had stalled due to Middle Eastern tensions. Russia dismissed this, vowing to continue attacks starting Monday.

“A time of peace,” Zelensky said, as his forces prepared to respond “symmetrically” to Russian assaults during the ceasefire.

Ukrainian military claims noted Russian troops conducted 28 attacks and nearly 2,000 drone strikes, but avoided using bombs or missiles. In the Kharkiv region, Russian forces executed four Ukrainian soldiers after the truce took effect, per the local prosecutor’s office. This was labeled a “grave violation of international humanitarian law” by Ukraine, which called it “another war crime by Russia.”

A drone image from Ukraine’s military showed four bodies in a clearing, suggesting the incident. In the northern Sumy region, a Russian drone reportedly struck an ambulance, injuring three medics. Russia countered by accusing Ukraine of three overnight attacks on Pokrovsk and Otradne, with Ukrainian advances in Sumy and Donetsk “thwarted.”

Earlier this week, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the Easter ceasefire, despite prior reluctance from Ukraine. Zelensky echoed this by promising proportional responses. Previously, Putin had agreed to halt strikes on energy infrastructure in Ukraine to protect against harsh winter conditions.

Both sides reported limited breaches in the early hours of the truce, escalating to larger claims by Sunday. They also exchanged 175 prisoners of war, with seven civilians on each side. Despite the temporary pause, frontline civilians and soldiers remain skeptical about the ceasefire’s effectiveness.

Kyiv advocates for a broader truce, viewing it as essential for ending the full-scale invasion. Moscow, however, insists on securing a peace deal first, sparking doubts about its commitment to the conflict’s resolution.