KYIV: A temporary Easter truce between Russia and Ukraine expired on Monday, with both sides accusing each other of widespread violations despite a short period of reduced hostilities.
The ceasefire, which lasted 32 hours from Saturday afternoon until late Sunday, had been agreed to mark Orthodox Easter, following an order by Russian President Vladimir Putin and a proposal from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
However, fighting did not fully subside along the 1,200-kilometre front line. Ukraine’s military said that as of late Sunday, “7,696 violations by the enemy have been recorded”, noting continued combat activity in certain areas, including the use of drones.
Russia’s defence ministry also accused Kyiv of breaching the truce, reporting “a total of 1,971 ceasefire violations by units of the Ukrainian armed forces were recorded between 4:00 pm Moscow time on April 12 and 8:00 am on April 12.” It added that Ukrainian forces had used artillery, tanks and drones in multiple attacks.
Reduced intensity
Despite the accusations, there were signs of reduced intensity, with Ukrainian officials reporting no long-range drone, missile or guided bomb strikes during the ceasefire period.
President Zelensky had called for extending the truce, but the Kremlin rejected the idea unless Kyiv agreed to Moscow’s terms.
“Until Zelensky musters the courage to assume this responsibility, the special military operation will continue after the truce expires,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
The conflict, ongoing since 2022, continues to claim lives and displace millions, with peace efforts stalled over territorial disputes and shifting global priorities.
