Russia used 'Easter truce' to improve frontline positions, says Ukraine

Russia used the so-called Easter ceasefire to boost its military’s positions along the frontlines in the war with Russia, according to the Ukrainian military.

Last week, Russian leader Vladimir Putin ordered a unilateral ceasefire from 6 pm Moscow time (3:00 pm GMT) on April 19 to midnight (9 pm GMT) on April 21. Once the ceasefire expired, the Kremlin said that it has not been renewed.

During the ceasefire, Ukraine accused Russia of continuing attacks along the frontlines and said that no ceasefire was observed at all in Kursk. On its part, Russia also accused Ukraine of violating the ceasefire.

Russia moved heavy equipment during truce, says Ukraine

Russia used the cover of truce to move more soldiers to the frontlines in the Kharkiv theatre in eastern Ukraine, Ukraine’s Khartiia Brigade told The Daily Telegraph.

Separately, the newspaper reported a different unit as saying that Russia was “preparing routes for the passage of heavy equipment” across the Black Stallion River in Luhansk in eastern Ukraine on Sunday.

More from World News

Trump ramps up pressure on Ukraine, wants response to ceasefire plans this week: Report 'Finish it off': Donald Trump says Russia, Ukraine 'very close' to a deal

Moreover, the 66th Separate Mechanised Brigade said that Russia launched drone strikes against its positions and that aerial reconnaissance spotted machine guns being moved towards the front line by Russian personnel.

Such accounts by Ukrainian military is in line with the well-known Russian practice of using negotiations and brief ceasefires to buy time to bolster the positions on the battlefield.

Amid reports from Ukranine of Russia never ceasing attacks during the so-called ceasefire, The Telegraph reported analysts as saying that such an announcement by Putin was an attempt to score an easy diplomatic victory with the Donald Trump administration of the United States.

Impact Shorts

More Shorts

‘The cries of this widow will echo’: In first public remarks, Erika Kirk warns Charlie’s killers they’ve ‘unleashed a fire’

Trump urges Nato to back sanctions on Russia, calls for 50–100% tariffs on China

Putin’s declaration of the ceasefire came shortly after the Trump administration announced it could soon end efforts to bring the war to an end. So far, three US-endorsed ceasefire proposals have been floated and Russia has rejected all of them. Ukraine has accepted all of them. Yet the Trump administration continues to bash Ukraine, falsely blaming President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for starting the war, and put no pressure on Russia.

Russia launched 2,935 attacks on Easter, says Zelenskyy

Russia conducted a total of 2,935 attacks on Easter on Sunday, according to Zelenskyy.

In a post on X, Zelenskyy said that there were 96 Russian assaults, 1,882 instances of shelling on our positions, including 812 involving heavy weaponry, and over 950 instances of drones.

Most of the attacks were carried out in the area around Pokrovsk and no ceasefire was in effect in the Kursk region, according to Zelenskyy.

Previously, Zelenskyy had said that the Easter ceasefire should be extended to 30 days. However, Putin refused to extend the ceasefire.

Zelenskyy has said that Ukraine would work on the basis of symetry where Russian attacks would be met with attacks and ceasefire would be met with ceasefire.

The Ukrainian army is acting –and will continue to act– in a fully symmetrical manner. This Easter has clearly demonstrated that the only source of this war, and the reason it drags on, is Russia. We are ready to move toward peace and a full, unconditional, and honest ceasefire that could last for at least 30 days – but there has been no response from Russia on that so far. The situation on the frontline shows that pressure on Moscow and real oversight of the actions of the occupying forces are needed for the ceasefire to be established," said Zelenskyy.