Russia trying to create an ‘impression of a ceasefire’, Zelensky says

London/Kyiv: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russia of creating a false appearance of honouring an Easter ceasefire, saying Moscow continued to launch attacks overnight after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a unilateral temporary truce in Ukraine.

“As of Easter morning, we can say that the Russian army is trying to create a general impression of a ceasefire, but in some places, it does not abandon individual attempts to advance and inflict losses on Ukraine,” Zelensky said in a post on X.

Despite Putin’s declaration of a ceasefire from 6pm on Saturday, Moscow time, to midnight on Easter Sunday, Zelensky said Ukrainian forces had recorded 59 instances of Russian shelling and five assaults by units across various areas along the front line, as well as “dozens” of drone strikes.

President Vladimir Putin and Russian Chief of General Staff Geneal Valery Gerasimov at the Kremlin on Saturday.Credit: AP

In later updates, Zelensky said that despite Ukraine declaring a symmetrical approach to Russian actions, “the trend of increasing the use of heavy weaponry by Russian forces continues”. He said, however, that it was “a good thing, at least, that there were no air raid sirens”.

He noted that some Ukrainian troops were killed in a Russian “ambush” on Sunday in the Donetsk region, and said the Russian soldiers responsible would be “eliminated”.

Russia’s Defence Ministry accused Ukrainian forces of overnight attacks in the Donetsk region despite the ceasefire. It said Ukraine had sent 48 drones into Russian territory. According to the ministry, there were “dead and wounded among the civilian population”, without giving details. It claimed Russian troops had strictly observed the truce.

Russia-installed officials in the partially occupied Ukrainian region of Kherson also said Ukrainian forces had launched attacks.

Zelensky said Russia must fully adhere to the ceasefire conditions and reiterated Ukraine’s offer to extend the truce for 30 days when it ends at midnight on Sunday. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha‎ said Moscow had not responded to Kyiv’s proposal.

“In practice, either Putin does not have full control over his army, or the situation proves that in Russia, they have no intention of making a genuine move toward ending the war, and are only interested in favourable PR coverage,” Zelensky wrote.

Just hours after the Russian president announced the ceasefire, he attended an Easter service at Moscow’s Cathedral of Christ the Saviour led by Patriarch Kirill, head of the Russian Orthodox Church and a vocal supporter of Putin and the war in Ukraine.

Putin offered no details on how the ceasefire, which he said was for humanitarian reasons, would be monitored or whether it would cover airstrikes or ongoing ground battles that rage around the clock.

His announcement came after Washington said on Friday that it could abandon peace talks within days unless Moscow and Kyiv showed they were serious about negotiating.

In Brussels, a European Union spokesperson expressed caution over the proclaimed ceasefire, saying: “Russia has a track record as an aggressor, so first we need to see any actual halt of the aggression and clear deeds for a lasting ceasefire.”

A British foreign ministry spokesperson said: “Ukraine has committed to a full ceasefire. We urge Russia to do the same.”

Little faith

Kyiv residents expressed little faith in the ceasefire, saying similar past moves by Putin had had little effect.

“This man is not capable of reaching any sort of a deal. He does not know how to do that,” said Tetiana Solovei, 65.

“Tonight, in Ukraine and especially in Kyiv, we expect missiles. There will be no ceasefire.”

Ukrainian bloggers who cover the war said firing continued along the entire line of contact. But public broadcaster Suspilne quoted servicemen on the eastern front as saying the number of Russian attacks had declined.

Trump and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had said on Friday that the United States would walk away from efforts to broker a Russia-Ukraine peace deal unless there were clear signs of progress soon.

Kirill Dmitriev, an envoy for Putin who travelled to Washington this month, posted news of the ceasefire on X, adding: “One step closer to peace” and an emoji of a dove.

Trump has vowed to bring a swift end to the war, while shifting US policy from firmly supporting Kyiv towards accepting Moscow’s account of the conflict.

Last month, after Ukraine accepted Trump’s proposal for a 30-day truce but Moscow rejected it, the sides agreed only to limited pauses of attacks on energy targets and at sea, which each accuses the other of breaking.

Putin announced his Easter truce a week after a Russian missile attack killed 35 people and wounded nearly 120 in the Ukrainian city of Sumy, including Christians heading to celebrate Palm Sunday. That attack, the deadliest against civilians of the year so far, spurred Kyiv and its European allies to press Washington to take a tougher line towards Moscow.

Putin has proclaimed unilateral pauses in fighting in the past with little impact, including a 36-hour proposed truce for Orthodox Christmas in January 2023, which Kyiv rejected.

AP, Reuters

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