Russia Violates Orthodox Easter Ceasefire with Drone Attacks on Ukraine
Russia has breached a Kremlin-declared Orthodox Easter ceasefire by attacking Ukrainian positions with drones, despite a 32-hour truce ordered by President Vladimir Putin. The ceasefire, intended to halt hostilities from Saturday afternoon until Sunday evening, was violated as Russian forces continued aerial assaults, prompting Ukrainian officials to condemn the actions and vow a proportional response.
Ceasefire Declaration and Immediate Violations
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the ceasefire on Thursday, framing it as a humanitarian gesture for the Orthodox Easter weekend. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky agreed to abide by the truce, describing it as a potential step toward peace, but warned of swift military retaliation for any violations. However, just hours before the ceasefire was set to begin, Russia launched drone strikes across Ukraine, killing at least two people in Odesa and wounding two others in attacks that damaged residential areas, apartment buildings, houses, and a kindergarten.
In Kherson, a public trolley bus driver was killed by a drone strike less than an hour before the ceasefire started, according to regional head Oleksandr Prokudin. The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Russia targeted Ukraine with 160 drones overnight, with 133 being shot down or intercepted. Meanwhile, Russia's Defence Ministry claimed to have intercepted 99 Ukrainian drones over Russia and occupied Crimea.
Ukrainian Response and Ongoing Hostilities
Serhii Kolesnychenko, a communications officer for Ukraine's 148th Separate Artillery Brigade, stated that while artillery fire had paused in his sector at the junction of Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk, and Zaporizhzhia regions, Russian forces persisted in using drones to strike Ukrainian positions. He emphasized that Ukrainian forces were responding with silence to silence and fire to fire, adhering strictly to the ceasefire terms but retaliating in kind to violations.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov described Putin's ceasefire move as humanitarian but reiterated Moscow's focus on a comprehensive settlement based on its long-standing demands, a key obstacle in peace negotiations. Previous ceasefire attempts have largely failed, with both sides frequently accusing each other of breaches.
Prisoner Exchange and Civilian Impact
Amid the tensions, a prisoner swap on Saturday saw 175 Russian soldiers returned home, as confirmed by Russia's Defence Ministry. President Zelensky verified the exchange, noting that 175 service members and seven civilians were repatriated, many of whom had been held since 2022. In northern Ukraine, hundreds of relatives gathered around ambulances and buses carrying returned prisoners of war, clutching photos and calling out names in hopes of reuniting with loved ones.
Ukraine had earlier proposed a mutual pause in attacks on energy infrastructure over the Easter holiday, but the latest drone assaults underscore the fragility of such agreements. The ongoing conflict continues to inflict civilian casualties and property damage, with Zelensky urging for Easter to be a time of silence and safety, while remaining vigilant against further violations.
